Off to America: Mehboob aiming to impress at Houston Open

Pakistan’s number one squash player wants to break into top 20

KARACHI: Pakistan’s number one squash player Farhan Mehboob is setting his eyes on the Houston Open that will begins on Monday.

Mehboob has been in top form since last year and wants to carry the momentum of winning the international events in a bid to break into the world’s top 20 players.

The 28-year-old started the year on a high, winning the President's International Cup in January in Islamabad by defeating Leo Au, and wants to go from strength to strength.

“My focus is definitely on international events but we also need domestic competitions to prepare us for the bigger tournaments," Mehboob told The Express Tribune. "I’m going to play in the Houston Open, and I’m hoping I get to be among the top players there too.”

The Peshawar-based player saw his share of troubles before making a successful comeback last year, having almost quit the sport due to a lack of resources and support.

"I almost quit squash, because I felt there is no appreciation in it anymore," said Mehboob. "I saw my rankings steadily fall down from 2011 since I was unable to go abroad to play. My father financed our tours for two-and-a-half years just to keep us going, but it never reaped any fruit.”

However, the 28-year-old is feeling defiant once more and vows to carry on. “Squash is a passion and there is still hope that we Pakistanis can be at the top again,” he said. “Personally, I know I have the potential as I've managed to prove my worth with wins at international events in Islamabad. I still haven’t gotten any incentives from the win at my last event though but I want to carry on because I want to be among the best players in the world.”

Mehboob is ranked 47th in the world and is eyeing the $70,000 prize money on offer at the Houston Open.

“I’ve mostly been an underdog since my comeback, but I feel I’m in a good position to make a mark in Houston,” said the left-handed player.

But Mehboob knows getting into the top 20 of the world will not be easy, adding that it is essential for players to compete in at least 10 or 12 international events to improve their rankings, while the events in Pakistan are not offering enough financial incentives to the players either.