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ISLAMABAD, Nov 25: Asian veteran champion Hameedul Haq knocked out Pakistan Davis Cup player Shahzad Khan, the 8th seed, on Thursday to go marching into the semi-finals of the Federal Cup Ranking Tennis Tournament.
Both players were on court for three and a half hours and the ageing Hameed produced the kind of tennis that surprised not just Shahzad but everyone else. On his favourite clay surface, Hameed was a class act and despite losing the first set, he made full use of his experience and fitness to score a 4-6, 6-2, 7-6 (2) victory.
It was the second upset by Hameed who had earlier eliminated 4th seed Inam Gul on Tuesday. The win put him in a pre-final clash with top seed Nomi Qamar who defeated Davis Cup veteran Rashid Malik 6-1, 6-3.
Wasif Cheema, the tournament's fifth seed also advanced, and did so in style by eliminating second seed Jalil Khan 6-2, 6-1. His opponent in the semifinal will be 3rd seed Asim Shafik who walloped Tanveer Ashiq 6-1, 6-1.
On the women's side, Nida Rahim was an easy 6-0, 6-0 winner against Shahida Kausar as she made the last four. Also making that grade was Seher Khawaja who defeated Anoosha Aslam 6-4, 6-3 and Mehvish Chishtie, a 6-2, 6-2 victor against Zahra Omer. The last spot in the semifinal was claimed by Maira Rahim, who had to go to three sets in overcoming Saba Aziz 6-4, 3-6, 6-4.
RESULTS:
MEN'S SINGLES QUARTERFINALS: Nomi Qamar bt Rashid Malik 6-1, 6-3, Asim Shafik bt Tanveer Ashiq 6-1, 6-1, Wasif Cheema bt Jalil Khan 6-2, 6-1, Hameedul Haq bt Shahzad Khan 4-6, 6-2, 7-6 (2).
BOYS UNDER-17 SINGLES PRE QUARTERFINALS: Noumanul Hq bt Sibtain Masood 2-4, 4-1, 4-1, Hira Ashiq bt Arjumand Masood 4-1, 5-4 (2)
BOYS UNDER-17 SINGLES QUARTERFINALS: Omer Babar bt Tabish Raza 4- 0, 4-1, Noumanul Haq bt Abid Ali 5-4 (4), 4-0, Khurrum Nazir bt M. Waqas Malik 4-2, 4-2, Tanveer Ashiq bt Hira Ashiq 5-3, 4-2
GIRLS UNDER-17 QUARTERFINALS: Natasha Afridi bt Sara Mansoor 5-4 (3), Sara Mahboob bt Muneezeh Shahid 4-1, 4-2, Anoosha Aslam bt Zainab Khan 4-0, 4-2. 0 -
BOYS UNDER-13 SEMIFINALS: Hira Ashiq bt Ziad Rochdy 4-0, 4-0, M. Waqas Malik bt Yousaf Ajam 4-1, 5-4(2).
WOMEN'S SINGLES QUARTERFINALS: Nida Rahim bt Shahida Kausar 6-0, 6-0, Seher Khawaja bt Anoosha Aslam 6-4, 6-3, Mehvish Chishtie bt Zahra Omer 6-2, 6-2, Maira Rahim bt Saba Aziz 6-4, 3-6, 6-4
VETERANS' DOUBLES 45 PLUS SEMIFINALS: Ali Akbar-Shahid bt Mehboob Khan-Sohail Kiyani 6-2, 6-2.
VETERANS' DOUBLES 55 PLUS QUARTERFINALS: Tahawwar-Rashid Khan walkover Dr A Rashid-Talat Masood, Iftikhar Rashid-V. Korolkov bt Awan-Arif 6-0, 6-0, S. Sher Khan-Khawar Hayat bt Asif Dar-Khawaja Shafiq 6-2, 6-1.
