ISLAMABAD: Promising Pakistani youngster Tayyab Aslam continued his good run in the Serena Chief of Air Staff International Squash Championships by defeating compatriot Asim Khan to reach the semi-finals at the Mushaf Squash Complex here on Wednesday.

Tayyab now remains the host nation’s solitary hope for the title after Faiza Zafar and Madina Zafar both exited from the women’s competition without any fight.

The 22-year old Tayyab will face Hong Kong’s Leo Au in Thursday’s last-four clash after the top seed cruised past Egypt’s Mazen Gamal in straight games.

Tayyab, currently ranked 71st in the world, faced strong resistance from world No.86 Asim Khan in a thrilling five-game duel that lasted 85 minutes.

11-3, 10-12, 14-16, 11-5, 11-9

Tayyab got off to a flying start by winning the first game 11-3 before Asim clawed back to win the next one at 10-12. In third game both refused to give up until Asim managed to win 16-14.

But Tayyab bounced back brilliantly to seal the match with a series of breathtaking cross-court and drop shots to emerge a deserving winner by taking the last two games at 11-5 and 11-9.

Leo Au, meanwhile, took only 47 minute to defeat his Egyptian rival Mazen Gamal 11-8, 11-7, 11-16.

In the remaining last-eight fixtures, Youseff Soliman defeated his Egyptian compatriot Omar Abdel Meguid in straight games, while second seed Nafizwan Adnan of Malaysia also won easily in straight games against Egypt’s Mstafa Asal.

In the women championship, Egypt’s Rowan Elarby outclassed Faiza Zafar by three games to nil and Hong Kong’s Tsz-Wing outclassed Madina Zafar by the same margin.

The Egyptian duo of Farida Momen and Nada Abbas also made it to the semi-finals.

Results:

Men’s quarter-finals: Leo Au (Hong Kong) bt Mazen Gamal (Egypt) 11-8, 11-7, 11-6; Tayyab Aslam (Pakistan) bt Asim Khan (Pakistan) 11-3, 10-12, 14-16, 11-5, 11-9; Youseff Soliman (Egypt) bt Omar Abdel Meguid (Egypt) 12-10, 11-3, 12-10; Nafizwan Adnan (Malaysia) bt Mostafa Asal (Egypt)11-6, 11-5, 11-4.

Women’s quarter-finals: Farida Momen (Egypt) bt Menna Hameed (Egypt) 13-11, 4-11, 11-6, 13-11; Rowan Elarby (Egypt) bt Faiza Zafar (Pakistan) 11-5, 11-6, 11-5; Tong Tsz-Wing (Hong Kong) bt Madina Zafar (Pakistan) 11-8, 11-4, 11-5; Nada Abbas (Egypt) bt Tessa ter Sluis (Netherlands) 11-6, 11-2, 7-11, 11-7.

Published in Dawn, September 13th, 2018