Squash - Int News
Liz Irving on modern squash coaching with SquashLab
SPORTS BULLETIN
As a world-class coach, Liz Irving is perhaps most famous for her formidable partnership with Malaysian legend Nicol David, who was World No.1 for a record-breaking 108 months in succession.
Recently, though, Irving has been a leader in using modern technology to make the game more accessible than ever, with SquashLab Communities – which connects people via global sporting apps with a view that they will have access to a wide variety of sport learning content / know-how and coaching skills – her latest venture.
Irving explains: “SquashLab Communities is an app with plenty of squash learning content for squash in a progressive way from absolute beginner to international level player.
“I have developed it because there is absolutely nothing on the market for the average player with any real substance as it is all top-end or development. The question is: ‘Who is looking after the 95% of the rest of the playing community and helping them progress and have really good resources at their disposal?’
“We have it for squash in Australia at the moment and it is endorsed by Squash Australia and all members get the app as part of their membership. It is filmed in a deliberate way to speak simple language to the user and very focussed on the content and is very progressive in its learning. Once you do one module like a six-week span and you have finished that, and it’s all achievable goals, then you go on to the next course and help them on their journey.
“We will also be joining forces with Alan Thatcher at World Squash Day and this will be an opportunity for people to download the app, get on board and support World Squash Day and we are pretty excited about that.
“So the user will have an interesting experience that is only going to get better and it is a passion project that I am very excited about it and the opportunity it will give to players to get on board and make the most of some great content and resources.”
Pakistan Squash Federation celebrates Women Squash Week
SPORTS BULLETIN
Islamabad:-Pakistan Squash Federation (PSF) has set one-day event to celebrate the Women’s Squash Week at Mushaf Squash Complex Islamabad, as this day is being staged all over the world from September 17 to 24, 2022.
According to an official of PSF, federation arranged a squash event for women on September 21 at Mushaf Squash Complex, as a group of women players from all over Pakistan participated in the event.
In the event match, Amina beat Mishka Zaman 3-0 in straight games with score-line of 11-4, 8-11 and 12-10. Mrs. Col Asif Zaman, Director General, Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) graced the closing ceremony as chief guest and awarded trophies, gifts and souvenirs to the players. DG PSB Col Asif Zaman also attended the ceremony.
Qatar Classic-Day II: Tamimi downs Coll as Crouin takes out Makin
Sports Bulletin Report
Doha (Qatar):-Qatar’s Abdulla Al Tamimi stunned New Zealand’s Paul Coll to win a 94-minute epic 3-2 and reach the last sixteen in the Qatar Classic Squash Tournament at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex on Monday.
“That’s by farthe result of my career,” said Al Tamimi. “I’ve been very close before against the top guys. I always have a lead, I managed to choke it then. I tried not to think about it at all. I was cramping from game three to the fifth in my fingers, I tried not to show it to Paul. I was waiting for the opportunities to go for the shots and when it’s there, that’s the way to beat Paul. I can’t be negative, I had to play my game at the right time and I’m happy with the win.”
Al Tamimi will have a rest day before playing England’s George Parker, who beat the USA’s Todd Harrity, in the next round. Elsewhere, Victor Crouin continued his terrific start to the season with a 3-1 win over No.7 seed Joel Makin to reach the third round of the Qatar Classic in his first season as a full-time professional
“I came in and just wanted to win one game. “I just wanted to win the game and I believed that I could win the match. After winning the first game I knew I could go and get the win. I’m really happy about that.”
Crouin will play England’s Patrick Rooney for a place in the quarter-finals after Rooney downed Nathan Lake 3-0 in an all-English affair.
Also through to the next round is top seed Ali Farag, who received a walkover after an injury to Cesar Salazar, and defending champion Diego Elias, who overcame a spirited performance from India’s Saurav Ghosal to progress.
“I won my biggest title here last year and played one of my best matches of my career [in last year’s final against Coll]. I think I’ve always played great here. I guess I just have to get used to the court again and I’ll be ok,” Elias said.
Qatar Classic: Tamimi defeats Indian opponent Tandon in straight games
Sports Bulletin Report
Doha (Qatar):-Top local player, Abdullah Al Tamimi cruised to a straight sets victory 3-0 with the score-line of 11-8, 11-4 and 11-3 against India’s Ramit Tandon to book his place in the second round of the QTerminals Qatar Classic 2022 on Sunday.
His compatriot Syed Azlan Amjad was however unlucky as he fell to a 3-1: 9-11, 11-8, 11-8, 11-9 defeated by Mexico’s Cesar Salazar, who fought through some discomfort, and had to come from behind, to defeat the Qatari wildcard.
