Thu 13th Nov:  Day ONE, Qualifying

The 2014 World Champs got under way today with sixteen qualifying matches at the Khalifa international Tennis & Squash complex in Doha.

Only one win was needed to reach the prestigious main draw where - among 12 others - the top four seeds were waiting for the winners.

There were three seeding upsets as four Pakistanis won their matches to give them their biggest main draw representation for a decade.

[1] Rex Hedrick (Aus) 3-0 Todd Harrity (Usa)                   11/7, 11/9, 11/5 (53m)
[9] Charles Sharpes (Eng) 3-0 Ali Bader Al-Ramzi (Kuw)  11/9, 11/4, 11/5 (29m)
[11] Andrew Wagih (Egy) 3-0 Shehab Essam Hosny (Egy)     walkover
[8] Farhan Zaman (Pak) 3-0 Bader Al Hussaini (Kuw)       11/4, 11/6, 11/6 (21m)

[6] Asyraf Azan (Mas) 3-1 Muhammad Yousaf (Pak)  9/11, 11/5, 11/9, 11/7 (36m)
[15] Ivan Yuen (Mas) 3-1 Aqeel Rehman (Aut)        10/12, 11/8, 11/7, 11/8 (55m)
Lance Beddoes (Nzl) 3-0 [10] Jens Schoor (Ger)             11/7, 11/4, 12/10 (34m)
[4] Raphael Kandra (Ger) 3-0 Ammar Altamimi (Kuw)  11/7, 11/6, 12/10 (34m)

Farhan Mehboob (Pak) 3-0 [3] Chris Gordon (Usa)          11/8, 15/13, 11/8 (33m)
[14] Ben Coleman (Eng) 3-0 Adil Maqbool (Pak)                11/7, 11/5, 11/6 (29m)
[13] Danish Atlas Khan (Pak) 3-1 Tayyab Aslam (Pak) 11/3, 7/11, 11/2, 11/5 (44m)
Piedro Schweertman (Ned) 3-1 [7] Kristian Frost (Den)6/11, 15/13, 11/4, 11/7 (63m)

Aamir Atlas Khan (Pak) 3-2 [5] Jaymie Haycocks (Eng) 9/11,11/9,9/11,11/3,11/9 (63m)
[12] Greg Lobban (Sco) 3-0 Ahmed Hassan (Zim)     walkover
[16] Peter Creed (Wal) 3-2 Ahmad Alsaraj (Jor)   11/13, 11/7, 6/11, 11/8, 11/9 (73m)
[2] Lucas Serme (Fra) 3-0 Syed Azlan Amjad (Qat)           11/1, 11/1, 11/2 (21m)

                                                           updated main draw

Today's Photo Gallery

Five Pakistanis in the main draw for the first time since 2004

21 countries will be represented in the main draw

Farhan Mehboob (Pak) 3-0 [3] Chris Gordon (Usa)    
         11/8, 15/13, 11/8 (33m)

FARHAN : It’s good to be back

That gifted player – Ramy once declared that he was the only player he had true trouble reading when in Juniors – is like those Rollercoaster you find in fair. The thrill is always there, but one time it’s up, one time it’s going downnnnnn.

Today, we had the Farhan Up version. And it was a good day for him.
Chris didn’t do much wrong today. He took the game to the Pakistani from the word go, and attacked beautifully. But Farhan was on fire, and picked up everything that was thrown at him.

And the first two games were very close indeed. Chris managed to fly ahead in the first, 6/3 and 8/5. Farhan dug in 8/8, and gave it a push, 11/8. The second was even closer, with Chris’ nose just in front, 5/3, 6/4, 7/5. Farhan again wouldn’t let go, 7/7, 9/9. And if Chris had 2 game balls, it’s actually the Pakistani that get that “massive confidence boost” that comes from leading 2/0 (15/13).

Good for the American that never gave up in the 3rd. Farhan was kind enough to offer him this 5 first points (courtesy of 5 tins bless him), and Chris was still fighting. But with confidence in the bag, the Pakistani’s shots became more lethal, 11/8 in the 3rd.

"I was soooo nervous, I’m ok physically, about 60% fit, but as I didn’t play since Holland in 2011 in the worlds, I was not confident at all, plus with my ranking dropping, I had to qualify whereas last time, I was in the main….

Chris had some very good results in America and in Europe, so I was very weary of him, and I just picked up everything I could and follow my Uncle’s advice, Jansher Khan who told me “Just get on court, play your best, win or lose. But just play your best, and the squash will get better match after match”. And that’s what I did.

