Iranian Navy Army SF: Shameli and Etemadpoor To Meet In Final

Top seed Alireza Shameli and No.3 seed Sepehr Etemadpoor will meet in the final of the Commemoration of the Martyrs of the Iranian Navy Army after both coming through their respective semi-final clashes in four games.

Shameli, who came into the tournament as the top seed and favourite to take the title, came up against No.4 seed Sami Ghasedabadi and after taking the first two games 11-9, he then found himself looking at a possible comeback. However, the World No.137 fought that off, to win in four games, booking his place in yet another final on home soil.

He will face the tournament’s No.3 seed, Sepehr Etemadpoor, after the Iranian overcame the only foreign player left in the tournament, India’s Navaneeth Prabhu. The pair were level after two games, with Prabhu having won the second on a tie-break, but it was Etemadpoor that won out in four, winning the last on a 15-13 tie-break to claim victory after 53 minutes.

The finals of the Commemoration of the Martyrs of the Iranian Navy Army will take place at the Heydarnia Squash Complex in Tehran on Friday, March 3, with the winner taking home the Challenger 3 level prize.

Semi-Final Results: Commemoration of the Martyrs of the Iranian Navy Army
[1] Alireza Shameli (IRI) bt [4] Sami Ghasedabadi (IRI) 3-1: 11-9, 11-9, 3-11, 11-8 (49m)
[3] Sepehr Etemadpoor (IRI) bt [6] Navaneeth Prabhu (IND) 3-1: 11-8, 10-12, 11-7, 15-13 (53m)

Final Draw: To Be Played Friday, March 4
[1] Alireza Shameli (IRI) v [3] Sepehr Etemadpoor (IRI)