1st round of FMC International Men Squash Championship

LAHORE, Oct 08 (APP):All the four Hong Kong players and three Pakistanis won their respective Round 1 matches of the FMC International Men Squash Championship here at the Punjab Squash Complex on Monday.
From Pakistan, the match winners were Amaad Fareed, Syed Ali Mujtaba Shah Bukhari and Israr Ahmad, who defeated their respective opponents in the first round and qualified for the next round. Pakistan’s Amaad Fareed beat compatriot Zeeshan Khan by 11/9, 11/6, 7/11, 9/11, 11/8 in 50 minutes, Syed Ali Mujtaba Shah Bukhari defeated fellow countryman Zahir Shah by 9/11, 11/6, 3/11, 11/1, 11/8 in 44 minutes while Israr Ahmad of Pakistan also routed compatriot Abdul Malik Khan by 14/12, 11/5, 11/6 in 24 minutes.
Those Pakistani players who lost their matches against international players were include Muhammad Farhan who was thrashed by Hong Kong’s TSZ Kwan Lau in just 20 minutes with the scores of 11/4, 11/7, 11/7, wildcard entrant Haris Qasim was outclassed by Hong Kong’s Chi Him Wong in just 28 minutes as the score was 11/7, 11/3, 11/4 while another Pakistani Khawaja Adil Maqbool was beaten by Hong Kong’s Tang Ming Hong in just 18 minutes with the scores of 12/10, 11/5, 11/1, 11/3.
In other matches, Henry Leung of Hong Kong played a marathon 80-minute match against Malaysia’s Addeen Idrakie and defeated him by 11/9, 9/11, 12/10, 9/11, 11/7 after a tough battle.
England’s Robert Downer also took 60 minutes to down his German opponent Yannik Omlor with a score of 11/9, 11/4, 5/11, 7/11, 11/4.
A great number of spectators and squash lovers were present on the occasion to witness the high-quality squash on offer while President of Punjab Squash Association (PSA) Dr Nadeem Mukhtar, Secretary Sheraz Saleem, Treasurer Tariq Siddique Malik, Vice President Tariq Farooq Rana, tournament referee Tahir Khanzada and a great number of players along with their families were also present on the occasion and enjoyed the highly-charged international squash matches.
The second round matches will be played at the Punjab Squash Complex on Tuesday and winners will qualify for quarterfinals to be played in four-glass court installed at a local hotel.
The foreign players, while talking to media after playing their first round matches, said that they were very glad to come and play in Lahore, which is very good and safe place to play squash. “People here are very loving, caring and squash-loving and we are getting very warm hospitality and respect, which is really commendable. Pakistani players are in good shape and they are giving us tough time while gradually the championship is becoming tougher and the participants have to work very hard to brighten their chances of winning this prestigious event.”