A year of surprise defeats for Pak squash players

KARACHI: Pakistan’s top squash players faced surprise defeats in many international PSA events in 2015, which shows they lack suitable coaching.

Pakistan’s top player Nasir iqbal was stunned by low-ranked players three times in the year.

He was beaten by qualifier Kush Kumar despite being second seed in the $15,000 Men’s Victorian Open at Melbourne Sports & Aquatic Centre, Melbourne, in July.

Kush Kumar of India overpowered second seed Nasir 12-10, 6-11, 11-7, 11-7 in 47 minutes in the first round.

In August he lost to Paul Coll in the semi-finals of the $28,750 Men’s Australian Open at Melbourne Sports & Aquatic Centre, Melbourne.

Paul Coll of New Zealand overpowered fifth seed Nasir Iqbal 7-11, 11-3, 9-11, 11-5, 11-6 in 65 minutes.

In October, Nasir was again beaten by an unseeded player in the first round of the $25,000 Men’s CLIC Sargent St George’s Hill Classic at St George’s Hill Lawn Tennis Club, Weybridge, Surrey.

Charles Sharpes of England beat seventh seed Nasir 11-5, 7-11, 8-11, 11-9, 16-14 in 80 minutes.

Farhan Zaman, the second best squash player of the country, was humiliated by a qualifier in the semi-finals of the $10,000 Men’s Betty Griffin Memorial Florida State Open at Lifetime Athletic Club, Boca Raton, US, in December.

Qualifier Vikram Malhotra of India surprised top seed Farhan 12-14, 11-8, 8-11, 11-6, 11-5.

Danish Atlas Khan, the third top-ranked player of the country, lost in the $20,000 Men’s IG Markets Open de Paris 2015 at Societe Sportive Du Jeu De Paume Et De Racquets, Paris, in March.

Abdulla Mohd Al Tamimi of Qatar beat sixth seed Danish 6-11, 11-9, 11-6, 12-10 in 55 minutes.

Danish was beaten by a qualifier in the quarter-finals of the $15,000 Men’s Qatar Circuit No2 at Khalifa International Tennis & Squash Complex, Doha, in December.

Qualifier Iker Pajares Bernabeu of Spain defeated third seed Danish 11-7, 5-11, 11-5, 5-11, 11-8 in 64 minutes.

Tayyab Aslam suffered a surprise defeat in the semi-finals of the $5,000 Men’s City of Greater Bendigo International at Bendigo Squash Courts, Bendigo, Victoria, Australia, in August.

Third seed Joshua Larkin of Australia stunned top seed Tayyab 11-9, 7-11, 12-10, 9-11, 11-8 in just 68 minutes.

“We have four full-time coaches and they train these players,” said PSF secretary Amir Nawaz when asked about this issue. “We have to work on the issues they are facing,” he said.