May 28, 2008	Wednesday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 22, 1429

KARACHI, May 27: Sisters Ghalia and Maliha Khursheed on Tuesday added the women’s doubles crown to their tally of titles in the 36th Karachi Table Tennis championships at the Islamia Club.

The winners were stretched to full distance by fighting duo of Naureen and Najia, who fought gallantly before surrendering the battle. The sisters were home 11-7, 7-11, 11-7, 9-11, 11-7.

On Monday, the Khursheed sisters helped Essa Laboratory land the women’s team event title.

Defending champion and top seed Khawaja Kashif and second seed Mohsin Raza, stormed into the men’s singles ranking semi-finals with identical 3-1 victories over their respective opponents on Tuesday.

Kashif handed a 13-11, 13-11, 7-11, 11-5 defeat to Nusrat Hussain while Mohsin accounted for Asim Hussain 11-5, 9-11, 11-9, 11-8.

They were joined in the last four by Atta Abbas and Asif Aziz.

Results:

Men’s singles ranking event (pre quarter-finals):

Khawaja Kashif bt A. Hafeez Bhatti 11-6,

11-6, 11-5; Atta Abbas bt Ahmed Hanif 11-5, 11-6, 11-2; Asif Aziz bt Farrukh Kamal 11-9, 11-9, 11-4; Salman Shahid bt Naveed Nazar 9-11, 11-7, 11-6, 13-11; Nusrat Hussain bt Kamran Sarang 5-11, 13-11, 10-12, 11-3, 12-10; M. Muzammil bt Salman Iqbal 11-8, 11-8, 11-5; Asim Hussain bt Khawar Mahmood 3-11, 11-6, 6-11, 13-11, 11-8; Mohsin Raza bt Ahmer Ali 6-11, 11-7, 11-5, 12-10.

Quarter-finals:

Khawaja Kashif bt Nusrat Hussain 13-11, 13-11, 7-11, 11-5; Mohsin Raza bt Asim Hussain 11-5, 9-11, 11-9, 11-8; Atta Abbas bt M. Muzammil 8-11, 8-11, 11-4, 11-9, 11-8; Asif Aziz bt Salman Shahid 11-4, 8-11, 11-6, 11-8.

Men’s singles open event (first round):

Raheel Qureshi bt Zeeshan 11-7, 11-5, 11-5; A. Hafeez Bhatti bt Aahil Shah 11-5, 11-4, 11-8; Atif bt Saeed 11-4, 11-4, 11-5; Tabish Khursheed bt Akbar Nadir 11-6, 15-13, 11-7; Nadir Sohail bt Rahil 11-5, 11-7, 11-7.

Women’s singles open event (first round):

Abeera Ali bt Naila Nawab 11-1, 11-5, 11-5; Qurat-ul-Ain bt Ayesha Liaquat 11-6, 12-10, 11-6; Shahida Zulfiqar bt Marina Javeraia 11-1, 11-5, 11-4.

Women’s doubles:

Shahida Zulfiqar and Qurat-ul-Ain bt Naila Nawab and Farah Ilyas 11-6, 11-1, 11-6; Abeera and Iqra Saeed bt Ayesha Liaquat and Marina Iqbal 11-5, 11-8, 11-7.

Semi-finals:

Naureen and Najia bt Abeera Ali and Iqra Saeed 12-10, 10-12, 6-11, 11-5, 11-7; Ghalia and Maliha bt Shahida and Qurat-ul-Ain 11-7, 11-3, 13-11.

Women’s doubles (final):

Ghalia Khursheed and Maliha Khursheed bt Naureen Tehseen and Najia Khan 11-7, 7-11, 11-7, 9-11, 11-7.