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| September 18, 2003 | Thursday | Rajab 20, 1424 |
Yasir stuns Safeer to earn a spot in final rounds
KARACHI, Sept 17: Yasir Butt produced an incredible fight back from 0-2 down to turn the table on British Open Junior champion Safeerullah and stormed into the final rounds of Chief of Naval Staff International squash championship at Pakistan Navy Roshan Khan/Jahangir Khan Squash Complex Wednesday.
Asian junior championship runner-up Yasir, who entered the qualifying rounds after fine performance in pre-qualifying stage and his fine run earned him a place in the main draw.
Yasir lost the opening game 16-17 after thrilling contest. But looked exhausted and Safeer taking advantage made it 2-0 by easily taking the second game 15-9.
But from third game, Yasir took control of the match and displaying stamina, speed and powerful strokes, he took the next three games 15-7, 154-13, 15-11 to win gruelling tussle lasting 77 minutes.
Asian Junior champion Farhan Mahboob also staged a grand rally after losing the opening two games to beat cousin Khalid Atlas 3-2.
Inspired Khalid took the opening two games 15-11, 15-10. But Farhan came back in strongly, won the next three games in a row 15-14, 15-10, 15-6 to seize victory and booked a place in the main draw.
Arshad Iqbal Burki gave Alistir Walker of England a testing time before going down fighting in a marathon five set contest.
The 61-minute match was tied 2-all aftere four games.
But in the decider, englishman wrapped the final 15-8 to ensure a place in the final rounds.
However Laurens Anjuma of the Netherlands recovered from a shaky to defeat Khayal Muhammad but not before a stiff challenge from young Khayal.
The Pakistani youngster Khayal took the opening game 11-15 but Anjuma dominated the next three games to advance in the main rounds after just under an hour encounter.
The main rounds of US$25,000 goes into action from Thursday.
Three Pakistanis including second Mansoor Zaman, Shahid Zaman and wild-card entry Majid Khan are directly placed in the main rounds with a draw of 16 players.
Gregory Gaultier of France, ranked 17th in the world is top seeded.
Because of pull out of David Evans (Wales) and Stephen Meads (England) Farrukh Zaman and Hisham Muhammad Ashour (Egypt) were included in the main draw.
Results
Lawrence Anjuma (Netherlands) bt Khayal Muhammad (Pak) 11-15, 15-9, 15-8, 15-5; Yasir Butt (Pak) bt Safeerullah (Pak) 16-17, 9-15, 15-7, 15-13, 15-11; Alistir Walker (Eng) bt Arshad Iqbal Burki (Pak) 15-11, 9-15, 15-6, 14-17, 15-8; Farhan Mahboob (Pak) and Khalid Atlas (Pak) 11-15, 10-15, 15-14, 15-10, 15-6.—APP
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