Qatar’s Abdulla Mohamed Al Tamimi
Doha, Qatar: Qatar’s top ranked squash player Abdulla Mohamed Al Tamimi will be looking to go few steps further than he did last year, when the World No.23 player kicks off his QTerminals Qatar Classic campaign against Frenchman Lucas Serme today.
Al Tamimi, who had unfortunately missed a number of major tournaments this season following a hip surgery, has only played two Professional Squash Association (PSA) events so far following his recovery.
Al Tamimi, reached the quarter-finals in the PSA Tour Platinum category event in Doha last year, and climbed to a career-high ranking of 17 earlier this year.
Despite the recent setback which prevented him from competing, he now has his eyes on the upcoming Asian Games in Guangzhou. Al Tamimi reached the quarter-finals in the last Asiad which took place in Indonesia in 2018, and the Qatari star looks to be at his best before the trip to China.
“All the focus this year is on the Asian Games at the end of September,” he told Aspire Academy website in a recent interview.
“My summer training and the Professional Squash Association (PSA) tournaments before that are working towards getting ready and being in the best shape as possible for those Asian Games,” the 28-year-old Al Tamimi said ahead of the Doha tournament.
Al Tamimi and Serme are among 16 men’s pairs who will be in action at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex today.
Qatari wild cards Syed Azlan Amjad and Salem Al Malki also will compete in the first round today when they take on their counterparts Suguste Dussourd (France) and Patrick Rooney (England) respectively.
Egypt's Nour Aboulmakarim (right) in action against compatriot Menna Hamed during their first round match, yesterday.
Women’s event gets underway
Meanwhile, yesterday, Wales’ Emily Whitlock secured a straight-games (11-9, 11-4, 12-10) win over Latvia’s Ineta Mackevicain to set up a high-profile second round meeting against top seed and World No.2 Nouran Gohar of Egypt. Gohar, who is aiming to reclaim the World No.1 title, joins the action today along with a list of 15 other top-ranked women which also includes Egypt’s World No.1 Nour ElSherbini.
ElSherbini will take on South Africa’s Alexandra Fuller who yesterday defeated Egypt’s Zeina Zein in a four-set encounter (11-9, 10-12, 11-8, 11-4).
In one of the most epic contests on the opening day, Egyptian 20-year-old Nour Aboulmakarim overcame her opponent and injury to advance. Aboulmakarim was leading 2-0 against her compatriot Menna Hamed after a pair of 13-11 wins, before she suffered from an injury and collapsed to the ground in pain.
Upon resumption, Hamed levelled with dominant 11-4, 11-3 wins before Aboulmakarim fought back to finish in style with a 11-9 scoreline to seal the victory in the 69-minute encounter.
“I’m a bit speechless, this was the first time playing against Menna on tour [but] we used to play a lot in team training,” Aboulmakarim said after her win.
“I had a lot injuries in my ankle so I panicked a little bit; actually I sprained it [but] I tried to forget all about it,” the 20-year-old said.
England's Katie Malliff (left) in action against Finland's Emilia Soini. Malliff won the match 3-2 (9-11, 11-5, 11-8, 6-11, 11-9) to enter the second round.
England’s Katie Malliff fended off a scare against Emilia Soini on the glass court, beating the Finnish counterpart 3-2 (9-11, 11-5, 11-8, 6-11, 11-9) while Nada Abbas overcame a strong challenge from wildcard Low Wee Wern to advance with a 3-1 (11-6, 11-8, 9-11, 11-5) win.
Alexandra Fuller and Jasmine Hutton also booked their spots in round two with a 3-1 win over Zeina Zein and a 3-0 victory against Kenzy Ayman respectively. England’s Lucy Turmel fought back to defeat World No.61 Malak Khafagy 3-1, while Hong Kong’s Ka Yi Lee also came from behind to eliminate Egypt’s Hana Moataz.
The 16-year-old reigning Junior World Champion Amina Orfi also made it to the second round, beating Egyptian compatriot Nadine Shahin 3-1.
Women's ROUND 1 Results
Nada Abbas (EGY) bt. [WC] Low Wee Wern (MAS)3-1: 11-6, 11-8, 9-11, 11-5
Alexandra Fuller (RSA) bt. Zeina Zein (EGY)3-1: 11-9, 10-12, 11-8, 11-4
Mariam Metwally (EGY) bt. Millie Tomlinson (ENG)3-0: 11-7, 11-7, 11-3
Jasmine Hutton (ENG) bt. Kenzy Ayman (EGY)3-0: 11-6, 11-9, 11-1
Lucy Beecroft (ENG) bt. Grace Gear (ENG)3-0: 12-10, 11-3, 11-4
Nour Aboulmakarim (EGY) bt. Menna Hamed (EGY)3-2: 13-11, 13-11, 4-11, 3-11, 11-9
Katie Malliff (ENG) bt. Emilia Soini (FIN)3-2: 9-11, 11-5, 11-8, 6-11, 11-9
Salma Eltayeb (EGY) bt. Zeina Mickawy (EGY)3-2: 11-6, 12-10, 5-11, 6-11, 11-5
Ka Yi Lee (HKG) bt. Hana Moataz (EGY)3-2: 8-11, 13-11, 9-11, 11-9, 11-7
Amina Orfi (EGY) bt. Nadine Shahin (EGY)3-1: 11-7, 11-9, 10-12, 11-8
Sivasangari Subramaniam (MAS) bt. Sana Ibrahim (EGY)3-0: 11-6, 12-10, 11-7
Emily Whitlock (WAL) bt. Ineta Mackevica (LAT)3-0: 11-9, 11-4, 12-10
Tsz-Wing Tong (HKG) bt. Enora Villard (FRA)3-0: 11-8, 11-2, 11-7
Fayrouz Aboelkheir (EGY) bt. Nicole Bunyan (CAN)3-0: 11-2, 11-0, 11-6
Hana Ramadan (EGY) bt. Georgia Adderley (SCO)3-0: 11-9, 11-5, 11-3
Lucy Turmel (ENG) bt. Malak Khafagy (EGY)3-1: 6-11, 11-8, 11-7, 11-5
