TORONTO, Sept 3: Pakistan’s performance in the just concluded Montreal 2002 World Bridge Championships is “more than satisfactory,” especially in the Pairs contest, an event of upsets and surprises.

This was stated by Sultan Siddiqui who alongwith Rashid Jaffer took Pakistan to the Open Pairs final round last week.

Sultan, who arrived in Toronto Monday after competing in the Montreal event, said that for the first time Pakistan appeared in the finals though its present team was without high-flying Zia Mahmood who is now an American national.

He said 400 pairs from across the world took part in the Open In an interview with Dawn, Sultan, who earlier represented Pakistan in 1986 Miami World Championships, said that he and his partner Jaffer finished in the top half of the Open Pairs.

Talking about Zia and Michael Rosenberg’s defeat in the Open Pairs he said: “The final session produced the most upset result.”

He said all those watching Zia-Michael on TV screen were surprised and shocked because Americans had built up lead in the first four sessions. “We thought it would be touch and go for Zia and his partner. But that was not the case. Italians Fulvio Fantoni and Claudio Nunes came from behind to pull off an upset,” said Sultan.