KARACHI: In a major upset, fifth seed Farhan Mehboob coasted to an exciting 3-1 victory over top seed Asim Khan to cruise into the semi-finals and stay in contention for a repeat finish in the $15,000 Pakistan Squash Circuit III at the PN Roshan Khan-Jahangir Khan Squash Complex on Monday.

Mehboob, who had defeated Tayyab Aslam in the preceding final to clinch the Circuit II in Lahore recently, defied pressure to whip Khan 5-11, 11-8, 11-9, 11-3 and inch closer towards making it two on the trot.

He is now slated to face Circuit II losing finalists and fourth seed Aslam in the semi-final on Tuesday after the latter defeated seventh seed Ammad Fareed 13-11, 11-7, 12-14, 11-4 in the longest duel that lasted for 75-minutes.

In the lower half of the draw, sixth seed Israr Ahmed, who finished runner-up in the Circuit I at Islamabad, halted the winning run of qualifier Danish Atlas Khan in a grueling, fully-stretched battle that lasted 61 minutes. The former survived a scare to get past Atlas 5-11, 11-8, 7-11, 11-9, 11-9 in another quarter-final.

He is drawn to face second seed Farhan Zaman, who blanked eighth seed Syed Ali Mujtaba Shah Bokhari 11-4, 11-5, 12-10.

Meanwhile, qualifier Komal Khan joined top two seeds Zafar sisters — Faiza and Madina — and third seed Anam Mustafa Aziz in the last four.

Komal, who shocked seventh seed Noor-ul-Huda in the first round, kept her giant killing run while removing fourth seed Zahab Kamal Khan 11-8,11-8, 4-11, 11-4.

She now takes on Faiza who fought courageously to overcome unseeded Moqaddas Ashraf in five games 6-11, 11-9, 12-10, 5-11, 11-9.

Second seed Madina swept aside fifth seed Amna Fayyaz straight 11-2, 11-7, 11-6 and faces Anam Mustafa Aziz who defeated Riffat Khan 11-1, 5-11, 11-2, 11-3.

Results:

Quarter-finals (men’s):

Farhan Mehboob bt Asim Khan 5-11, 11-8, 11-9, 11-3; Tayyab Aslam bt Amaad Farid 13-11, 11-7, 12-14, 11-4;Israr Ahmed bt Danish Atlas 5-11, 11-8, 7-11, 11-9, 11-9;Farhan Zaman bt Syed Ali Mujtaba Shah Bukhari 11-4, 11-5, 12-10.

Quarter-finals (women’s):

Faiza Zafar bt Moqaddas Ashraf 6-11, 11-9, 12-10, 5-11, 11-9; Komal Khan bt Zahab Kamal Khan 11-8,11-8, 4-11, 11-4; Anam Mustafa Aziz bt Riffat Khan 11-1, 5-11, 11-2, 11-3; Madina Zafar bt Amna Fayyaz 11-2, 11-7, 11-6.

Tuesday’s fixtures:

Semi-finals start at 3pm.

Published in Dawn, July 10th, 2018