Dubai Squash Cup: Nasir retires, Aamir loses in semis
Pakistan number one cites stomach pain as reason for pulling out
KARACHI:
Pakistan’s top-ranked player Nasir Iqbal said his run at the Dubai Squash Cup ended in disappointment after dropped out of the semi-final due to severe stomach pain while playing against Egypt’s Karim Abdel Gawad in the UAE.
Nasir, currently ranked 44th in the world, had given top seed Karim Abdel Gawad of Egypt, ranked 17th, a tough run in the first game but failed to carry on with the same venom as he pulled out in the second, with scores of 14-12 and 3-0 in favour of his opponent.
“I wanted to win the Cup as it would have helped improve my ranking, however, it just wasn’t meant to be,” a dejected Nasir told The Express Tribune.
“It’s an old injury which I suffered while playing the Lagos Cup last month. I was hit by a Nigerian player and that gruelling pain once again came back to haunt me.
“The disappointment is bigger because I was enjoying a fine run and had the momentum on my side, which enabled me to almost beat a top player like Gawad in the first game.”
Meanwhile, Aamir Atlas Khan lost his semi-final against second seed Chris Simpson of England in straight games, with scores of 11-7, 11-7 and 11-8.
Pakistan’s top-ranked player Nasir Iqbal said his run at the Dubai Squash Cup ended in disappointment after dropped out of the semi-final due to severe stomach pain while playing against Egypt’s Karim Abdel Gawad in the UAE.
Nasir, currently ranked 44th in the world, had given top seed Karim Abdel Gawad of Egypt, ranked 17th, a tough run in the first game but failed to carry on with the same venom as he pulled out in the second, with scores of 14-12 and 3-0 in favour of his opponent.
“I wanted to win the Cup as it would have helped improve my ranking, however, it just wasn’t meant to be,” a dejected Nasir told The Express Tribune.
“It’s an old injury which I suffered while playing the Lagos Cup last month. I was hit by a Nigerian player and that gruelling pain once again came back to haunt me.
“The disappointment is bigger because I was enjoying a fine run and had the momentum on my side, which enabled me to almost beat a top player like Gawad in the first game.”
Meanwhile, Aamir Atlas Khan lost his semi-final against second seed Chris Simpson of England in straight games, with scores of 11-7, 11-7 and 11-8.