Arham continues giant-killing run to set up Aqeel clash

Published May 13, 2016
ISLAMABAD: Aqeel Khan in action during the Subh-e-Nau tennis championship at the PTF Complex on Thursday.—INP
ISLAMABAD: Aqeel Khan in action during the Subh-e-Nau tennis championship at the PTF Complex on Thursday.—INP

ISLAMABAD: Unseeded Arham Atique continued his giant-killing run at the Subh-e-Nau clay court tennis championships when he outclassed seventh seed Usman Rafiq 6-1, 7-6 (7-4) in their men’s singles quarter-final on Thursday.

Having ousted third-seeded Yasir Khan in the second round here at the PTF Complex, Arham will next face top-ranked Aqeel Khan for a place in the final.

Aqeel advanced to the semi-finals when he ended the challenge of Mudassar Murtaza with a 6-4, 6-4 win.

Fourth seed Shehzad Khan avoided a major scare against eighth-seeded Mohammad Muzammil when he recovered from a set down to win 6-7 (6-8), 6-2, 6-4 and set up a last-four clash against Mohammad Abid, who needed a first set tie-break to overcome Heera Ashiq 7-6 (7-1), 7-4.

Arham’s younger brother Aman Atique, meanwhile, booked his berth in the semi-finals of the Boys’ U-18 singles event after crusing past Aquib Umar 6-2, 6-0.

Aman was joined in the last four by Syed Nofil Kaleem, a 6-2, 3-6, 6-0 winner over Yousuf Khan, and Muzammil Murtaza, who eased past Saquib Umar 6-3, 6-2.

The top two seeds in the ladies singles event, Sarah Mahboob and Sara Mansoor, also booked their spots in the last four.

Sarah thrashed Yasha Atique 6-0, 6-1 while Sara had a double bagel win over Ihsa Jawed. The duo were joined in the semis by Meheq Khokhar — who beat Shahida Badshah 6-3, 6-0 — and Ushna Sohail, who hammered Maheen Khan 6-0, 6-0.

Results:

Men’s singles (quarter-finals): Aqeel Khan bt, MudassarMurtaza 6-4, 6-4; Arham Atique bt Usman Rafique 6-1, 7-6 (7-4); Shehzad Khan bt Muzammil Murtaza 6-7 (6-8), 6-2, 6-4; Mohammad Abid bt Heera Ashiq 7-6 (7-1), 7-4.

Boys U-18 singles (quarter-finals): Muzammil Murtaza bt Saquib Umar 6-3, 6-2; Aman Atique bt Aquib Umar 6-2, 6-0; Syed Nofil Kaleem bt Yousuf Khan 6-2, 3-6, 6-0.

Men’s doubles (first round): Aqeel Khan/HeeraAshiq bt Abdal Haider/Babar Ali Akbar 6-1, 6-4; Yasir Khan/Shehzad Khan bt Ijaz Khan/Abbas 6-3, 6-4; Mohammad Abid/Usman Rafique bt Irfanullah/Shaheen Mahmood 6-2, 6-2; Mohammad Mudassar/Mohammad Muzammil bt Rasheed Malik/Hameed-ul-Haq 6-4, 6-3.

Boys U-14 singles (quarter-finals): Shoaib Khan bt Abdullah Adnan 4-2, 4-1; Aquib Umar bt Mohammad Abdullah 4-2, 4-2; Sami Zeb bt Ahmed Kamil 1-4, 4-2, 4-1; Hamza bin Rehan bt Subhan bin Salik 5-3, 4-0.

Ladies’ singles (first round): Maheen Khan bt Aman Nadeem 6-4, 6-1; Yasha Atique bt Shahida Farooq 3-2 — Shahida retired; Shahida Badshah bt Nawal Imtiaz — walkover.

Ladies’ singles (quarter-finals): Sarah Mahboob bt YashaAtique 6-0, 6-1; Meheq Khokhar bt ShahidaBadshah 6-3, 6-0; Sara Mansoor bt Ihsa Jawad 6-0, 6-0, Ushna Sohail defeated Maheen Khan 6-0, 6-0.

Boys’ U-10 singles (quarter-finals): Hamza Roman bt Jamal Shah — walkover; Umar Masood bt Uzair bin Abbas 5-4, 5-3; M. Huzaifa Khan bt Muhammad Irtaza 4-0, 4-0; Hameed Israr bt M. Talha Khan 5-4, 4-1.

Published in Dawn, May 13th, 2016

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