Winning the first two gave me a lot of confidence, and also now I’ve won that match, I am free, no pressure on me anymore, I just hopefully will cut on my error rate, play better and better, and get my ranking to go up again.

It’s good to be back
 
 

[1] Rex Hedrick (Aus) 3-0 Todd Harrity (Usa)                   11/7, 11/9, 11/5 (53m)

Score doesn’t tell the story

Long rallies, lots of gruelling and hard work went on there between the other American Todd Harrity, that kept playing superb squash, constructing rallies beautifully, but making the error at the end.

“I didn’t mean to do that” said Todd. “I’m not happy”.

No wonder, as he led the two first games to bow 11/7, 11/9! He was led then 7/1 in the 3rd, gave it a goooood last push and got Rex worried truly, 4/7, but the Australian managed to close it down, 11/5, to get in the Worlds main draw for the second time, first time being in Qatar 2012.

Good match.

"I was down in the first two games, and basically for me, he won the game, but he just made errors at crucial times. Obviously a 2/0 lead was a massive confidence boost, but I could have been 2/0 or 1/1!

In the 3rd, he gave it a big push and I kept telling myself, break the momentum, break the momentum, and the points will come quicker.

Today, Todd structured his rallies really well, played really good squash, created the opening, but then clipped the tin. When he can actually play the winner more regularly, he’ll be a very dangerous player…"

[9] Charles Sharpes (Eng) 3-0 Ali Bader Al-Ramzi (Kuw) 
               11/9, 11/4, 11/5 (29m)
[14] Ben Coleman (Eng) 3-0 Adil Maqbool (Pak)
               11/7, 11/5, 11/6 (29m)

Story of the day: Young English Player too quick!

Those boys, Ben Coleman and Charles Sharpes, do they think about us Press? Nope. They play, 29m, and I missed the matches completely! Pfffff. SLOW DOWN, what’s the hurry mate!!! Only joking of course, but it would have been nice to catch a bit of the matches…

"I heard of him, and I knew he was a talented racquet player, and that he could find winners. So I tried and settle in there, find my corners and try and take it away from his racquet as if it was in there, I was in trouble…

Extremely happy to qualify, and it feels like my first time, although I did get the wild card for Manchester (I won the tournament to get it), but it’s my first time in Qatar, so it feels like the first time.

Now I’m going to enjoy the rest of the day, and see who I am playing. Hopefully I can get one of the lower seeds, but if I get a top one, and I manage to play well, it will be fantastic."



"It was a good and solid 3/0 start. I had never seen him play, or even heard of him, so I didn’t know what to expect. The first game was quite tight, I managed to sneak it 11/9. But from that point on, I felt completely in control.

"Very happy to qualify, three times in a row now…"

[13] Danish Atlas Khan (Pak) 3-1 Tayyab Aslam (Pak)
           11/3, 7/11, 11/2, 11/5 (44m)
[8] Farhan Zaman (Pak) 3-0 Bader Al Hussaini (Kuw)   
           11/4, 11/6, 11/6 (21m)

Pakistan in force

It’s truly truly nice to see some Pakistani players at last back on the Tour. As I do my Press Reviews every day, I read all the political happenings, all the despair, but also the hopes of a brighter tomorrow.

They were allowed to organise a 25k a few weeks ago, and I can only stress that I’m looking forward to visit and report from that great squash nation again.

Today, Danish was able to impose his racquet talent in the end, but Tayyab gave him some good run for his money.

Tayyab maybe is a bit less flashy that Danish, but he possesses a good all around game, hits hard and low, and retrieves extremely well – backed up by a good fitness, that helps in squash.

First game was a bit too easy for Danish, and he relaxed a bit in the second. Hurray thought his compatriot, levelling the games at 1/1. Third again very easy for Danish, but a good fourth from the contender, although a bit too many errors for his own good.

"It’s the first time ever I try and qualify for the Worlds, so I’m so happy to be in the main draw. You know that my uncle Jansher won it 8 times. And I want to win one as well….

I won the first game a bit too easily, so I lost my concentration, but he also was very solid and played very well.

I’m hoping that I’m going to play well, I certainly will do my best, and I hope I can play one of the top seeds to gain some experience…"

[8] Farhan Zaman (Pak) 3-0 Bader Al Hussaini (Kuw)      11/4, 11/6, 11/6 (21m)

Today, I knew he was a bit lower ranked so I tried and put pressure on him from the start. You know, I’ve been training very hard for this, it’s the first time ever I try and qualify for the Worlds, so I am so happy I actually got in the main draw. If last year I played only small tournaments, this year, I’m going to try and qualify for the big ones, and hopefully, my ranking will improve.

