Women’s squash: Maria stages biggest upset to reach last-four

Pakistan’s top player beats second seed Nadine in international championship

KARACHI: Pakistan’s premier female squash player Maria Toorpakai Wazir caused the biggest upset of the 2nd Bahria Town International Women Squash Championship as she defeated second seed Nadine Shah of Egypt 3-1 in their quarter-final clash at the Safari Club Bahria Town in Rawalpindi.

The country’s top player surprised her superior opponent with her powerful strokeplay as she won the first game easily. However, Nadine hit back to make it 1-1.

But that was all the Egyptian could manage, as Maria dominated the next two games and won by scores of 11-5, 12-14, 11-7 and 11-4 in 43 minutes. She will now take on Malaysian Teh Min Jie in the semi-finals on Friday.

Jie won a five-setter against compatriot Rachel Arnold despite being 2-0 down at one stage in what turned out to be the best match of the last-eight stage.

The 46-minute battle saw Jie bounce back in style with just a set away from defeat  as she won with scores of  7-11, 4-11, 11-5, 11-5 and 11-6.

In another match, qualifier Sachika Ingale’s inspiring run came to an end as top seed Siyoli Waters of South Africa beat the youngster in straight frames.

Waters did not have any problem in thrashing her opponent with scores of 11-5, 11-8 and 11-7 and now will face Hong Kong’s Liu Tsz-Ling in the semi-finals.

Tsz-Ling won 3-0 against Egypt’s Farah Abdel Meguid with a scoreline of 11-4, 14-12 and 12-10.

 

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