Sports Reporter
Islamabad
Pakistan’s Farhan Mehboob and Tayyab Aslam reserved their berths in the last-four round after recording wins against their respective opponents in the quarterfinals of Serena Hotels-Huawei Pakistan International Squash Tournament at Mushaf Squash Complex, Islamabad on Tuesday.
Farhan Mehboob overcame compatriot Farhan Zaman 3-1 in 20 minutes. He comfortably won the first set 11-2, but lost the second set 4-11. However, he bounced back strongly to win the next two sets 11-5, 11-3. In the semifinal he will meet Youssef Ibrahim, who in the edged passed Pakistan’s Muhammad Asim Khan 3-1 in a well-fought 44 minutes contest. Youssef took the first set 13-11, but lost the second set 11-13. The Egyptian, however won the next two sets 11-5 and 11-9.
Elsewhere, Tayyab Aslam swatted aside Yahya Elnawasany of Egypt in straight sets 11-2, 11-8 and 11-3 in 20 minutes. Tayyab will face another Egyptian Mohamed ElSherbini in the semifinal, who the last quarterfinal against Rui Soares of Portugal 3-0, with the game score of 11-7, 11-9 and 11-7 in 34 minutes.
Meanwhile, in women event’s last-eight stage Hana Moataz of Egypt beat compatriot Farah Momen 11-7, 11-8, 11-7 in 25 minutes, while another Egyptian Farida Mohamed defeated Waen Li Lai of Malaysia 11-6, 10-12, 7-11, 15-13, 11-8 in a thrilling 40 minutes battle.
In the third quarterfinal Meena Hamed of Egypt overcame challenge from Cindy Merlo of Switzerland 11-8, 11-7, 8-11, 11-9 in 32 minutes. While Sabrina Sobhy of USA outshone Switzerland’s Nadia Pfister in the last-eight stage with the game score of 11-4, 11-7, 11-2 in just 16 minutes.—Agencies