ISLAMABAD : Pakistani players failed to take advantage of reaching the semi-finals of the Penang Junior Open Squash Tournament-2019 as both Abdullah Nawaz and Huzaifa Ibrahim were beaten in their respective age categories by their respective opponents in the semi-finals on Saturday.

Pakistan Squash Federation must have to understand the reality that rather than banking on flop coaches, who can’t help players win non-ranking tournaments, they must hire reputed and those coaches who are proven stuff and had helped players turn into champions.

In the Under-13 semi-final, Abdullah Nawaz was sent packing 1-3 by local kid Nikhaileswar. Abdullah lost first game 4-11 but he bounced back to take second game 11-6. It was highly close third game but Abdullah lost 9-11 and also lost 4th game 8-11.  In the Under-15 semi-final, Huzaifa Ibrahim, who had won the Borneo Junior Open Squash Tournament U-15 title last week, failed to repeat the same feat and lost semi-final 1-3 against Malaysian Jaochim Chuah. Huzaifa lost 8-11, 11-8, 8-11 and 5-11.