Top seed Karim beat Pakistan's last hope Tayyab in Pakistan Open Squash Championship 2018

All the Pakistani players bowed out at the second hurdle in the Pakistan Open Men’s Squash Championship 2018  as Tayyab Aslam was hammered by top seed Egyptian Karim Abdel Gawad 3-1 at DHA Asif Nawaz Squash Complex, Creek Club, Karachi.

In the first match of the day in men’s category, top seed and former world champion Egyptian Egyptian Karim Abdel Gawad was up against lone Pakistani hope Tayyab Aslam. The result was not much hard to determine, as Tayyab had hardly any realistic chance of doing well against the former world champ.

Had the likes of Farhan Mehboob and Aamir Atlas been representing Pakistan in the event, the situation could have been completely different. Farhan Mehboob had recently beaten Gawad, but with no Farhan, Aamir, Dnaish and Nasir, it is too tough for Pakistan to stand any chance of winning the title.

Gawad took the first game 11-6 while the real battle was witnessed in the second game, where the support and backing of crowd helped Tayyab play an impressive squash and take the game 13-11. Despite playing so well in the second game, Tayyab was nowhere in the third, which was won by Gawad 11-5.

Tayyab was fully exhausted in the fourth game and was looking more than a spectator. After toying with Tayyab, Gawad took the fourth game 11-2 to wrap up victory and set quarterfinal date with compatriot Mazen Gamal.

In other matches of the day, Mazen Gamal of Egypt made huge upset as he ousted sixth seed Egyptian Omar Abdel Meguid 3-1 in 68 minutes battle. Gamal won the first game 11-9, but lost the second game 8-11, before winning the third 14-12 and fourth 11-8.

Malaysian Ivan Yuen made another upset of the day, when he eliminated eighth seed Egyptian Mohamed Reda 3-0 in 34 minutes, as he won the encounter by 11-9, 11-3 and 11-8.

Fourth seed Malaysian seasoned campaigner Nafiizwan Adnan was taken to task by Egyptian Shehab Essam, who went down fighting 1-3 in 48 minutes.

Nafiizwan won the first game 11-5, but lost the second 7-11. He won the third game 15-13 and fourth 11-2 to set quarterfinal meeting with Ivan Yuen.

Egyptian Mostafa Asal registered another upset when he ousted third seed Qatari Abdulla Mohd Al Tamimi 3-1 in 51 minutes. He won the match 11-5, 11-9, 6-11, 11-4. Mexico’s Arturo Salazar beat Iker Pajares Bernabeu (ESP) 3-1 in 55 minutes, with the scores of 11-9, 11-7, 5-11, 11-6.

Karim El Hammamy (EGY) beat Edmon Lopez (ESP) 3-1 in 51 minutes, as the score was 10-12, 11-7, 11-6, 11-4 while second seed Diego Elias of Peru beat Joshua Masters (ENG) 11-3, 11-4, 11-2 in just 22 minutes.

In ladies category, both Madina Zafar and Amna Fayyaz were sent packing by their respective opponents in the second round matches. Top seed Yathreb Adel (EGY) beat Amna Fayyaz (PAK) 11-8, 11-6 and 11-4 in 13 mins, Rachel Arnold (MAS) beat Wen Li Lai (MAS) 9-11, 11-4, 11-6 and 11-6 in 32 mins, Enora Villard (FAR) beat Tong Tsz-Wing (HKG) 11-8, 11-4 and 11-6 in 27 mins, Zeina Mickawy (EGY) beat Aika Azman (MAS) 11-4, 11-5 and 11-6 in 21 mins.

In other matches of the day, Liu Tsz-Ling (HKG) beat Eva Fertekova (CZE) 11-1, 11-4 and 11-1 in 11 mins, Sivasangari Subramaniam (MAS) beat Ooi Kah Yan (MAS) 11-7, 11-7, 11-13 and 11-4 in 32 mins, Satomi Watanabe (JPN) beat Madina Zafar (PAK) 11-9, 11-4 and 11-5 in 16 mins and Nadine Shahin (EGY) beat Farah Momen (EGY) 11-9, 11-5 and 11-7 in 19 mins.