I’m based in Peshawar, and the best players in the word come from there, so I don’t have to travel far to train with the best! But I still get to play about 5 6months a year in America, I play tournaments all over the place…

I would like to break top 30, but it’s been difficult as I got a few zeros, because of the political situations, we have sometimes troubles to get visas… But I’m grateful to the Pakistan Air Force who is sponsoring me, and paying for my flights, etc.

Piedro Schweertman (Ned) 3-1 [7] Kristian Frost (Den)
            6/11, 15/13, 11/4, 11/7 (63m)

Better late than never

At 31, Piedro, WR86, has never played better. Today, he managed to control his good friend Kristian Frost, 3/1. And he felt not only in control out there, but relaxed and happy to go for winners that actually came off quite nicely.

Long rallies, a lot of decisions in particular at the business end of the 2Nd, 38 in all. But a fair match in fact. No discussion, no arguments with the ref from Kristian – it was his trouble for years. A clean match despite the traffic problem in the centre….

"We are team mates in the English League and actually very good friends, and never played but once years ago – I managed to sneak it 3/2, but he improved a lot since then, so very happy I got to win 3/1.

In the first game, he slowed down the pace whereas normally, he picks it up, I didn’t expect that, and had to change my game in the middle of the game, volley more, but I still made too many errors.. The second was crucial, a lot of lets, tie break. But in the third, I saw the body language change. If he was fired up in the first two, shouting and all, in the third, he seems to give up in the middle of the game.

And although I never relaxed, not knowing what could happen in the 4th, I could see his body language, and I knew I had to push forward, keep the errors to a minimum. And it worked.

I am 31, Fram, I stopped PSA for 2 years, to finish my studies and bought a house. I don’t know, the fact I’m more secure now, I have been able to come back on the Tour for a few months now, I had never stopped training, and played leagues. But now, I feel comfortable, relaxed, and that’s how you manage to qualify for the first time for the World Open…."

Aamir Atlas Khan (Pak) 3-2 [5] Jaymie Haycocks (Eng)
         9/11, 11/9, 9/11, 11/3, 11/9 (63m)

Aamir – Back in the main draw….

After a few years of mishaps – groin injury, 2 years ban from his federation – Aamir Atlas Khan, brother of Danish who qualified a bit earlier, is back in the main draw.

It wasn’t easy. A disputed match, a few too many lets, a bit too many discussions with the Ref from the Pakistani, and Jamie was up 2/1 taking the third 11/9 before Aamir levelled it up 2/2, rather easily in the 4th, 11/3.

Actually, the English could have been up 2/0 as well, as he took the first one 11/9, and was leading 7/3 in the second, before Aamir started to wake up and smell the Tchai, scoring 7 point in a row, and taking the game on his 3rd game ball, 11/9.

The fifth was as close as it can, lots of work for the refs, but at 9/9 all was possible. A superb backhand drive that was a good shot from Aamir, but that Jamie never got a chance to get close too, great wall, no let. And a tin to finish.

An English racquet that flies in despair while Aamir, Speedy Gonzales, in back in Qatar Town…

"So Fram, got a question for you. You used to call me Speedy Gonzales, after seeing me today running around, how are you going to call me then!!???

I used to be WR14, I had a few troubles, I got injured, I also got banned from the Pakistani Federation for 6 months, then 2 years. I was mentally down, physically down. But hopefully, all that is behind me now. I’m getting back in my fitness, slowly slowly.

Today, I was not confident at all, so I was chatting a bit too much with the ref. But we were both playing very well, and at the end, luck was on my side, he finds the tin on match ball. This will help me with my confidence, and I hope I’ll play well, with who ever I get to play…"

[15] Ivan Yuen (Mas) 3-1 Aqeel Rehman (Aut)
        10/12, 11/8, 11/7, 11/8 (55m)

We both wanted to win…

Today, it started well for me, but at the end of the 1st game, I relaxed a bit too much, and lost the game, with Aqeel playing very well.

IN the second and third, I tried and stayed patient, waiting for the opportunity, and I just kept going.

But in the fourth, he got back in the game, and I had to make sure I lengthen the rallies. I then got back into my rhythm, and finally took the game. But Aqeel truly played well…

[4] Raphael Kandra (Ger) 3-0 Ammar Altamimi (Kuw)
        11/7, 11/6, 12/10 (34m)

I never played him, and you know what it is, the qualifying for the Worlds, you don’t know what to expect, you are a bit nervous, and you really want to reach the main draw, I got a lot of confidence wining in Canada which helped.

