ISLAMABAD - Top seed Egyptian Karim Abdel Gawad thrashed compatriot Mazen Gamal in straight games in the quarterfinals of the Pakistan Open Squash Championships 2018 played at DHA Asif Nawaz Squash Complex, Creek club Karachi Friday.
In the women’s category, top seed Egyptian Yathreb Adel had to dig very deep to overcome spirited Malaysian Rachel Arnold 3-1 in the quarterfinal.
In the men’s category, as it was expected top seed Karim Abdel Gawad was in supreme control against fellow countrymen Mazen Gamal, as he won the encounter 3-0 in just 29 minutes. Gawad won the first game 11-9 as Gamel gave tough resistance. But after playing so well, Gamel was nowhere in the next two games. Gawad, who is known as baby face assassin, took second game 11-7 and it was complete authority shown by Gawad in the third game, as he took the game 11-1 to set semi-final date with Malaysian Nafiizwan Adnan.
In the other quarterfinals, Malaysian Nafiizwan Adnan beat compatriot Ivan Yuen 3-1 in 69 minutes of top class squash on offer in front of a highly thin crowd. The organisers should have paid heed towards ensuring at least families if not general public to give players a chance to play in front of sizable crowd. Nafiz lost first game 6-11, before bouncing back to claim next three games, 11-6, 11-7 and 12-10.
Fifth seed Arturo Salazar of Mexico beat Egyptian 3-0 in 31 minutes, winning 11-5, 11-2 and 11-7 while second seed Diego Elias of Peru beat 7th seed Egyptian Karim El Hammamy 3-0 in 35 minutes, winning 11-6, 11-7 and 11-9.
In the women’s quarterfinals, top seed Egyptian Yathreb Adel beat 7th seed Malaysian Rachel Arnold 3-1 in 34 minutes, winning 12-10, 11-9, 9-11 and 11-9. Third seed Egyptian Zeina Mickawy defeated French Enora Villard 3-1 in 45 minutes, winning 11-8, 11-6, 4-11 and 12-10. Malaysian young sensation Sivasangari Subramaniam made huge upset as she sent 4th seed Liu Tsz-Ling of Hong Kong packing 3-2 in 27 minutes, winning 11-9, 11-8, 3-11, 6-11 and 11-4 while second seed Egyptian Nadine Shahin beat 6th seed Satomi Watanabe of Japan 3-0 in 27 minutes, winning 11-6, 11-3 and 14-12.
