Hamza fails to find place in Islamabad event’s draw

ISLAMABAD: British Open Under-15 category champion Hamza Khan will miss the PSA event again as he has been unable to find a place in the main draw of the DHA Islamabad International starting from March 26 at Jacaranda Family Club (JFC).

The $12,000 event will see world No 58 Asim Khan leading the pack of national and international players.

Besides locals, players from Egypt, France, Iran, Malaysia and Qatar have also confirmed their participation in the event. However, the absence of talented Hamza from the second international running organised in the country serves no good to the Pakistan Squash Federation (PSF) slogan of hosting these internationals for the sake of junior players.

Hamza who just returned from Bangladesh after making it to the semi-finals of a mismanaged international event on a faulty court is busy these days preparing for World Juniors to be held in August this year. Jansher Khan was the last Pakistani youngster to have won the World Junior title in 1986.

For the last 36 years, many including Aamir Atlas and Yasir Butt came close but no one has gone on to win the title. The 17-year Hamza has now emerged as a serious contender. He has shown his talent in a recently held international in Islamabad where he stretched Farhan Mehboob to full before losing a close final. Farhan Mehbob has emerged favourite to win the $12000 International here in Islamabad considering his recent form.

“Hamza has availed two wild cards this season. Yet he can get the wild card for a bigger amount events, coming later this year,” a PSF official said.

Hamza, however, is expected to get a wildcard later this year for the US Open to be held in Texas.

The youngster who is ranked outside 200 is expected to be among the top 170 in the ranking list to be released next month.

Meanwhile, Qatar’s Azlan Amjad has been seeded No 2 with Malaysia’s Mohammad Syafiq Kamal seeded No 3 for the DHA Islamabad International. Egyptian Khaled Labib and Yassin Elshafei have also been drawn to figure in the event.

“All leading players have confirmed their entries in the DHA International. So there is no chance of anyone filling in from the waiting list till the time someone withdraws late,” the PSF official added.

Leading players enjoy a bye in the opening round with in-form Farhan Mehboob, a wildcard-holder, will take his chances against Farhan Zaman.