QSF 5: Altamimi Sets Up Vargas Final

Abdulla Altamimi is one win away from a third straight title on home soil, after beating England’s George Parker 3-1 in the QSF 5 semi-finals. 

The Qatari No.1 had spent less than half an hour on court in each of his previous two wins, beating Macéo Levy and Simon Herbert 3-0 to reach the final four. 

He looked on course for another comfortable victory in this one too, winning the first two games inside 25 minutes and finding himself 6-3 up in the third. 

Parker, though, responded well, winning seven of the next 10 points to bring up a game ball. 

Altamimi would save that and the two that followed, before Parker eventually closed out the game 14-12 to keep his title hopes alive. 

But the top seed would not be denied, racing through game four in less than seven minutes to book his spot in a third straight Doha final, having won the QSF 3 and QSF 4 events earlier this season. 

His opponent will be No.4 seed Juan Camilo Vargas, who knocked out second seed Karim El Hammamy to reach his second final of the season. 

Vargas – winner of the 12k Georgia Open in October – dominated three of the four games against the Egyptian, winning games one, three and four all by an 11-4 scoreline, with his only blip being an 11-9 reverse in game two. 

He will now take on Altamimi for the first time on the PSA Tour, with the pair having won 17 titles between them. 

Results: Men’s Semi-Finals 

[1] Abdulla Altamimi (QAT) bt [3] George Parker (ENG) 3-1: 11-6, 11-9, 12-14, 11-5 (50m) 
[4] Juan Camilo Vargas (COL) bt [2] Karim El Hammamy (EGY) 3-1: 11-4, 9-11, 11-4, 11-4 (63m)