I tried and gave it everything, I hung in there, it didn’t work out all the way through, but at least I got a three love win…

Lance Beddoes (Nzl) 3-0 [10] Jens Schoor (Ger)             11/7, 11/4, 12/10 (34m)

I was here staying with Abdulla for 6 weeks, more or less hoping that I would get to play the qualifying (I was reserve). But it looked like I was only going to watch! Still, I got on yesterday!!!!

I’ve been training with Abdulla, whose got a very past pace, that helped me step up my game. Plus we had the two Shorbagies for two weeks, that helped too!!!!

I’m 22, ranked 141. I’m based in NZ, but I manage to spend about 2 months in Qatar, 3 months in the UK. When I’m back home, I’m training with Paul Hornsy and playing with Grayson Knight, Coll.. We are good friends and it’s a really good set up. When I’m here, I train mainly with Jonathan Kemp.

Good match today, I played well I think…

[16] Peter Creed (Wal) 3-2 Ahmad Alsaraj (Jor) 
       11/13, 11/7, 6/11, 11/8, 11/9 (73m)

Don’t … Mess it up this time!!!!

I remember two years ago, two epic matches of Peter Creed trying to get into the main draw. 11/9 in the first round against Caesar Salazar, and having 7 match balls against Zac Alexander and losing…. It was heartbreaking for the Welsh boy.

“When I got to 10/9 today match ball, I thought ‘don’t you get conservative and just go for the shot, don’t mess it up this time’ said a truly ecstatic Creed.

It was the longest match of the day, and superb to be honest. We had that hyper talented young brainsbird of Ahmed, so gifted with the racquet, and playing shots and counterdropping whatever the Welsh managed to play short, and the Flying Creed, the Welsh version of Miguel Rodriguez. We had a great 73m, although a few decisions, 35….

But what a match. Just the last game tells the story, 5/1 for Peter, only to see the Jordan pass him, scoring 7 points in a row, 8/5, then 9/7. Some ridiculous squash, as James W would call it, rallies to die for – and they nearly did – but a no let – including conduct warning for time wasting, 9/9, the shot of the day, a backhand drive that catches the front corner and shoots on the other side of the court, wrongfooting poor Ahmed completely. And a last great rally, won eventually by the Welsh.

A broken racquet for the Jordan, but a very happy Creed that get to jump around another day, bless him. Squash needs those two guys, what entertainment that was.

Never in doubt.

For the past six months, I’ve been feeling I was on the edge of beating guys above me, and I guess I was thinking too much, at Match ball, game ball, I started to think and changed my game…. It doesn’t matter the age you are, the experience you have, it’s all in the head, something got to click. And today, I thought at 10/9 match ball, you are not gong to miss such an opportunity like that again.

When I got it together, it was alright, but I had good spells, and mediocre spells.

I’m 27, and ranked 80. I have been playing full time for 5 years, after my university. I feel that the Commonwealth Games was a stepping stone for me. Because of my height, I’m struggling to find the right balance between patient length and being too defensive.

I think that a realistic goal for me would be to get to 55. At the moment, I’m playing with David Evans, and he is bringing a lot to my game.

It’s all in the mental nowadays. You get used to wining, and you get used to losing. All in the head. I got used to losing, now I just got to get used to wining again…

[2] Lucas Serme (Fra) 3-0 Syed Azlan Amjad (Qat)           11/1, 11/1, 11/2 (21m)

I was playing a local, it was his first ever real tournament, he is an up and coming Qatari player. So I guess I was lucky to get an easier draw than my colleagues. You need to be lucky sometimes.

Since Hong Kong last year, I had a pretty bad time fitness wise. I got a back injury, was out for 2 months. Went back on the Tour, beat Kristian in Austria, my first tournament back.

But I hurt the back for the second time. As I had exams at the time, I was pretty happy not to be able to play, I was able to concentrate on my studies. Then we had the European Individuals, and I hurt my back for the third time!

So that was too much, I got into serious investigation, xray, scan and all, physio, and it seems that we found what was wrong. Since, I moved to Prague – with my girlfriend – I train with Greg.

My ranking has improved, 46, I hope to get it a bit higher next month. I’m having good results lately, I’m training well, and although the back is a bit fragile, it’s holding fine. But so far soo good…