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29-Mar, Semis:
[1] Adrian Grant (Eng) bt [4] Aamir Atlas Khan (Pak)     8/11, 7/11, 11/9, 11/3, 11/5 (69m)
[2] Ong Beng Hee (Mas) bt [3] Mansoor Zaman (Pak)    11/7, 12/10, 3/11, 11/5 (22m)

Home hopes dashed in Islamabad

The top two seeds prevailed in today's semi-finals of the COAS International Squash - thereby dashing hopes of a first all-Pakistani final at Mushaf Squash Complex in the Pakistan capital city Islamabad.

But Pakistan's 16-year-old Aamir Atlas Khan, the fourth seed from Peshawar, fully tested top seed Adrian Grant, opening up a two-game lead over the world No15 from England.  However, the experienced left-hander from London, winner of the title three years ago, regained the upper hand and after 69 minutes secured victory to notch up his 18th PSA Tour final appearance.

 

Third seed Mansoor Zaman, also from Peshawar, faced long-time Asian rival Ong Beng Hee in the other semi.  The No2 seed, bidding to become the first Malaysian to win the title, took four games to overcome Zaman,  Ong Beng Hee is celebrating his 17th PSA Tour final.

Grant and Beng Hee, who first met in the British Junior U16 Open final (won by the Malaysian) in January 1996, haven't played each other since November 2004 when they met in the CNS International semi-finals in Karachi, Pakistan - a five-game battle won by Ong Beng Hee.
  

28-Mar, Quarters:
Top four reach semis

If yesterday was the day of the qualifiers, today saw normal order restored in Islamabad as the top four seeds progressed to the semi-finals of the COAS International, with home interest in both matches.

The first all-Pakistani final is on the cards after third seed Mansoor Zaman and fourth seed Aamir Atlas Khan came through today's quarter-finals on opposite sides of the draw at the Mushaf Squash Complex.

Zaman, a semi-finalist for the past two years, survived three tie-break games in a 65-minute battle against Omar Abdel Aziz, eventually beating the unseeded Egyptian.

The 26-year-old left-hander from Peshawar now faces Malaysia's second seed Ong Beng Hee, who was stretched to the limit by local qualifier Farhan Mehboob before prevailing in 73 minutes.

Despite meeting in five Asian Championship finals since 1999, this will be only the second PSA Tour meeting between Beng Hee and Mansoor.

In the top half of the draw, Aamir Atlas Khan faced Egyptian qualifier Omar Elborolossy, a former world No14 almost twice his age.  But 16-year-old Khan, also from Peshawar, stuck to his task and defeated the experienced 31-year-old from Cairo in 56 minutes.

Khan's opponent in the semi-finals will be England's Adrian Grant, the top seed from London seeking his second COAS title since 2004.  Grant cruised to a win in just 33 minutes over Hungarian Mark Krajcsak.

4-11, 11-6, 7-11, 11-7, 11-6 (71m)

Ong Beng Hee

Qualifying:

Finals, 26-Mar:
Farhan Mehboob (Pak) bt Waqar Mehboob (Pak)   12/10, 13/11, 11/8 (41m)
Shams Ul Islam (Pak) bt Chris Gordon (USA)       13/15, 11/8, 11/8, 7/11, 11/7 (74m)
Amjad Khan (Pak) bt Bilal Zaman (Pak)               11/9, 11/4, 11/7 (28m)
Omar Elborolossy (Egy) bt Yasir Butt (Pak)          11/4, 4/11, 8/11, 11/3, 11/5 (54m)

First Round, 25-Mar:
Waqar Mehboob (Pak) bt Amr Swelim (Egy)   7/11, 11/7, 6/11, 11/9, 11/10 (50 Min)
Farhan Mehboob (Pak) bt Arshad Iqbal Burki (Pak) 11/5, 11/3, 11/7 (21 Min)
Christopher Gordon (USA) bt Khawaja Adil Maqbool (Pak) 11/8, 11/4, 11/9 (29 Min)
Shams Ul Islam (Pak) bt Shah Nawaz (Pak) 11/10, 9/11, 11/10, 11/5 (42 Min)
Yasir Butt (Pak) bt Khayal Muhammad (Pak) 11/4 (retired hurt)
Bilal Zaman (Pak) bt Majid Khan (Pak) 11/9, 11/10, 11/8 (48 Min)
Omar Elborolossy (Egy) bt Waseem Shad (Pak) 11/8, 11/5, 11/3 (25 Min)
Amjad Khan (Pak) bt M Ali Anwer Reda (Egy) 11/3, 11/10, 11/7

27-Mar, Round One:
Qualifiers Excel In Islamabad

Qualifiers Omar Elborolossy and Farhan Mehboob both upset higher-ranked fellow countrymen in today's  first round of the to secure unexpected quarter-final slots in Islamabad.

Elborolossy, a 31-year-old former world No14 making a comeback after retiring at the end of 2004, faced Egyptian compatriot Omar Mosaad, the 19-year-old No6 seed who rounded off his junior career at the beginning of the year by winning the British Junior U19 Open title. Mosaad took the opening game, but the experienced Elborolossy fought back to clinch victory in 60 minutes - the longest match of the day.

Interestingly, Elborolossy now faces Pakistan's Aamir Atlas Khan, the player who Mosaad beat in January to win the BJO title.  Khan, the 16-year-old No4 seed, beat Pakistan-born New Zealander Kashif Shuja.

Lower in the draw, one of two all-Pakistan clashes saw qualifier Farhan Mehboob, the 18-year-old Asian Junior Champion, despatch fifth seed Shahid Zaman - the event champion two years ago.

Mehboob now takes on Ong Beng Hee, the second seed from Malaysia, who defeated Pakistani qualifier Shamsul Islam Khan.

Two further seeds failed to survive the first round:  Dutchman Dylan Bennett, the No7 seed, went down to unseeded Egyptian Omar Abdel Aziz, while Hungarian Mark Krajcsak despatched Egypt's No8 seed Amr Mansi.

Krajcsak goes on to face top seed Adrian Grant, the Englishman who won the title in 2004 and today overcame a first game deficit to beat Pakistan's Farzan Rasheed.