Karachi:Pakistan’s second seeded player Asim Khan recovered from two sets down to beat Iran’s Sajad Zareian Jahromi in the second round of the USD18,000 13th Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) International Squash Championship to confirm his place in the quarterfinals here Friday at Pakistan Navy Roshan Khan Jahangir Khan Squash Complex.
Iran’s unseeded Sajad took the first two sets 14-12 and 11-9 to take a 2-0 lead to the astonishment of the crowd. When an upset looked on cards, Asim made a strong comeback in the match taking the next three sets 11-5, 11-6, 11-6 to seal victory in the match that turned out to be the longest second round encounter, taking 52 minutes.
Meanwhile, top seeded Mexican player Arturo Salazar took only 21 minutes to dispatch Hong Kong’s 9/16 Tang Ming Hong by 11-4, 11-8, 11-5 score.
Meanwhile, Egypt’s 9/16 seed Youssef Ibrahim shocked Pakistan’s eighth seed Israr Ahmed recording a formidable 11-6, 11-6, 11-6 victory in 26 minutes.
Seventh seeded local player Shahjahan Khan dropped a set against compatriot Farhan Zaman, the 9/16th seed, recording a 15-13, 11-7, 9-11, 11-6 victory in 40 minutes.
Kuwait’s fourth seed Ammar Altamimi thrashed Pakistan’s 9/16 seed Amaad Fareed by 11-6, 11-6, 11-6 score in 23 minutes.
Pakistan’s third seed Farhan Mehboob took 25 minutes to dispatch 9/16 seed Henry Leung of Hong Kong registering an 11-6, 11-9, 11-7 win.
Hong Kong’s 9/16 seed Tsz Kwan Lau stunned Pakistan’s sixth seed Ahsan Ayaz recording an straight-set 11-6, 12-10, 11-8 victory in 36 minutes.
Fifth seed Rui Soares of Portugal brushed aside Pakistan’s Zahir Shah by 11-1, 11-8, 12-10 score in 21 minutes.
In quarters, Arturo Salazar will face Youssef Ibrahim, Shahjahan Khan will taken on Ammar Altamimi while Farhan Mehboob will clash with Tsz Kwan Lau (HKG) and Rui Soares will play against Asim Khan.