Pakistan squash players’ performance slides further

KARACHI: Pakistan’s squash players have started focusing on low-prized international events as they have failed to perform well in high-prized events.

Since the start of this year the players of the country ranked from 100 to 200 have been playing $5000 (PSA-5) international events after trying their luck in PSA-10, PSA-15, and PSA-25 events.

Tayyab Aslam, the third top ranked player of the country who is ranked 79th in the world, is now playing PSA-5 events, having played a few high-prized events earlier this year.

He participated in the $5000 Abu Dhabi Open from May 1-6 and lost in the quarter-finals despite being the second seed.

He had played $25,000 Pittsburgh Open from January 31 to February 5 but lost in the first round.

He played the $70,000 Motor City Open from January 25-30 and lost in the first qualifying round.

This poor performance in high-prized events forced him to play low-prized events. He managed to win $5000 Kish Cup, which was held from April 18-21.

Israr Ahmed, ranked 107th in the world, played the $5000 Mid Atlantic Pro Classic from May 10-13 and lost in the first round despite being the top seed.

He participated in $5000 Abu Dhabi Open where he lost in the quarter-finals to an unseeded player despite being the third seed.

He played $5000 Hampshire Open from March 22-26 and lost to a qualifier in the quarter-finals despite being the third seed.

The only high-prized event he played this year was $10,000 North of Scotland Open held from March 28 to April 2. He lost in the first round.

Asim Khan, ranked 130th, recently played $10,000 Welsh Open and lost in the first qualifying round. He played $10,000 North of Scotland Open where he lost in the qualifying finals.

His performance is not better in PSA-5 events as well. He played the $5000 Open International d’Angers from May 16-20 where he lost in the quarter-finals.

He participated in the $5000 Hampshire Open held from March 22-26 where he lost to a qualifier in the first round despite being the sixth seed.

Ammad Fareed, ranked 193rd, played the $5000 Malaysian Tour No-9 where he lost to an unseeded player in the quarter-finals despite being the seventh seed.

The only exception is Ahsan Ayaz, ranked 109th. He started with PSA-5 events and after performing well he jumped to high-prized events and made his presence felt in those events as well.

He participated in the $5000 Hampshire Open from March 22-26 where he lost in the first round. Then he played the $5000 Amsterdam Open from where he reached the semi-finals.

He played the $15,000 Tring Open from May 9-14 and reached the semi-finals despite being a qualifier, pulling off many upsets.

Ahsan played the $10,000 Stortford Classic from May 15-20 and reached the quarter-finals after beating the eighth seed in the first round.

The last event he played was the $10,000 Welsh Open in which he lost to the top seed in the quarter-finals after beating the fifth seed in the first round.

“Today, we see our players playing PSA-5 events and there too they are failing to do well,” said a local coach. “The authorities need to take drastic steps to set things right and stop this reverse journey of our players,” he added.