KARACHI, March 15: Promising Aahil Shah created quite a stir when he shocked reigning Karachi champion and junior international Tabish Khursheed in the fully stretched battle to sneak into boys’ under-18 singles final of the Smash Polio Out open table tennis tournament at Islamia Club on Wednesday evening.
Aahil fought vigorously to emerge 9-11, 8-11, 13-11, 11-9, 11-9 victorious and set a date with Salman Saleem who accounted for Hassan Omer 11-8, 11-13, 12-10, 11-6 in the other semi-final.
Salman had beaten Aahil in the semi-final of Karachi championship before losing to Tabish in the title clash.
The girls’ under-18 singles has also reached the final stage where Iqra Saeed faces Farah Ilyas for the honours.
Junior international Iqra carved out 11-7, 11-6, 11-2 victory over Atiqa Khan while Farah, also a junior international, whipped Bushra Ikhlaq 11-4, 11-5, 11-8.
Meanwhile, eight players have stormed into men’s singles quarter-finals. They include Kamran Sarang, Atta Abbas, M. Muzammil, Mohsin Raza, Usman Ahmed, Raheel Saleem, Tabish Khursheed and Khwaja Kashif.
Sisters — Maliha and Ghalia — were among the four who were advanced into women’s singles last four. Other two include Qurat-ul-Ain and Farah Ilyas.
The event concludes on Friday.
Results:Men’s singles: Third round: Aahil Shah bt Tazeem-ur-Rehman 11-5, 7-11, 11-13, 11-5, 11-6; Tabish Khursheed bt Hassan Omer 11-8, 11-6, 8-11, 11-6; Farrukh Kamal bt Salman Shahid 11-9, 11-6, 11-8; Khwaja Kashif bt Bilawal Ghazder 11-3, 11-3, 11-6; Mohsin Raza bt Hussain Varini 11-7, 9-11, 11-6, 12-10; Bilal Tariq bt Mehdi Raza 11-8, 11-8, 11-7; Akbar Shah bt Ali Sheer Ali 11-9, 11-7, 14-12; A. H. Bhatti bt Taha Usman 11-5, 7-11, 13-11, 11-7; Atta Abbas bt Bilal Afridi 11-9, 11-3, 11-9; Raheel Saleem bt Mohsin Azhar 11-5, 11-7, 11-9; Usman Ahmed bt Abdullah Sheer Khan 11-5, 11-3, 11-3; Ahmed Aslam bt Ejaz Malik 11-6, 11-6, 11-5; M. Muzammil bt Raheel Qureshi 15-13, 7-11, 11-6, 14-12; Nazar Kazmi bt Ahmed Pasnani 11-7, 11-3, 4-11, 17-15; Kamran Sarang bt Hassan Imam 11-6, 11-6, 13-11; Mehmood Shaikhani bt Salman Saleem 11-9, 11-12, 11-7, 11-9.
Pre quarter-finals: Kamran Sarang bt Ahmed Aslam 12-10, 9-11, 11-7, 11-8; Atta Abbas bt Nazar Kazmi 11-7, 11-7, 11-7; M. Muzammil bt A. H. Bhatti 11-6, 11-2, 11-5; Mohsin Raza bt Bilal Tariq 12-10, 11-5, 11-9; Usman Ahmed bt Akbar Shah 11-4, 13-11, 11-7; Raheel Saleem bt Aahil Shah 7-11, 11-4, 7-11, 11-8, 11-5; Tabish Khursheed bt Farrukh Kamal 11-9, 11-6, 11-5; Khwaja Kashif bt Mateen Shaikhani 8-11, 12-10, 11-13, 12-10, 11-7.
Women’s singles: Quarter-finals: Maliha Khursheed bt Saman Rizwan 11-8, 11-6, 11-6; Qurat-ul-Ain bt Naureen Tahseen 11-9, 9-11, 11-9, 11-5; Ghalia Mohsin bt Tayyaba Salman 11-7, 11-8, 11-6; Farah Ilyas bt Parwarsha Nafees 11-7, 11-8, 11-6.
Girls’ under-18 singles:Semi-finals: Iqra Saeed bt Atiqa Khan 11-7, 11-6, 11-2; Farah Ilyas bt Bushra Ikhlaq 11-4, 11-5, 11-8.
Boys’ under-18 singles:Quarter-finals: Tabish Khursheed bt Ali Raza 11-4, 11-5, 11-3; Aahil Shah bt Abdul Ghaffar 11-4, 11-8, 11-8; Salman Saleem bt Abdul Muqeet 10-12, 11-5, 10-12, 11-6, 11-4; Hassan Omer bt Mehdi Raza 11-7, 11-7, 11-9.
Semi-finals: Salman Saleem bt Hassan Omer 11-8, 11-13, 12-10, 11-6; Aahil Shah bt Tabish Khursheed 9-11, 8-11, 13-11, 11-9, 11-9.