Almezayen Boosts Home Hopes In Kuwait by Howard Harding
June 15, 2011-In
a battle to qualify for the Jena International Championship in Kuwait
between the country's two top-ranked players, it was number one
Abdullah Almezayen who emerged triumphant over older rival Bader Al
Hussaini to earn a place in the main draw of the PSA World Tour
Challenger 15 squash event at Qadsia Sporting Club in Hawally.
Almezayen, the 23-year-old world No 102, despatched his fellow
countryman 11-6, 11-4, 11-6 in 32 minutes - and will now line up
against fellow left-hander Farhan Mehboob, the top-ranked Pakistani who
is the event's second seed.
But Kuwaitis Zeyad Tareq Alowaesh and Mohammed Yaquop Hajeyah were
unable to further boost local interest in the first round after going
down to Dutchman Bart Ravelli and Indian Harinder Pal Sandhu,
respectively.
Malaysian Ivan Yuen earned the final qualifying slot after upsetting
Pakistan's Yasir Butt 8-11, 11-4, 11-4, 11-5. The 20-year-old from
Selangor will face Egypt's Omar Abdel Aziz for a place in the second
round.
Qualifying finals:
Abdullah Almezayen (KUW) bt Bader Al Hussaini (KUW) 11-6, 11-4, 11-6 (32m)
Bart Ravelli (NED) bt Zeyad Tareq Alowaesh (KUW) 11-7, 7-11, 11-2, 11-1 (47m)
Harinder Pal Sandhu (IND) bt Mohammed Yaquop Hajeyah (KUW) 11-7, 11-5 ret. (22m)
Ivan Yuen (MAS) bt Yasir Butt (PAK) 8-11, 11-4, 11-4, 11-5 (45m)
Updated 1st round line-up:
[1] Aamir Atlas Khan (PAK) v Bradley Hindle (MLT)
Joel Hinds (ENG) v [Q] Bart Ravelli (NED)
Ali Farag (EGY) v Andrew Wagih Shoukry (EGY)
[4] Omar Abdel Aziz (EGY) v [Q] Ivan Yuen (MAS)
[3] Simon Rosner (GER) v Joe Lee (ENG)
Muhd Asyraf Azan (MAS) v Ammar Al-Tamimi (KUW)
Jaymie Haycocks (ENG) v [Q] Harinder Pal Sandhu (IND)
[2] Farhan Mehboob (PAK) v [Q] Abdullah Almezayen (KUW)