Pak Open Squash: Shahid only Pakistani in last-8 stage
Pakistan Times Sports Desk

ISLAMABAD: Qualifier Shahid Zaman toppled world no. 10 Joseph Kneipp of Australia to march into the last-8 stage as the home nation’s only survivor now in the Bank Alfalah Pakistan Open Squash Championship on Tuesday.

His compatriots Mansoor Zaman and Shamsul Islam Khan both missed out on a quarter-final berth after losing their respective, albeit tough, outings.

The world no.4 David Palmer of Australia, the top seed in the US $ 65,000 championship, dumped world no.26 Mansoor Zaman, the 18th seed here, 11-9, 11-8, 3-11, 11-8 in 45 minutes while the world no. 6 Englishman Nick Mathews, the second seed, had it easy in 11-5, 11-5, 11-8 victory in 33 minutes over another Pakistani qualifier Shamsul Islam Khan.

Shahid Zaman surprised many at the Mushaf Squash Complex with a straight sets victory over the 6th seed of the tournament, Joseph Kneipp of Australia—11-9, 11-7, 11-3 in 35 minutes.

Shahid faces another higher seed, Nick Mathew of England, in the last-8 stage on Wednesday. Three Pakistanis won while five had lost in the first round on Monday. In another upset result of the pre-quarters stage, the world no.14 Anthony Ricketts of Australia, the no.10 seed here, prevailed over the world no.8 and the tournament no.4 Karim Darwish in gruelling 62 minutes-9/11,11/6,11/10,10/11(1-2), 11/2.

In yet another two important matches of the pre-quarter final stage on Tuesday, the world no.7 and the tournament no.3, Amr Shabana of Egypt, showed the door to world no 21 Mark Chaloner of England (seeded 15th here) with a 11-9, 9-11, 11-5, 11-3 victory in 41 minutes while the world no.9 Jonathon Power of Canada, ranked 5th in the tournament, beat another Egyptian Mohammad Abbas, the world no.15 and the tournament no.11, 11/7, 11/5, 11/4 in 38 minutes.

The world no. 11 Gregory Gaultier (the tournament seed no.7) beat compatriot Renan Lavigne (the world no.19 and the tournament no.14) 11/5, 7/11, 11/4, 8/11, 11/8 in an all-France clash that lasted 66 minutes—the longest of the day.

The world no.12 James Willstrop of England, who is eighth seeded here, comfortably beat the world no.24 and the tournament no.17 Olli Tuomnen of Finland 11/7, 11/4, 11/1 in 19 minutes.

The quarter-finals will be played on the hour on Wednesday, starting from 2.00 p.m., in the following order: David Palmer vs Jonathan Power. Anthony Ricketts vs Gregory Gaultiers, James Willstrop vs Amr Shahbana and Shahid Zaman vs Nick Mathews.●