QSF 3 Preview: Amjad Confident Ahead Of Home Event

The QSF 3 is one of four tournaments getting underway on Monday 20 December, with the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash complex playing host to the Challenger Tour yet again.

The tournament is open internationally, with the majority of the 24-man draw hailing from the Middle East, Egypt or India, and it will be two Egyptians who top the draw in terms of seeding.

Yahya Elnawasany and Mazen Gamal will be the top two seeds for the tournament, and will be seeded to meet in the final. Three more Egyptians, in Khaled Labib, Ibrahim Elkabbani and Yassin Elshafei will also be in amongst the top eight seeds.

Also in that bracket will be Kuwait’s Ammar Altamimi and Russian No.1 Vladislav Titov, along with Qatari No.2 Syed Azlan Amjad, who will be one of five players featuring on home soil in Doha.

We spoke to Amjad, the World No.72, ahead of the tournament, and he is confident about where his game is at coming into the event, at a venue where he has tasted success on Tour before

“I am fairly confident about my squash these days but there is always room for improvement. I have trained well in the past year, however, there were some set backs due to some injures but I believe my understanding for squash has improved,” he explained.

“It always feels more comfortable playing at home because I am more familiar with the environment and the courts. Winning matches previously at the same venue will also help me gain my confidence and help me perform better.”

The Qatari currently occupies the World No.72 spot in the rankings, just three places below his best ever position. He knows that he has to continue to work hard and improve if he is to climb up into the top 50.

“I think it’s always important to train hard and consistent to be able to perform at a high level. However, to set myself apart from the rest, I have to work on my tactics and my mindset while playing. I believe strengthening my mental ability can help me break into these rankings,” he admitted.

The event takes place from Monday 20 to Thursday 23 December at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex in Doha. Follow the PSA Challenger Tour on Twitter and Facebook for daily updates from the event.

First Round Draw: QSF 3
[1] Yahya Elnawasany (EGY) – [Bye]
Alireza Shameli (IRI) v [9/16] Harinder Pal Singh Sandhu (IND)
[9/16] Darren Rahul Pragasam (MAS) v [WC] Salem Al Malki (QAT)
[7] Ibrahim Elkabbani (EGY) – [Bye]
[8] Yassin Elshafei (EGY) – [Bye]
Rahul Baitha (IND) v [9/16] Omar ElKattan (EGY)
[9/16] Abhay Singh (IND) v Sepehr Etemadpoor (IRI)
[4] Ammar Altamimi (KUW) – [Bye]
[3] Syed Azlan Amjad (QAT) – [Bye]
[WC] Yousef Al Kubaisi (QAT) v [9/16] Joseph White (AUS)
[9/16] Ong Sai Hung (MAS) v Mohamed Nasser (EGY)
[6] Khaled Labib (EGY) – [Bye]
[5] Vladislav Titov (RUS) – [Bye]
[WC] Hamad Al Amri (QAT) v [9/16] Abdulrahman Al-Malki (QAT)
[9/16] Mohamed Ferman Hassan (IRQ) v Abdallah Elmasry (EGY)
[2] Mazen Gamal (EGY) – [Bye]