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| September 19, 2003 | Friday | Rajab 21, 1424 |
Farhan and Farrukh score upset victories
KARACHI, Sept 18: Pakistan’s Farhan Mehboob created a stir with an upset 3-2 victory over Nick Mathew of England to storm into the quarterfinals of the CNS international squash championship on Thursday.
Although at the outset it seemed the Pakistani would be an easy victim for the Englishman, Farhan however staged a remarkable comeback after losing the opening game 6-15 at Pakistan Navy Roshan Khan-Jahangir Khan Squash Complex.
The gruelling 50-minute encounter became more intense when Mathew was made to work hard in the second game and finally lost 15-13.
Farhan, the Asian junior champion, once again crumbled in the third when Mathew, the world No 26, humbled him 1-15. But that was the last joy for Mathew as the Pakistani, the world No 242, showed promise with 15-13 and 17-15 victories in the fourth and fifth games.
Another unseeded Pakistani Farrukh Zaman joined the last eight stage with another shock 3-1 win over fourth seeded French Renan Lavigne.
Farrukh, who started the match with a 15-11 win, was surprizingly downed 4-15 by Lavigne in the second game. The Pakistani showed his class by coming back into contention in the third winning it 15-10 but not before some resistance from his rival.
It was 6-2 when the Frenchman bounced back to make it 6-4 and then reduced the margin from 5-10 to 8-10. He eventually surrendered when Farrukh executed a smashing cross court shot to win the game.
Lavigne, who seemed to be drained after working hard in the earlier games, faltered and lost the fourth, especially trying to secure points through drop shots.
The lanky Pakistani took full advantage of unforced errors by the Frenchman and won 15-7 and the 53-minute match with a blistering shot past his hapless rival.
Second seeded Mansoor Zaman of Pakistan brushed aside an early challenge by Alistar Walker of England and cruised into quarterfinals with a 3-1 triumph.
Walker got off to a fine start when he chalked-up a 15-13 win in the first game, but Mansoor wrapped up the proceedings with a 15-7, 15-6, 15-6 victories to move ahead after a 42-minute skirmish.
England’s Adrain Grant was fully stretched before registering a 8-15, 15-4, 15-10, 10-15, 15-9 win, while Majid Khan and Shahid Zaman were the only Pakistanis to crash out in the first round.
Egypt’s Mohammad Abbas defeated Majid 15-11, 15-6, 15-8, while another Egyptian Hisham Mohd Ashour got the better of Shahid 11-15, 15-7, 15-8, 15-11.
Top seed Gregory Gaultier of France had smooth sailing when he breezed past Wael El Hindi of Egypt 15-10, 15-10, 15-9. Pakistan’s Yasir Butt reached the quarterfinals after Egypt’s Omar Elborolossy was retired hurt following a 15-2 loss in the first game.
Results (first round):
Gregory Gaultier (France) bt Wael El Hindi (Egypt) 15-10, 15- 10, 15-9; Mansoor Zaman (Pakistan) bt Alistar Walker (England) 13-15, 15-7, 15-6, 15-6; Yasir Butt (Pakistan) bt Omar Elborolossy (Egypt) 15-2 (retired hurt); Mohammad Abbas (Egypt) bt Majid Khan (Pakistan) 15-11, 15-6, 15-8; Hisham M. Ashour (Egypt) bt Shahid Zaman (Pakistan) 11-15, 15-7, 15-8, 15-11; Farrukh Zaman (Pakistan) bt Renan Lavigne (France) 15-11, 4-15, 15-10, 15-7; Farhan Mehboob (Pakistan) bt Nick Mathew (England) 6-15, 15-13, 1-15, 15-13, 17-15; Adrain Grant (England) bt Lauren Anjema (Netherlands) 8-15, 15-4, 15-10, 10-15, 15-9.
Friday’s fixtures (quarterfinals):
Gregory Gaultier (France) v Yasir Butt (Pakistan) at 2.00pm; Adrain Grant (England) v Farhan Mehboob (Pakistan) 2.45pm; Mohammad Abbas (Egypt) v Farrukh Zaman (Pakistan) v 3.30pm; Hisham Mohd Ashour (Egypt) v Mansoor Zaman (Pakistan) 4.15pm.
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