Combaxx International Championships RD1: Busy Opening Day In Islamabad

The CAS – Serena Hotels/Combaxx International Squash Championships got underway on Wednesday afternoon at the Mushaf Squash Complex in Islamabad, Pakistan, with 16 matches taking place on a busy opening day.

Four home hopes made it through to the second round of the men’s Challenger 30 level competition, with Hamza Khan taking down Kuwaiti No.1 Ammar Altamimi in four games. All four games were tight, with none seeing more than a two point gap. Khan won out 14-12, 11-9, 9-11, 11-9 to book his spot in the second round where he will face top seed Moustafa El Sirty.

Also moving through in front of their home crowd were Ahsan Ayaz, who got the better of Iranian Alireza Shameli in one of the day’s other shocks, Noor Zaman and Farhan Zaman. Malaysia’s Darren Rahul Pragasam and Addeen Idrakie, Egyptian Ibrahim Elkabbani and Czechian Viktor Byrtus have also gone through to the last 16.

Wildcard Sadia Gul made the biggest upset of the day in the women’s Challenger 10 draw, as she got the better of American Arisha Khan in straight games to book her spot in the last 16. She will be joined by fellow Pakistanis Zaynab Khan, Noor ul Huda and Rushna Mehboob.

The second day of the CAS – Serena Hotels/Combaxx International Squash Championships will take place on Thursday, October 20, with the seeded players coming into their respective draws.

Men’s First Round Results: CAS – Serena Hotels/Combaxx International Squash Championships
Hamza Khan (PAK) bt Ammar Altamimi (KUW) 3-1: 14-12, 11-9, 9-11, 11-9 (41m)
Ibrahim Elkabbani (EGY) bt Farhan Mehboob (PAK) 3-1: 11-8, 11-9, 11-13, 11-8 (47m)
Darren Rahul Pragasam (MAS) bt Zeeshan Zeb (PAK) 3-1: 7-11, 11-5, 11-8, 11-9 (38m)
Ahsan Ayaz (PAK) bt Alireza Shameli (IRI) 3-0: 11-7, 11-9, 12-10 (31m)
Addeen Idrakie (MAS) bt Muhammad Ashab Irfan (PAK) 3-0: 11-8, 11-7, 11-9 (39m)
Noor Zaman (PAK) bt Mohamed Nasser (EGY) 3-1: 10-12, 12-10, 11-8, 11-3 (38m)
Farhan Zaman (PAK) bt Israr Ahmed (PAK) 3-0: 11-4, 11-5, 11-3 (20m)
Viktor Byrtus (CZE) bt Abdallah Elmasry (EGY) 3-2: 12-10, 4-11, 11-1, 6-11, 11-9 (48m)

Men’s Second Round Draw: To Be Played Thursday, October 20
[1] Moustafa El SIrty (EGY) v Hamza Khan (PAK)
Ibrahim Elkabbani (EGY) v [6] Christopher Gordon (USA)
[8] Yassin Elshafei (EGY) v Darren Rahul Pragasam (MAS)
Ahsan Ayaz (PAK) v [4] Balazs Farkas (HUN)
[3] Yahya Elnawasany (EGY) v Addeen Idrakie (MAS)
Noor Zaman (PAK) v [5] Curtis Malik (ENG)
[7] Syed Azlan Amjad (QAT) v Farhan Zaman (PAK)
Viktor Byrtus (CZE) v [2] Mohamed ElSherbini (EGY)

Women’s First Round Results: CAS – Serena Hotels/Combaxx International Squash Championships
Nour Heikal (EGY) bt [WC] Sammer Anjum (PAK) 3-0: 11-5, 11-2, 11-1 (12m)
Haya Ali (EGY) bt Komal Khan (PAK) 3-0: 11-3, 11-2, 11-4 (12m)
Yasshmita Jadishkumar (MAS) bt [WC] Mehwish Ali (PAK) 3-0: 11-2, 11-2, 11-4 (13m)
[WC] Sadia Gul (PAK) bt Arisha Khan (USA) 3-0: 11-8, 11-4, 11-8 (22m)
Rushna Mehboob (PAK) bt Saima Shoukat (PAK) 3-1: 11-5, 11-8, 5-11, 11-6 (12m)
Noor ul Huda (PAK) bt Kincso Szasz (HUN) 3-1: 11-7, 11-9, 7-11, 12-10 (27m)
Zaynab Khan (PAK) bt Aiman Shahbaz (PAK) 3-0: 11-8, 11-9, 11-7 (16m)
Jelena Dutina (SRB) bt Anam Mustafa Aziz (PAK) 3-0: 12-10, 11-9, 11-7 (17m)

Women’s Second Round Draw: To Be Played Thursday, October 20
[1] Saskia Beinhard (GER) v Nour Heikal (EGY)
Haya Ali (EGY) v [7] Sofia Mateos (ESP)
[5] Au Yeong Wai Yhann (SGP) v Yasshmita Jadishkumar (MAS)
[WC] Sadia Gul (PAK) v [4] Malak Khafagy (EGY)
[3] Fayrouz Aboelkheir (EGY) v Rushna Mehboob (PAK)
Noor ul Huda (PAK) v [6] Katerina Tycova (GER)
[8] Jacqueline Peychar (AUT) v Zaynab Khan (PAK)
Jelena Dutina (SRB) v [2] Marta Dominguez Fernandez (ESP)