Meanwhile Borja Golan, who at 39 is the oldest player competing in Qatar, made the perfect start to his 11th Qatar Classic as he blew World No. 28 Mohamed ElSherbini away in straight sets 11-2, 13-11, 11-4 in just 45 minutes.
In the other matches, Yahya Elnawasany saw off Sebastien Bonmalais in five games to earn his place in the second round. Elnawasany won 3-2: 3-11, 11-8, 8-11, 11-8, 11-8 (69m), while, Switzerland’s Dimitri Steinmann upset the odds to earn a spot in the second round after beating World No. 24 Adrian Waller 3-1: 11-7, 11-8, 2-11, 11-6.
France’s Mathieu Castagnet booked his second round ticket after a spirited performance saw him get the better of Egypts Moustafa El Sirty, despite being 25 places lower in the World Rankings. The Frenchman won 3-1: 8-11, 11-6, 13-11, 12-10.
Malaysia’s Eain Yow Ng defeated Frenchman Auguste Dussourd in straight games 11-7, 11-5, 11-6 while England’s Declan James triumphed 3-1: 11-7, 11-8, 9-11, 11-8 over France’s Baptiste Masotti.
Qatar Classic: Only Pakistani Tayyab ends journey in the first round
Sports Bulletin Report
Doha (Qatar):-Karim El Hammamy from Egypt ousted Tayyab Aslam in a single sided contest 3-0 in the Qatar Classic International Squash Tournament 2022 that started in Doha, Qatar on Sunday.
Egyptian played displayed great skills of squash and did not allow Tayyab to settle his feet on the court. In the first game Pakistan guy could merely earn a solitary point. The final score-line was just 11-1, 11-5 and 11-2, as the match lasted 23 minutes.
Qatar Classic Squash Tournament starts September 4, 2022
Sports Bulletin Report
Doha (Qatar):-Egypt’s World No.1 Ali Farag will return to Doha for the first time since taking victory in 2020, as he starts his 2022-2023 season as the top seed for the Qatar Classic, which will take place from September 4 to 10, 2022.
Farag missed last year’s tournament, but has fond memories of the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex, having won this tournament in 2020, when he defeated New Zealand’s Paul Coll in the final. The pair will be the top two seeds once again next month, with Farag set to face either Mexico’s Cesar Salazar or Qatar’s Syed Azlan Amjad, one of two wildcards for the event. He could then face either Colombia’s Miguel Rodriguez or Switzerland’s Nicolas Mueller in the third round, before a possible meeting with England’s Mohamed ElShorbagy in the last eight.
Meanwhile, double Commonwealth Games Gold Medallist Paul Coll will start his campaign in Doha against either home favourite Abdulla Al Tamimi or India’s Ramit Tandon, followed by a possible meeting with either Germany’s Raphael Kandra or England’s George Parker. Welshman Joel Makin could lie in wait in the last eight, in was would be a repeat of their Commonwealth Games final.
Defending champion Diego Elias will meet Indian #1 Saurav Ghosal, the Commonwealth Games Bronze Medallist, in the second round in Doha, before a possible clash with England’s Adrian Waller in the last 16. Either Frenchman Gregoire Marche or Egypt’s Tarek Momen, the winner of the 2019-2020 PSA World Championships at the very same venue, could lie in wait for the Peruvian in the quarter finals.
Egypt’s World #3 Mostafa Asal will face one of the toughest tests possible in his opening match of the 2022-2023 season, as he will take on World #9 Marwan ElShorbagy in the second round of the Platinum level tournament. Possible meetings with Egypt’s Fares Dessouky and Mazen Hesham could come prior to the quarter finals.
Catalina invites world to share coffee to promote World Squash Day
Sports Bulletin Report
ISLAMABAD:-Colombian squash star Catalina Pelaez has once again invited the world of squash to share a coffee to promote World Squash Day.
Pelaez, the former world No.56 who has won numerous medals for Colombia, has drawn on her skills as a photographer and graphic artist to produce another set of images to promote squash’s biggest global grassroots project.
She said: “People often get together over a coffee to make plans, so what better way for the world of squash to plan World Squash Day than by sharing a virtual coffee.”
World Squash Day takes place on Saturday October 15th and founder Alan Thatcher said: “It’s wonderful to see Catalina’s brilliant creative skills helping to promote squash’s biggest global party.
“Simply by sharing one of these images on social media, clubs and federations can reinforce the message that it’s time to get together over a coffee to make plans to grow the game on World Squash Day.”
In a recent article for Squash Mad, Catalina described a speech she made at a women’s networking event in Bogota.
