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LAHORE, Aug 25: Three Pakistanis Aqeel Khan, Asim Shafik and Shahzad Khan made to the quarterfinals of the ITF Satellite Circuit tennis championship (third leg) while the fourth Nomi Qamar made early exist at Model Town Club courts on Wednesday.
Aqeel, the winner of the first leg at Islamabad and runner-up of second at Lahore, fought for over an hour to beat Yassir Bouyahya of Morocco 7-5, 5-7, 6-2. Asim though earned a win after two sets against Cafferata Tommaso but not before being stretched to tie-breaker in the second. He eventually won 6-1, 7-6 (2).
Wildcard entry Shahzad proved too good for South Korean Kim Cheong Eui and beat him 6-2, 6-3. Nomi, who had faced defeats in the semifinals of previous two legs made early exist this time when Indian Vijaz Kannan earned a facile 6-2, 6-3 win against him.
In another three set game, Enrico Wellenfeld (Italy) struggled hard to beat Indian Gurmehar Singh 6-2, 4-6, 6-4. Meanwhile, five Pakistani players - Aqeel Khan, Asim Shafik, Wasif Cheema, Shahzad Khan and Nomi Qamar - have qualified for the fourth leg of the Circuit to be held in Karachi.
RESULTS:
MEN'S SINGLES (PRE-QUARTERFINALS): Aqeel Khan (Pak) bt Yassir Bouyahya (Morocco) 7-5, 5-7, 6-2; Mirko Pehar (USA) bt Vishal Punna (India) 6-4, 6-2; Vijay Kannan (India) bt Nomi Qamar (Pak) 6-2, 6-3; Vivek Shokeen (India) bt Dane Fernandez (Aus) 6-3, 6-4; Shahzad Khan (Pak) bt Kim Cheong-Eui (S. Korea) 6-2, 6-3; Enrico Wellenefeld (Italy) bt Gurmehar Singh (India) 6-2, 4-6, 6-4; Asim Shafik (Pak) bt Tommaso Cafferata (Italy) 6-1,7-6 (2); Sakai Toshiaki (Japan) bt Ashutosh (India) 6-4, 6-3.
DOUBLES (PRE-QUARTERFINALS): Yassir Bouyahya (Morocco)-Filali (Morocco) bt Nomi Qamar (Pak)-Mohammad Shafiq (Pak) 6-2,6-4; Puna Vikas (Ind)-Puna Vishal (India) bt Jaco Mathew (India)- Mathew Yoshikawa (Japan) 6-2, 3-6, 6-3.
