Farhan was the most successful player from Pakistan in the tournament’s individual event after he reached the semi-finals and also managed to bring home a silver medal for the team event.
“I gave my last junior tournament of career my best shot,” Farhan told The Express Tribune. “The only difference between the Egyptians, who have been the reigning champions, and the Pakistanis was that they have more experience than us. They have the opportunity to play international tournaments every month while we wait for a whole year to participate in the same event.”
According to Farhan, players from Pakistan were better than the Egyptians and did not lack technique or fitness, and their limited exposure was the only thing that hindered them.
Farhan reached the semi-finals of the singles event where he lost to second seed Egyptian Ali Farag 11-2, 11-4, 11-8. He was the only non-Egyptian in the last-four to compete for the title, while Pakistan’s top seeds Danish Atlas, Nasir Iqbal and Waqas Mehboob bowed out in the pre quarter-finals. It was Pakistan’s best run at the individual event since 2008 when Amir Atlas Khan lost the juniors individual title to Egypt’s Marwan El Shorbagy.
“I have to play at least seven international tournaments in the coming year so that I can improve my world ranking from 256 and enter the top 100,” said the 18-year-old who will play his first men’s tournament in Sri Lanka starting from August 19.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 14th, 2010.
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