Top seeds dominate in senior squash c’ship

Ag APP

Top-seeded Pakistani squash players easily sailed through the first round during the All Pakistan National Men Senior Squash Championship at the PAF Hashim Khan Squash Complex here on Tuesday.

In the opening match of the first round, top-seeded Zahir Shah defeatedWaqar Mehboob of the ZTBL in a marathon fiveset battle. The score was 6-11, 11-8, 10-12, 11-8 and 12-10. The exciting bout elicited cheers from the spectators as both Shah and Mehboob displayed some fine forceful shorts, nicks and some excellent drops in the gruelling, 59- minute battle. In the first set, Mehboob took the lead by winning the set 6-11, but Shah came back strong and won the second set by 11-8.

The set was once tied at 8-8, otherwise Shah dominated the proceedings. In the third set, both Shah and Mehboob struggled as the set was tied on a couple of occasions — at 5-5, 6-6, 7-7, 8-8, 9-9, and 10-10 — before Mehboob took the set 10-12. After taking lead, Waqar tried his best to stage a comeback and won one more set but failed to win because of the dominant and forceful smashes of Shah, who forced Mehboob to the back of the court. Shah took the remaining two sets 11-8 and the decisive one by 12-10. Mehboob offered some resistance in the fifth and final set but Shah gave him no time to settle down and bulldozed to victory at 3-2.

In the second match, Asian Champion Abbas Zeb of Wapda defeated Mehran Javed of PAF 3-1, the score was 9-11, 11-3, 11-2 and 11-9. Zeb played well against Javed, who despite winning the first set, failed to click and thus Abbas won the match 3-1. In the third match Saddam Ul Haq of the Army beat Munir Zaman of Wapda 3-0. The score was 11-6, 11-4 and 11-6. Munir has given a wildcard entry but he failed to take advantage against Saddam Ul Haq.Former Asian Champion and Pakistan’s No.1 Danish Atlas defeated his young rival Bilal Zakir of the Pakistan Army 3-0, the score was 11-6, 11-8 and 11-5. Danish marched into a one-sided victory. Waqas Mehboob of the PAF defeated Saad Abdullah of Sindh in straight sets, the score was 11-4, 11-2 and 11-2. Mehboob, of PAF, fully dominated the proceedings and did not give much time to Abdullah to strike back. In the other matches, Raees Khan of Army beat Faraz Muhammad of Navy 3-1. Khan won the first two sets by 11-8 and 11-2 but he failed to win the third set by Faraz Muhammad at 5-11. Khan won the fourth and decisive set 11- 5.