LAHORE, March 21: England’s world number one Peter Nicol is confident that organisers will guarantee a safe Pakistan Open when international squash returns to the violence-wracked nation on Friday.
Nicol, who won eight tournaments last year, is favourite at the first multi-national sporting event held in Pakistan since the Sept 11 attacks on the United States.
The $105,000 event was originally scheduled for November but was postponed by the Players’ Squash Association in the wake of the attacks and the resulting US campaign in Pakistan’s neighbour Afghanistan.
“The facilities are excellent and there are no fears of security, as we are provided with guards and there are lots and lots of security,” Nicol said Thursday.
This month Sri Lanka beat Pakistan as Asian Test champions in the first cricket international played here since Sept 11. New Zealand are due to tour Pakistan next month after postponing the series because of security fears.
The former Scottish player heads into the Pakistan Open tipped for more success after a hot season last year.
“It was good last year for me though I lost the British Open, but hopefully this event would give me a good lead-up to the Commonwealth Games and then the British Open,” Nicol said.
He defends his 1998 Commonwealth title in Manchester, England, in July-August.
Nicol said transferring his allegiance from Scotland to England had helped his career. “It definitely helped as the sporting system is beneficial in England.”
Nicol, who faces Canada’s Graham Ryding in the first round, is tipped to play world number two David Palmer of Australia in the final on March 27.
Palmer won the British Open last year when Nicol lost in the quarter-finals.
World number three Jonathon Power of Canada and number four Thierry Lincou of France could also pose problems for Nicol, which are unlikely to come from home players.
Pakistan, once a mighty squash force with Jahangir Khan and Jansher Khan, will have only one player in the main rounds of 24 players.
Amjad Khan, winner of the Pakistan Open in 1998, has been given a wild card entry in the main rounds while three other Pakistanis — Shahid Zaman, Mansoor Zaman and Aijaz Azmat — will feature in the qualifying rounds.
Amjad Khan won the Pakistan Open in 1998 while England’s Peter Marshall won the contest when it was last staged in 1999.
Pakistan has imported a portable glass-sided court from Germany for the championship at a cost of 10 million rupees (167,000 dollars).—AFP
Our Correspondent adds: The tournament will begin under completely different atmosphere as compared to past.
If current form as anything to do with the final outcome of the competition, none of the four Pakistanis stand a chance to reach the last four, leave alone winning the honours.
Two-time finalist, Amjad Khan, courtesy wildcard entry, is the lone host country player who got a direct entry in the main draw. Aijaz Azmat, Mansoor Zaman and Mohammad Ilyas reached the main round after coming through qualifiers.
The 22-year old Amjad Khan, the nephew of Jansher Khan, has slumped to 50th in world rankings owing to poor recent results. He was at his best in 1998 when he defeated Graham Ryding to win the title before losing to Peter Marshal in the following year.
Ironically, it was the first time in 18 tournaments that Pakistan Open was won by a foreigner. Previously, Jahangir Khan won it 10 times while Jansher clinched it six times.
First round draw:
Friday (at Punjab Squash Complex)
David Evans (Wal) vs Olli Tuominen (Finland) at 2pm; Martin Heath (Scotland) vs Omar Elboroloss (Egypt) at 3pm; Chris Walker (England) vs Amr Shabana (Egypt) at 4pm; Thierry Lincou (France) vs Joseph Kneipp (Australia) at 5pm.
Fortress Stadium:
Peter Nicol (England) vs Graham Ryding (Canada) at 6.30pm; Mark Chaloner (England) vs Renan Lavigne (France) at 7pm; John White (Sco) vs Dan Jenson (Aus) at 8.3pm; Anthony Ricketts (Aust) vs Mansoor Zaman (Pak) at 9.30pm.
Saturday
(at Punjab Squash Complex):
Aijaz Azmat (Pak) vs Stewart Boswell (Aust) at 12noon; Tommy Berden (Ned) vs Paul Johnson (Eng) at 1pm; Stefan Casteleyn (Bel) vs Ong Beng He (Malaysia) at 2pm; Wael El Hindi (Egypt) vs Del Harris (Eng) at 3pm.
Fortress Stadium:
David Palmer (Aust) vs Mohammad Azlan at 6.30pm; Amjad Khan (Pak) vs Alez Gough (Wal) at 7.30pm; Lee Beachill (Eng) vs Ilyas (Pak) at 8.30pm; Kareem Mohd H Darwish (Egypt) vs Jonathan Power (Canada) at 9.30pm.