KARACHI, 26 July 2005 — Australia’s former world champion David Palmer led the seeds into the second round of the Bank Alfalah Pakistan Open Squash Championship as local challengers fell like nine pins yesterday at the DHA Asif Nawaz Squash Complex.
The second-seeded Palmer thrashed local qualifier Khayal Mohammad in just 20 minutes on a frustrating day for local fans as the opening round concluded with just one of nine Pakistani challengers advancing to the next stage of the $85,000 tournament.
Shahid Zaman, who at No. 14 is Pakistan’s highest-ranked player in the world, is the only one left standing from the host country. Shahid had beaten local qualifier Aqib Hanif the other day and faces an uphill task in today’s second round as he will meet France’s world No. 1 Thierry Lincou for a place in the quarterfinals.
The best moments for local fans came in the very first match of the second day when qualifier Basit Ashfaq extended England’s former world junior champion Simon Parke to full five games before losing an enthralling 50-minute battle.
The tall youngster from Lahore gave Parke, currently ranked 21 in the world, some anxious moments before running out of steam in the final game. Parke won 11-2, 10-11, 9-11, 11-7, 11-2 in the end but it was Basit’s gallant performance that earned praise from spectators.
“I did my best today, but my best wasn’t good enough,” a dejected Basit said later, and adding “Parke won because of his vast experience.” The Englishman is ranked much higher on the rankings’ ladder when compared with Basit who is placed at No. 181 in the world. The worst moments for Pakistan came in the very next match when their second best player, Mansoor Zaman, succumbed to Frenchman Gregory Gaultier like a lamb. Gaultier, a world No. 12, was seeded to beat Mansoor but not the way like he did as he just outclassed the left-hander from Peshawar in 29 minutes. Hopes were high in the Pakistani camp since Mansoor has returned home after training in England for several months and was expected to perform well but the world No. 24 was unable to find his rhythm.
Gaultier, on the other hand, was in full form as he produced winners from every part of the court to completely outclass his opponent.
Next in was local qualifier Yasir Butt. The Lahore boy fared a little better than Mansoor but went on to lose against England’s world No. 18 Adrian Grant in straight games.
Butt, ranked 52 in the world, fought well in the opening game but lost his focus after losing 10-11 on a tie-breaker. Grant, the first black player to represent England in international squash, then raced away with the next two games to enter the second round.
Defending champion James Willstrop needed 19 minutes to knock out local teenager Amir Atlas in straight games. Amir, a 14-year-old wild card entrant was unable to meet the speed and precision of his higher-rated rival in what turned out to be a completely one-sided affair.
Pakistan’s last challenger of the day — Khayal Mohammad — also sank in a dismal manner. He was taught a good squash lesson in a brisk mismatch by Palmer, one of the leading contenders for the coveted Pakistan Open title this year.
Egypt’s former world champion Amr Shabana showed his class in a 3-0 demolition of Australian Dan Jenson in just 17 minutes. Pakistan is a happy hunting ground for Shabana, who won the 2003 World Open in Lahore. Joesph Kneipp of Australia came back from two games down to beat Frenchman Renan Lavigne while Wael El Hindi defeated Mohammad Abbas 3-1 in an All-Egyptian contest.
