KARACHI, Jan 5: Five Pakistani players qualified for the pre-finals of various age categories in the ongoing British Open Junior Squash Championship, reports received here from Sheffield said Saturday.

Pakistan’s Majid Khan was the only survivor in the Under-19 category after crashing into another Pakistani Khayal Mohammad in the quarterfinal.

Majid beat his countryman 9-4, 5-9, 8-10, 9-2, 9-2 in a marathon and would now meet the top seed Englishman James Willstrop in the semifinal.

Pakistan’s Saeed Hasan lost his quarterfinal match against Peter Baxler of the UK 9-2, 9-0, 9-0.

Pakistan’s Atlas Khan and Safeer Khan continued their good work in the Under-17 event.

Safeer, a winner of Under-17 title in Scottish Open Junior, overcame the UK’s Lawrence Delasaux 9-2, 9-6, 5-9, 10-8 in a tough match while Atlas crushed Tameem al-Wali of Egypt 9-3, 9-3, 9-7.

Atlas will face the top seed Egyptian Sharif Mohammad Kamal in the semi-final. Safeer will come face to face with Egypt’s Mohammad Adil.

Pakistan’s Yasir Butt and Ferhan Mehboob reached the semifinals of the Under-15 category. Yasir downed Holland’s Tom Hoevenaars 9-1, 9-1, 9-2 to set up semi-final date with the UK’s Christopher Hall while Ferhan outlasted Chris Simons of the UK 9-4, 9-2, 7-9, 3-9, 9-7 in an hour long match.—SADA