Pakistan’s Hamza crowned British Jr Squash champ

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan future hope Mohammad Hamza Khan has made the country proud by winning the British Junior (Under-15) Squash Championship crown following spectacular show in the final in Birmingham (UK) Monday.

The most talented of juniors Pakistan have at the moment raced to win in just 16 minutes beating his much taller and strong English opponent Yusuf Sheikh in straight games 11-4, 11-3, 11-7. The youngster did not concede a single game during the entire tournament and won against every opponent with total control.

“I am thankful to God Almighty Allah for this victory. I have started the event as a second seed and went on to win every match in the British Open with utmost ease. I knew well I had a chance but never thought that I would go on to win every match so easily and in straight games. That was all due to my hard work and efforts,” Hamza Khan said while taking to The News from Birmingham just after winning the title.

He said he would be back next year and in sha Allah go on to win the under-17 category. “I want to continue with the same vein in future. My next target is to win the British under-17 junior next year,” Hamza said. To a question about his performance in the semis and then infinal, he said he faced tough resistance from the Egyptian opponent in the semis. “My opponent in the semis was playing body game and tried to dissuade me with rough and body play. I concentrated on my game and went on to beat him in straight games.”

In final Hamza took little time in settling down, making full use of his exceptional wrest work at the outset. His top of the court drops were a treat to watch. Yusuf Sheikh who was mush higher and stronger to Hamza had no clue as how his opponent was winning the really from nowhere. So precise and exceptional his drop shots were that Yusuf Sheikh was unable to judge the variety and depth of his winning angles.

“I tried to control the game from beginning and I succeeded in that with ease. Though in the third I relaxed a bit, I recovered in time to take the third and final,” Hamza said.Hamza was the only Pakistani player to have reached the final of any category in the British Open this year and the first to have won the Open title in eight years’ time. In all, four out of nine Pakistan players made it to the quarter-finals and three reached semis of their respective categories.