Asim, Tayyab move into Karachi Open second round

KARACHI: The biggest squash event of the year kicked off here on Tuesday and Pakistan’s top players Asim Khan and Tayyab Aslam moved into the second round of the $50,000 Karachi Open at Creek Club.

In the first round of this high-prize event, unseeded Asim stunned 9/16 Declan James from England 9-11, 6-11, 12-10, 11-8, 11-8 in 62 minutes, while 9/16 seed Tayyab defeated unseeded Yahya Elnawasany from Egypt 12-10, 9-11, 9-11, 10-12 in 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, 9/16 seed Leonel Cardenas from Mexico beat Mazen Gamal from Egypt 11-7, 11-5, 11-9 in 55 minutes and 9/16 seed Alan Clyne from Scotland defeated Christopher Gordon from the US 7-11, 11-6, 2-11, 9-11 in 42 minutes.

Hong Kong’s 9/16 seed Tsz Fung Yip thrashed wildcard Noor Zaman 10-12, 11-7, 16-14, 6-11, 11-9 in 36 minutes and Tsz Kwan Lau from Hong Kong smashed 9/16 Edmon Lopez Spain 11-6, 11-7, 11-9 in 33 minutes.

Unseeded Henry Leung from Hong Kong won against 9/16 seed Faraz Khan from the US 9-11, 13-11, 4-11, 9-11 in 44 minutes.

Now, Asim is up against top seed Karim Abdel Gawad from Egypt, Henry is to face sixth seed Toddy Harrity from the US, seventh seed Dimitri Steinmann from Switzerland will play against Tsz Kwan Lau, Tsz Fung Yip is drawn against third seed Omar Mosaad from Egypt, fourth seed Karim El Hammamy from Egypt is to play against Alan Clyne, Leonel Cardenas is to face eighth seed Sebastien Bonmalais from France, and fifth seed Shahjahan Khan from the US will be facing Tayyab.