She held the audience spellbound as she told how she was rescued from a 2003 terrorist car bomb attack at the squash club where she was training in Bogota.
Pelaez said: “In the year 2003, I was a victim of the Colombian armed conflict. I was in a car bomb explosion at Club El Nogal, led by the F.A.R.C, which was one of the biggest terrorists’ groups in my country.
“I had already started playing squash and I was improving a lot. After this terrorist attack, I was lucky that a man found me, picked me up and took me out of the club. I had many injuries, couldn’t walk for two months, and couldn’t play squash for about five months.
“Most of the time, all I could think of was to get better to be able to do sports. Sports was my motivation and my salvation during those hard times.”
Seven years after her terrible injuries in the car bomb attack, she attended Trinity College in the USA, before reaching a highest world ranking of 56 in October 2015.
In 2019, she and Miguel Rodriguez won the gold medal in the mixed doubles competition in the Pan-American Games in Lima, Peru.
Catalina has won numerous gold medals for Colombia in the South American Games, in team events and doubles, and she won the singles championship in 2018 in Cochabamba, Bolivia.
World Squash Day is endorsed by the World Squash Federation and the PSA Foundation, and is supported by federations and clubs around the globe.
Nasir Iqbal wins PSF International Squash Tournament title
Sports Bulletin Report
ISLAMABAD:-World No 115 Nasir Iqbal from Pakistan outclassed his compatriot World No 110 Noor Zaman in straight games 3-0 in the final of the PSF-Combaxx International Squash Tournament at Mushaf Squash Complex, Islamabad on Sunday. The final score-line was 11-7, 11-7 and 11-6, as the match lasted just 33 minutes.
Air Marshal Zulfiqar Ahmad Qureshi, Deputy Chief of the Air Staff (Training) graced the closing ceremony as chief guest and awarded trophies & prize money to the finalist players. Squash legend Qamar Zaman, CEO Combaxx Sports Omar Saeed also attended the ceremony.
During the final match, World No 115 Nasir Iqbal from Pakistan beat his country fellow World No 110 Noor Zaman with a game score of 11-7, 11-7 and 11-6.
Noor Zaman and Nasir Iqbal set their clash in the final on Sunday
Abdul Jabbar Faisal
ISLAMABAD:-World No 110 Noor Zaman and World No 115 Nasir Iqbal set to meet in the final of the PSF-Combaxx International Squash Tournament 2022 after winning their semifinals at Mushaf Squash Complex, Islamabad on Saturday. The final will be played at the same venue on Sunday.
In the first semifinal, World No 110 local player Noor Zaman ousted World No 151 compatriot Mohammad Ashab Irfan 3-1 after lasting 50 minutes in the four glass-wall court of Mushaf Squash Complex. The final score-line was 11-8, 11-7, 6-11 and 12-10.
Later on, in the second semifinal, World No 115 Nasir Iqbal got rid of his Egyptian opponent World No 188 Abdallah Elmasry 3-2 in a well contested five games match. The final score-line was 11-8, 8-11, 11-6, 10-12 and 11-7, as the match duration was 48 minutes.
Results (Semifinals):
World No 110 Noor Zaman (PAK) beat World No 151 Mohammad Ashab Irfan (PAK) 11-8, 11-7, 6-11, 12-10 (50 Minutes)
World No 115 Nasir Iqbal (PAK) beat World No 188 Abdallah Elmasry (EGY) 11-8, 8-11, 11-6, 10-12 and 11-7 (48 Minutes).
PSF-Combaxx International Squash Tournament
Noor Zaman, Mohammad Ashab, Nasir Iqbal and Abdullah reach in semies
Sports Bulletin Report
ISLAMABAD:-Noor Zaman Khan, Mohammad Ashab Irfan, Nasir Iqbal and Abdullah Elmasry moved into the semifinals of the PSF-Combaxx International Squash Tournament after beating their rivals in the quarterfinals here at Mushaf Squash Complex on Friday. The semifinals will be played on Saturday at the same venue.
Results (Quarterfinals):
World No 110 Noor Zaman (PAK) beat World No 144 Farhan Zaman (PAK) 11-3, 11-7, 6-11, 11-7 (32 Min)
World No 151 Mohammad Ashab Irfan (PAK) beat World No 233 Hafiz Zhafri (MAS) 11-9, 13-11, 7-11, 14-12 (60 Min)
World No 115 Nasir Iqbal (PAK) beat World No 152 Hamaz Khan (PAK) 11-6, 11-6, 9-11, 11-6 (45Min)
World No 188 Abdallah Elmasry (EGY) beat World No 146 Ahsan Ayaz (PAK) 11-8, 11-3, 11-9 (36 Min).
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