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ISLAMABAD, Aug 11: Top seed Aqeel Khan was the only Pakistani to survive the pre-quarterfinals of the ITF Satellite Circuit tennis championship on Wednesday as three others fell at the Islamabad Club.
Aqeel defeated Dmitry Ivanov of Uzbekistan 6-0, 7-5 but Nomi Qamar, Asim Shafiq and Wasif Cheema failed to make the quarterfinals. Apart from Aqeel, others to reach the last eight were Vivek Shokeen and Rahil Syed of India, American Mirko Pehar, Toshiaki Sakai of Japan, Korean Cheong-Eui and Italians Sanna Tommaso and Enrico Wellenfeld.
Vivek downed Nomi 7-5, 6-4 while Tomasso showed Asim the door with a 6-2, 6-3 victory. A tired-looking Wasif was then walloped 6-0, 6-1. In other singles ties Wellenfeld outgunned Ashutosh Singh of India 6-2, 6-3 while Rahil edged Yannick Neolard 3-6, 7-6 (2), 7-6 (4) in what was an engrossing match.
The Pakistani pair of Jalil Khan and Asim Shafiq also went down in the doubles quarterfinals to Indians Vikas Punna and Vishal Punna who won 6-4, 7-6 (3).
RESULTS:
(SINGLES PRE-QUARTERFINALS)
Aqeel Khan (Pak) bt Dmitry Ivanov (Uzb) 6-0, 7-5; Vivek Shokeen (Ind) bt Nomi Qamar (Pak) 7-5, 6-4; Tomasso Sanna (Ita) bt Asim Shafiq(Pak) 6-2, 6-3; Toshiaki Sakai(Jap) bt Wasif Cheema (Pak) 6-0, 6-1; Enrico Wellenfeld (Ita) bt Ashutosh Singh (Ind) 6-2, 6-3; Rahil Syed (Ind) bt Yannick Neolord (Ind) 3-6, 7-6(2), 7-6 (4); Cheong-Eio Kim (S Kor) bt Vijay Kannan (Ind) 3-6, 6-1, 6-4; Mirko Pehar (US) bt Adrian Venturi (Aus) 6-2, 6-4.
DOUBLES QUARTERFINALS: Vikas Punna/Vishal Punna (Ind) bt Jalil Khan/Asim Shafiq (Pak) 6-4, 7-6 (3); Tomasso Cafferata/Tommaso Sanna (Ita) bt Jaco Mathew (Ind)/Atsufmi Yoshikawa (Jap) 6-7 (4), 6-0, 6-1; Yassir Bouyahya/Kamil Filali (Morocco) bt Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan/Sujai Reddy (Ind) 7-5, 6-4; Mirko Pehar (US)/Toshiaki Sakai (Jap) bt Arindam Datta (Ind)/Tamer El Sawy (Egy) 6-0, 6-2.
THURSDAY'S FIXTURES:
SINGLES QUARTERFINALS
Vivek Shokeen (Ind) v Cheong-Eui Kim (S.Korea) 9.30am
DOUBLES SEMIFINALS:
Yassir Bouyahya/Kamil Filali (Morocco) v Mirko Pehar (US)/Toshiaki Sakai (Jap) 10.30am; Vishal Punna/Vikas Punna (Ind) v Tommaso Cafferata/Tommaso Sanna (Ita) 12:30pm.
