Gaskin Wins All-Qualifier Final In Qatar
by Howard Harding
15 April 2012 - In a rare final between two qualifiers, Irishman Arthur Gaskin clinched the first PSA World Tour title of his career when he beat Pakistan's Syed Ali Shah Bokhari in the climax of the QSF PSA Challenger, the PSA Challenger 5 squash event at the Khalifa International Tennis & Squash Complex in Doha, Qatar.
The Dublin-born 27-year-old bravely battled through six matches in three days to earn his maiden tour title triumph - making his main breakthrough in the semi-finals with a straight games defeat of Ammar Al-Tamimi, the top seed from Kuwait ranked more than 100 places higher.
By contrast, Bokhari beat fellow qualifiers in the two rounds leading to the final. The 16-year-old from Lahore recorded his first appearance in a Tour final after overcoming Kuwaiti Mohammed Yaquop Hajeyah in the semis.
But Gaskin, a former world No80 currently ranked 216 in the world, was too strong for the Pakistani teenager, recovering from a game down to win 8-11, 11-7, 12-10, 11-9 in 71 minutes.
"Job done!!" tweeted the new champion later. "Won the final v s bukhari of Pakistan 8-11 11-7 12-10 11-9 in 71 mins! Happy days, nice flight bk to uk in 4 hours!"
RESULTS: PSA Challenger 5 QSF PSA Challenger, Doha, Qatar
1st round:
[1] Ammar Al-Tamimi (KUW) bt Zeyad Tareq Alowaesh (KUW) 11-8, 8-11, 11-2, 11-5 (48m)
Ahmad Al-Saraj (JOR) bt Ahmed Hawas (EGY) 11-7, 11-9, 15-13 (44m)
Syed Hamzah Shah Bukhari (PAK) bt Tarek Salah Shehata (EGY) 11-13, 11-7, 11-6, 5-11, 11-2 (74m)
[Q] Arthur Gaskin (IRL) bt [3] Mahesh Mangaonkar (IND) 12-14, 7-11, 11-7, 11-7, 11-3 (84m)
[Q] Fallah Mohammed (KUW) bt [4] Alex Phillips (ENG) 5-11, 11-5, 11-5, 11-7 (34m)
[Q] Syed Ali Shah Bokhari (PAK) bt Khawaja Adil Maqbool (PAK) 12-14, 11-7, 11-2, 5-11, 11-6 (40m)
[Q] Mohammed Yaquop Hajeyah (KUW) bt Matias Tuomi (FIN) 11-9, 11-9, 11-9 (35m)
[2] Abdulla Mohd Al Tamimi (QAT) bt Ahmad Alzabidi (JOR) 5-11, 11-3, 11-8, 11-6 (27m)
Quarter-finals:
[1] Ammar Al-Tamimi (KUW) bt Ahmad Al-Saraj (JOR) 11-6, 11-8, 11-9 (41m)
[Q] Arthur Gaskin (IRL) bt Syed Hamzah Shah Bukhari (PAK) 11-9, 8-11, 11-9, 11-6 (65m)
[Q] Syed Ali Shah Bokhari (PAK) bt [Q] Fallah Mohammed (KUW) 9-11, 11-7, 18-16, 11-8 (92m)
[Q] Mohammed Yaquop Hajeyah (KUW) bt [2] Abdulla Mohd Al Tamimi (QAT) 11-9, 5-11, 11-7, 11-8 (38m)
Semi-finals:
[Q] Arthur Gaskin (IRL) bt [1] Ammar Al-Tamimi (KUW) 11-6, 11-6, 11-4 (37m)
[Q] Syed Ali Shah Bokhari (PAK) bt [Q] Mohammed Yaquop Hajeyah (KUW) 4-11, 11-7, 11-9, 11-5 (51m)
Final:
[Q] Arthur Gaskin (IRL) bt [Q] Syed Ali Shah Bokhari (PAK) 8-11, 11-7, 12-10, 11-9 (71m)
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