Sara wins Pakistan National Women Squash
Pakistan Times Sports Desk

WAH CANTT: Sara Awan breezed past Maria Toor in the longest ever match of Pakistan women squash history to win the National Women Squash title here at the Jahangir Khan Complex on Saturday afternoon.

In a match that went down to the wire and lasted for 50 minutes, Sara won 9-6, 5-9, 9-2, 2-9 and 9-5. Both junior string players gave their best in the final witnessed by the capacity crowd. It was hard to predict the winner even when the final entered into the fifth and final game.

Sara relying more on her reach and technique to play the sidewall boast shots upset Maria at the outset to gain early initiative in the game. However, the girl from Peshawar fought her way back, making it hard for Sara to pick his rasping down the line sizzlers.

Sara also hit tins on couple of times as booth reached 5-5 in the deciding games. At the time when it looked that Maria might squeeze ahead, Sara wrest the initiative back by playing delightful backhand boast shots to wrong foot Maria on couple of occasions.

Maria, however, could not control the technical sound Sara and conceded easy points.

The three points cushion at the crucial stage however was enough to boost Sara confidence who went on to win the final game 9-5.

Earlier, Sara took the opening game 9-6 with the help of backhand and forehand drops and cross-court shots. Maria bounced back to win the second 5-9 mainly due to her power driven down the court winners. While Maria proved too shaky in the third, Sara was no better in the fourth.

Meanwhile, Air Marshal Rashid Kaleem, senior vice present Pakistan Squash Federation (PSF) has said that Pakistan will host first ever Women Squash Players Association (WISPA) Circuit Tournament in Wah in near future.

"We have decided to hold the first ever WISPA Tournament in Wah and there is no better occasion to announce this than the World Squash Day," Air Marshal Rashid said.

He said that the tournament would have the prize money of around five to seven thousand dollars.

"We are going to intimate the world body and hopefully would hold the event according to dates available," he said.

The PSF senior Vice President hopes to lure some leading players from all over Asia and other regions for the championship.

Meanwhile, World Squash Federation (WSF) president Jahangir Khan said that all channels are being utilized to take the game to 2012 Olympics.

"I think we are using the right track to include the game in Olympics. Squash is being played all over the world and it is one of the toughest game around," he said.

The former world and British Open champion said that there were so many unknown sport disciplines that were a part of the mega event.

"However, the one game that is popular and missing from the Olympic family is squash."

He hoped that when International Olympic Committee (IOC) will meet in Singapore in July they would vote in favour of including squash in Olympics.●