Bokhari progresses to semis in world event
Compatriot Tayyab exits individual squash championship.
KARACHI:
Ali Bokhari moved a step closer to winning the World Junior Individual Squash Championship title after overcoming Egypt’s Youssef Soliman 3-2 in their quarter-final clash played in Windhoek, Namibia on Thursday.
Former Asian junior champion Bokhari bagged the first set, but Soliman followed hot on his heels as he first levelled the lead and then won the next two sets to go 2-1 up.
Refusing to buckle under pressure, Bokhari made the score 2-2 and took the game to the fifth set.
His superior fitness played an important role in the decider, allowing him to win the match by 11-7, 9-11, 6-11, 11-9 and 11-7.
Bokhari will take on another Egyptian player Omar el Atmas in the semi-finals as he looks to fulfil his dream of winning the title.
“I put in a lot of hard work before coming to the tournament and it’s all paying off now,” Bokhari told The Express Tribune.
“So far I have been playing really well and my morale is high. I skipped this year’s Asian Junior Championship to concentrate on this event and I’m glad that my goal is within reach.”
Meanwhile, compatriot Tayyab Aslam suffered a 3-2 loss in the same round at the hands of El Atmas in another five-set duel.
Despite initially leading 2-0, Tayyab lost the match that lasted for an hour and 51 minutes as El Atmas progressed with scores of 7-11, 12-14, 11-7, 11-5 and 11-9.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 15th, 2014.
Ali Bokhari moved a step closer to winning the World Junior Individual Squash Championship title after overcoming Egypt’s Youssef Soliman 3-2 in their quarter-final clash played in Windhoek, Namibia on Thursday.
Former Asian junior champion Bokhari bagged the first set, but Soliman followed hot on his heels as he first levelled the lead and then won the next two sets to go 2-1 up.
Refusing to buckle under pressure, Bokhari made the score 2-2 and took the game to the fifth set.
His superior fitness played an important role in the decider, allowing him to win the match by 11-7, 9-11, 6-11, 11-9 and 11-7.
Bokhari will take on another Egyptian player Omar el Atmas in the semi-finals as he looks to fulfil his dream of winning the title.
“I put in a lot of hard work before coming to the tournament and it’s all paying off now,” Bokhari told The Express Tribune.
“So far I have been playing really well and my morale is high. I skipped this year’s Asian Junior Championship to concentrate on this event and I’m glad that my goal is within reach.”
Meanwhile, compatriot Tayyab Aslam suffered a 3-2 loss in the same round at the hands of El Atmas in another five-set duel.
Despite initially leading 2-0, Tayyab lost the match that lasted for an hour and 51 minutes as El Atmas progressed with scores of 7-11, 12-14, 11-7, 11-5 and 11-9.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 15th, 2014.