QSF 3 RD1: Action Underway In Doha

The first round of the QSF 3 took place on Friday afternoon at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex in Doha, Qatar, with the Challenger 20 level men’s tournament getting underway.

Argentina’s Leandro Romiglio caused one fo the seeding upsets on the opening day, with a five-game victory over Malaysia’s Darren Rahul Pragasam, fighting back from two games down to take the victory. The Argentinian lost the first two, including the second on a tie-break, but was able to use his superior fitness to keep the match going, and he came out on top in the end, setting up a contest with Pakistan’s No.5 seed Muhammad Asim Khan in the last 16.

The other match to go to five on day one of the Challenger 20 level competition saw Kuwaiti No.1 Ammar Altamimi take down Juan Camilo Vargas of Colombia. Vargas recently featured at the PSA World Championships in Cairo, and was perhaps feeling it a little, as he fell behind twice in the contest. Despite managing to come back on both occasions, it was Altamimi that took the win, taking the fifth game 11-6 to advance to the second round, where he will face Portuguese No.1 Rui Soares.

Elsewhere, Malaysia’s Addeen Idrakie and Welshman Emyr Evans knocked out the tournament’s two wildcards, beating Ahmad Mohammad Altamimi and Waleed Zaman, respectively, to reach the second round. Miles Jenkins beat Robert Downer in an all-English battle, while Hungary’s Balazs Farkas got the better of Iranian No.1 Alireza Shameli to make his way through to the last 16.

The second round of the Challenger 20 level competition will take place on Saturday, May 21, with the eight seeded players starting off their campaigns in Doha.

First Round Results: QSF 3
Addeen Idrakie (MAS) bt [WC] Ahmad Mohammad Altamimi (QAT) 3-0: 11-8, 11-7, 11-6 (21m)
Leandro Romiglio (ARG) bt Darren Rahul Pragasam (MAS) 3-2: 6-11, 10-12, 11-3, 11-8, 11-5 (57m)
Emyr Evans (WAL) bt [WC] Waleed Zaman (QAT) 3-0: 11-3, 11-4, 11-2 (18m)
Charlie Lee (ENG) bt Khaled Labib (EGY) 3-0; 11-3, 12-10, 11-4 (28m)
Noor Zaman (PAK) bt Syed Azlan Amjad (QAT) 3-0: 12-10, 11-4, 11-5 (25m)
Miles Jenkins (ENG) bt Robert Downer (ENG) 3-0: 11-8, 11-2, 11-2 (24m)
Ammar Altamimi (KUW) bt Juan Camilo Vargas (COL) 3-2: 13-11, 5-11, 11-7, 6-11, 11-6 (32m)
Balazs Farkas (HUN) bt Alireza Shameli (IRI) 3-0: 11-7, 11-5, 11-8 (55m)

Second Round Draw: To Be Played Saturday, May 21
[1] Karim El Hammamy (EGY) v Addeen Idrakie (MAS)
Leandro Romiglio (ARG) v [5] Muhammad Asim Khan (PAK)
[8] Mohammad Syafiq Kamal (MAS) v Emyr Evans (WAL)
Charlie Lee (ENG) v [3] Abdulla Mohd Al Tamimi (QAT)
[4] Yahya Elnawasany (EGY) v Noor Zaman (PAK)
Miles Jenkins (ENG) v [6] Mazen Gamal (EGY)
[7] Rui Soares (POR) v Ammar Altamimi (KUW)
Balazs Farkas (HUN) v [2] Leonel Cardenas (MEX)