Pakistani aces move into first round of World Championship

Qatar qualifying quartet join Nasir Iqbal in first round
By NATHAN CLARKE – Squash Mad PSA Correspondent in Doha

Pakistan will have five representatives in the first round of the 2014 Qatar PSA World Championship for the first time since 2003 after Farhan Mehboob, Farham Zaman and brothers Aamir Atlas and Danish Atlas Khan came through qualification at the Khalifa Tennis and Squash Complex earlier today to join compatriot Nasir Iqbal in the main draw.

The quartet booked their place in the first round of the prestigious competition courtesy of some dominant performances, with Mehboob and Zaman completing 3-0 wins over Kuwait’s Bader Al Hussaini and American Chris Gordon, respectively while the Khan brothers show their spirit to come through testing encounters with England’s Jamie Haycocks and fellow compatriot Tayyab Aslam.

Aamir Atlas Khan, the former World No.14, was given the toughest test during qualification, taking five games to get past Haycocks to earn a first round encounter with Alister Walker while Danish, the youngest qualifier at just 20, will face German World No.10 Simon Rösner.

“This is my first time in the World Championship and I’m very happy to win today to get into the main draw,” said Danish.

“I hope to do my best against the best players in the world and get the experience of playing against them. The World Championship is huge, my uncle Jansher won it eight times and I hope to one day win it as well and make my country proud.”

Elsewhere there was delight for young English duo Ben Coleman (23) and Charles Sharpes (22) as they eased into the main draw, while Dutch player Piedro Schweertman pulled off the biggest upset of the qualification round to defeat Danish World No.62 Kristian Frost Olesen 3-1.

Results 2014 PSA World Championships, Doha, Qatar.

Qualifying:
[1] Rex Hedrick (AUS) bt Todd Harrity (USA) 3-0: 11-7, 11-9, 11-5 [59m]
[9] Charles Sharpes (ENG) bt [L] Ali Bader Al-Ramzi (KUW) 3-0: 11-9, 11-4, 11-5 [29m]
[11] Andrew Wagih Shoukry (EGY) bt Shehab Essam Hosny (EGY) – Walkover
[8] Farhan Zaman (PAK) bt Bader Al Hussaini (KUW) 3-0: 11-4, 11-6, 11-6 [21m]
[6] Muhd Asyraf Azan (MAS) bt Muhammad Saqib Yousaf (PAK) 3-1: 9-11, 11-5, 11-9, 11-7 [36m]
[16] Ivan Yuen (MAS) bt Aqeel Rehman (AUT) 3-1: 10-12, 11-8, 11-7, 11-8 [55m]
Lance Beddoes (NZL) bt [10] Jens Schoor (GER) 3-0: 11-7, 11-4, 12-10 [34m]
[4] Raphael Kandra (GER) bt Ammar Altamimi (KUW) 3-0: 11-7, 11-6, 12-10 [34m]
Farhan Mehboob (PAK) bt [3] Christopher Gordon (USA) 3-0: 11-8, 15-13, 11-8 [38m]
[15] Ben Coleman (ENG) bt Khawaja Adil Maqbool (PAK) 3-0: 11-7, 11-5, 11-6 [29m]
[14] Danish Atlas Khan (PAK) bt Tayyab Aslam (PAK) 3-1: 11-3, 7-11, 11-2, 11-5 [44m]
Piedro Schweertman (NED) bt [7] Kristian Frost Olesen (DEN) 3-1: 6-11, 15-13, 11-4, 11-7 [63m]
Aamir Atlas Khan (PAK) bt [5] Jaymie Haycocks (ENG) 3-2: 9-11, 11-9, 9-11, 11-3, 11-9 [63m]
[12] Greg Lobban (SCO) bt [L] Ahmed Hassan (ZIM) – Walkover
[16] Peter Creed (WAL) bt Ahmad Al-Saraj (JOR) 3-2: 11-13, 11-7, 6-11, 11-8, 11-9 [73m]
[2] Lucas Serme (FRA) bt [L] Syed Azlan Amjad (QAT) 3-0: 11-1, 11-1, 11-2 [21m]

2014 Qatar PSA World Championship – First Round Draw:
[1] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) v [Q] Andrew Wagih Shoukry (EGY)
Mazen Hesham (EGY) v Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan (MAS)
Mohamed Abouelghar (EGY) v Karim Ali Fathi (EGY)
[WC] Abdulla Mohd Al Tamimi (QAT) v [9] Omar Mosaad (EGY)
[16] Mathieu Castagnet (FRA) v [Q] Rex Hedrick (AUS)
Alister Walker (BOT) v [Q] Aamir Atlas Khan (PAK)
Cameron Pilley (AUS) v Joe Lee (ENG)
Chris Simpson (ENG) v [7] Peter Barker (ENG)
[6] Borja Golan (ESP) v Leo Au (HKG)
Henrik Mustonen (FIN) v [Q] Greg Lobban (SCO)
Fares Dessouki (EGY) v [Q] Farham Zaman (PAK)
Olli Tuominen (FIN) v [13] Marwan Elshorbagy (EGY)
[12] Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL) v Shaun Le Roux (RSA)
Zahed Mohamed (EGY) v [Q] Ben Coleman (ENG)
Adrian Grant (ENG) v [Q] Piedro Schweeertman (NED)
[Q] Ivan Yuen (MAS) v [4] Ramy Ashour (EGY)
[3] Nick Matthew (ENG) v [Q] Raphael Kandra (GER)
Gregoire Marche (FRA) v Alan Clyne (SCO)
Nasir Iqbal (PAK) v [Q] Charles Sharpes (ENG)
Steven Finitsis (AUS) v [14] Saurav Ghosal (IND)
[15] Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY) v Abdullah Al Muzayen (KUW)
Max Lee (HKG) v [Q] Farham Mehboob (PAK)
Nicolas Mueller (SUI) v Ryan Cuskelly (AUS)
Adrian Waller (ENG) v [5] Amr Shabana (EGY)
[8] Daryl Selby (ENG) v Stephen Coppinger (RSA)
Ong Beng Hee (MAS) v [Q] Peter Creed (WAL)
Eddie Charlton (ENG) v Tom Richards (ENG)
Omar Abdel Aziz (EGY) v [10] Tarek Momen (EGY)
[11] Simon Rösner (GER) v [Q] Danish Atlas Khan (PAK)
Campbell Grayson (NZL) v [Q] Lucas Serme (FRA)
Mahesh Mangaonkar (IND) v [Q] Lance Bedoes (NZL)
[2] Mohamed Elshorbagy (EGY) v [Q] Asyraf Azan (MAS) 

The first day of main draw action gets under way tomorrow (Friday November 14) at the Khalifa Tennis and Squash Complex in Doha, Qatar with action being streamed live on SquashTV: www.psasquashtv.com