ISLAMABAD: There will be no Pakistani winner at the Pakistan Open Squash Championship after Farhan Zaman, Ahsan Ayaz and Tayyab Aslam were all sent packing in the second round here at the Mushaf Squash Complex on Wednesday.

Pakistan number two Farhan was the main hope after top-ranked Farhan Mehboob had exited the tournament in the first round but he was outclassed by Egyptian Mazeen Hasham 9-11, 6-11, 6-11. Hasham’s powerful strokes and excellent drop shots were the highlight of a truly dominant 28-minute performance.

Ahsan showed some resistance, taking one game off Egypt’s Zahed Mohamed but eventually lost 11-7, 6-11, 4-11, 2-11 while Tayyab added to the disappointment of local fans, celebrating the return of the Pakistan Open after a decade-long gap, when he was brushed aside in 28 minutes by another Egyptian Mohamed Abouelghar 5-11, 5-11, 11-13.

There are four Egyptians in the quarter-finals with top seed and world number five Marwan El Shorbagy, a runner-up to his brother Mohamed in the World Championship final last week, overcoming Malaysia’s Mohammad Syafiq Kamal 11-8,11-7, 11-9.

The CAS International Women’s Championship, meanwhile, has reached the semi-final stage with top-seeded Annie Au of Hong Kong, Australian Rachael Gringham, Egypt’s Rowan Elaraby and Sivasangari Subramaniam of Hong Kong booking their places.

Au needed 15 minutes to thrash Egyptian Hana Moataz 11/2, 11/2, 11/8 but the other three quarter-finals weren’t as lop-sided.

Elaraby overcame compatriot Mayar Hany 2-11, 11-7, 11-5, 11-3 while Gringham was stretched to 41 minutes by Egypt’s Nadine Shahin before she prevailed 11-4, 9-11, 12-10, 11-7.

The closest contest featured Subramaniam against another Egyptian Hania El Hammamy. Subramaniam won the 540minute battle 8-11, 14-12, 12-10, 11-9.

Results:

Pakistan Open:

Second round: Marwan El Shorbagy (Egypt) bt Mohammad Syafiq Kamal (Malaysia) 11-8, 11-7, 11-9; Mazen Hesham (Egypt) bt Farhan Zaman (Pakistan) 11-9, 11-6, 11-6; Eain Yow Ng (Malaysia) bt Tsz Fung Yip (Hong Kong) 12-10, 11-7 — Yip retired; Zahed Mohamed (Egypt) bt Ahsan Ayaz (Pakistan) 7-11, 11-6, 11-4, 11-2; Leo Au (Hong Kong) bt Shehab Essam (Egypt) 11-9, 5-11, 11-5, 11-1; Max Lee (Hong Kong) bt Mazen Gamal (Egypt) 11-5, 5-11, 11-5, 11-1; Nafizwan Adnan (Malaysia) bt Peter Creed (Wales) 11-7, 11-4, 11-6; Mohamed Abouelghar (Egypt) bt Tayyab Aslam (Pakistan) 11-5, 11-5, 13-11.

CAS Women’s International Championship:

Second round: Ainie Au (Hong Kong) bt Hana Moataz (Egypt) 11-2, 11-2, 11-8; Rowan Elaraby (Egypt) bt Mayar Hany (Egypt) 2-11, 11-7, 11-5, 11-3; Rachael Gringham (Australia) bt Nadine Shahin (Egypt) 11-4, 9-11, 12-10, 11-7; Sivasangari Subramaniam (Malaysia) Hania El Hammamy (Egypt) 8-11, 14-12, 12-10, 11-9.

Published in Dawn, December 21st, 2017