Teenager Al Tamimi Knocks Off Top Seed Illingworth in Virginia PSA Challenger
by Howard Harding

20 September 2013 - Abdulla Mohd Al Tamimi, an 18-year-old from Doha playing his first PSA World Tour event since becoming the first ever Qatari to reach the semi-finals of the World Junior Squash Championships in July, made a massive statement in senior circles when he toppled top seed Julian Illingworth in the opening round of the ilex construction Charlottesville Challenger, the inaugural PSA Challenger 10 event at McArthur Squash Center in Charlottesville in the US state of Virginia.

The new professional world circuit event is commemorating the opening of the new McArthur Squash Center at Boar's Head Sports Club - a $12.4 million facility which boasts nine singles courts, two doubles courts and 'state-of-the-art features that cannot be found anywhere else', according to one of the consultants on the project.

Al Tamimi, ranked outside the world top 100, twice overcame leads by world No35 Illingworth before beating the eight-time US National champion 11-6, 11-13, 12-10, 3-11, 11-8 in his best ever win on the PSA Tour.

The Qatar teenager now faces Clinton Leeuw, an unseeded South African who beat Frenchman Geoffrey Demont 11-8, 14-12, 11-13, 15-13.

There was further unexpected success from a teenager when 17-year-old Syed Ali Mujtaba Shah Bokhari, a last-minute entry to the event after the withdrawal of one of the seeds, stunned France's Johan Bouquet 11-3, 11-9, 13-11.

The Pakistani youngster from Lahore now tests himself against second seed Martin Knight, the New Zealander ranked 53 in the world who beat Canadian Thomas Brinkman 11-8, 11-6, 11-8.

RESULTS: PSA Challenger 10 ilex construction Charlottesville Challenger, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA

1st round:
Abdulla Mohd Al Tamimi (QAT) bt [1] Julian Illingworth (USA) 11-6, 11-13, 12-10, 3-11, 11-8
Clinton Leeuw (RSA) bt Geoffrey Demont (FRA) 11-8, 14-12, 11-13, 15-13
Paul Coll (NZL) bt Fred Reid (CAN) 11-3, 11-5, 11-9
[3] Charles Sharpes (ENG) bt Joe Chapman (IVB) 11-5, 11-5, 11-5
[4] Dane Sharp (CAN) bt Nathan Lake (ENG) 11-9, 6-11, 11-2, 11-4
Arthur Gaskin (IRL) bt [WC] Mike Lewis (USA) 11-0, 11-3, 11-2
Syed Ali Mujtaba Shah Bokhari (PAK) bt Johan Bouquet (FRA) 11-3, 11-9, 13-11
[2] Martin Knight (NZL) bt Thomas Brinkman (CAN) 11-8, 11-6, 11-8

Quarter-final line-up:
Abdulla Mohd Al Tamimi (QAT) v Clinton Leeuw (RSA)
[3] Charles Sharpes (ENG) v Paul Coll (NZL)
[4] Dane Sharp (CAN) v Arthur Gaskin (IRL)
[2] Martin Knight (NZL) v Syed Ali Mujtaba Shah Bokhari (PAK)