Top guns cruise into Aisam-ul-Haq Masters semi-finals

ISLAMABAD: All top-seeded players — Aqeel Khan, Jalil Khan, Yasir Khan and Mohammad Abid Mushtaq — qualified for the semi-finals after winning their respective matches in the inaugural Aisam-ul-Haq Masters Tennis Championship here at the PTF Tennis Complex on Tuesday.

Top seed Aqeel, who looked in excellent touch playing some impressive forehand and backhand shots, outplayed Mohammad Waqas Malik 6-2, 6-0.

In another fixture, second seed Jalil lost the first set 6-3 against Mohammad Abid mainly due to the former’s unforced errors.

Jalil, however, changed his strategy in the second set playing some tactical shots to win the remaining two sets and the match 3-6, 6-0, 6-0 in a cracking fashion.

Fourth seed Mohammad Abid Mushtaq easily won his encounter against Usman Rafiq 6-3, 6-0.

Meanwhile, in the boys’ under-18 event Hasnain Manzoor caused a major upset as he overwhelmed fourth seed Kashan-ul-Haq in a thrilling two-set match 6-4, 7-6(9). The second set decided in tiebreak which was won by Hasnain 11-9.

In the boys’ under-14 event Mohammad Mudassir, Zaid Mujahid, Hasnain Manzoor and Mohammad Muzammil reached the semi-finals.

Meanwhile, in the girls’ event top seed Saba Aziz proved too good for Javeria as the former outclassed the latter 6-0, 6-0.

In other girls’ quarter-finals, Rukhsana Fazal defeated Shagufta Mahboob 6-1, 6-0, Sara Mansoor overcame M. Darakhshan 6-2, 6-2 while Kunsha Babar got a walkover against Rubab Rahim.

Results:

Men’s singles:Quarter-finals: Aqeel Khan bt Waqas Malik 6-2, 6-0; Yasir Khan bt Shahzad PAF 6-7(3), 6-4, 6-3; Mohammad Abid bt Usman Rafiq 6-3, 6-0; Jalil Khan bt Mohammad Abid Ali 3-6, 6-0, 6-0.

Girls’ singles:

Quarter-finals: Saba Aziz bt Javeria 6-0, 6-0; Rukhsana Fazal bt Shagufta Mahboob 6-1, 6-0; Sara Mansoor bt M. Darakhshan 6-2, 6-2; Kunsha bt Rubab Rahim – walkover.

Boys’ U-18 singles:

Quarter-finals:Mohammad Abid bt Fahad Mahmood 6-0, 6-1; Ahmed Chaudhry bt Syed Zohair Raza 6-2, 6-3; Hasnain Manzoor bt Kashan-ul-Haq 6-4, 7-6(9); Usman Rafiq bt Mohammad Mudassir 6-0, 6-2.

Boys’ U-14 singles:

Quarter-finals: Mohammad Mudasir bt Jibranullah Khan 6-2, 6-4; Zaid Mujahid bt Hashim Khan 6-2, 6-1; Mohammad Muzammil bt Talha Bin Asif 4-6, 6-0, 6-4; Hasnain Manzoor bt Talha Sohail 6-0, 6-2.