Yousaf edges out Abid in Kulsum ranking tennis

ISLAMABAD: Yousaf Khalil edged out Muhammad Abid in a hard-fought three-set match to earn a place in the semi-finals of the 10th Begum Kulsum Saifullah Khan National Ranking Tennis at the PTF Complex courts Friday.

Yousaf rallied back from one set down to beat Abid 4-6, 7-5, 6-2. The tight second set decided the fate of the match. Once Yousaf won the second set, there was no stopping him as he won the third one comfortably. Yousaf will now face Mohammad Shoaib in the semis. Shoaib had to exert little in disposing of Abdullah Adnan 6-4, 6-3.

Aqeel Khan will take on Muzammil Murtaza in the men’s singles second semis. Aqeel prevailed over Shahzad Khan 6-3, 6-4 easily. In other quarter-finals, Muzammil Murtaza was stretched to full distance by Barkatullah 7-5, 6-2.

In ladies singles, Noor Malik upset top seed Sheeza Sajid 6-4, 6-4. Noor later Lalarukh Sajid 6-0, 6-0 to make it to the semi-finals.

Results:

Men’s singles quarter-finals: Yousaf Khalil bt Muhammad Abid 4-6, 7-5, 6-2; Muzammil Murtaza bt Barkatullah 7-5, 6-2; Aqeel Khan bt Shahzad Khan 6-3, 6-4; Muhammad Shoaib bt Abdullah Adnan 6-4, 6-3.