Home favourite Qatar’s Abdullah al-Tamimi defeated India’s Ramit Tandon 3-0 in the first round of the QTerminals Qatar Classic 2022 squash tournament at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex on SUnday.
In the final match of the day, al-Tamimi overcame higher-ranked Tandon 11-8, 11-4, 11-3 in 27 minutes to the delight of the home crowd and sets up an enticing encounter with World No. 2 Paul Coll in the second round.
In an even first game, World No. 44 al-Tamimi was initially forced onto the defensive by some good, tight, shots from World No. 30 Tandon, before the Qatar No.1 settled and took the first game 11-8 thanks to his improved accuracy.
“First, I’d like to thank everybody for coming tonight. I know it’s not a weekend and some kids have school and everyone has to be at work tomorrow, so I’m happy that everyone came here. I’d like to thank everyone for their support. I couldn’t play last year, my first time missing the event since 2010,” al-Tamimi said.
Al-Tamimi, who is blessed with excellent speed and racket skills but has at times struggled for consistency, was much the better player in game two, with the 27-year-old taking advantage of a flurry of errors from Tandon – who missed August’s Commonwealth Games due to injury – to take the second game 11-4 in just seven minutes.
“I’m really happy to be back here and I’m really happy with the win. Until yesterday, I was 50/50 to play this event because I have national service, but thanks to the federation, who helped me, I hope I can play the whole season and the upcoming seasons without having to disappear from the tour for a while.
“I look forward to playing tomorrow again, and I hope the support will be even bigger. I play the sport to play against the best guys and I don’t care to play in the second round. I’m really happy to play the top guys and Paul has had an amazing last year. He’s won a lot of tournaments and is full of confidence. He just won the gold medal at the Commonwealth Games, but I’m here at home, so I think I have the support advantage and I’ll give it my all I’m sure.
Al-Tamimi continued to dominate in the third game and comfortably swatted aside the tiring Tandon with an 11-3 win that was a minute shorter than the rapid second game.
“Today, I knew I had to play a bit differently to what I usually like to do because Ramit is such a talented player. I knew he was injured at the Commonwealth Games and I wanted to make the rallies longer than I normally like and I knew he had good skills to take me short before I take him short and I wanted to be ready for every rally to pick every shot he gives. It worked; after the first game I could see he was struggling physically and I’m glad I kept my mental strength to the end,” al-Tamimi said.
The other matches of the day ,USA’s Shahjahan Khan defeated Qatar’s wild card holder Abdulrahman al-Malki 3-0 (11-0, 11-4, 11-4) in 26minutes, while Mexico’s Cesar Salazar overcame Syed Azlan Amjad of Qatar 3-1 (9-11, 11-8, 11-8, 11-9 in 34 minutes.
Salazar, fought through some discomfort, will now face World No. 1 Ali Farag today for a place in the last 16.
“It is good to come back here to Doha, it is one of my favourite tournaments in the season! I worked really hard to be ready for this,” Salazar said.
“I have had some real problems with my body, but now I need to gain confidence, and this match will be good for that! I hope to feel better and better with that!,” he said.
“I think, it is an opportunity for me to play with the best player in the world. I played against Ali [in the World Championships so I will have the chance. For the chance, I am training! I am still trying to keep working hard so I will give my best. against Ali, he is a top player but I want these matches, so I hope to feel better and play a bit better, and to be ready for tomorrow!”
Earlier, Spain’s Borja Golan made the perfect start to his 11th Qatar Classic as he blew World No. 28 Mohamed ElSherbini of Egypt away 3-0 (11-2, 13-11, 11-4).
Golan, who at 39 is the oldest player competing in Qatar, made a stunning start to the match, occupying the front of the court with ease as he took the first game 11-2 in just nine minutes.
ElSherbini improved in a stop-start second game and had a 9-6 lead and later a game ball at 10-9, only for the in-form Golan to claw his way into a 2-0 lead with a 13-11 victory.
This win both motivated Golan and deflated ElSherbini, with the 39-year-old sealing his place in the next round with an 11-4 win in the third game.
In the final match of the day, al-Tamimi overcame higher-ranked Tandon 11-8, 11-4, 11-3 in 27 minutes to the delight of the home crowd and sets up an enticing encounter with World No. 2 Paul Coll in the second round.
In an even first game, World No. 44 al-Tamimi was initially forced onto the defensive by some good, tight, shots from World No. 30 Tandon, before the Qatar No.1 settled and took the first game 11-8 thanks to his improved accuracy.
“First, I’d like to thank everybody for coming tonight. I know it’s not a weekend and some kids have school and everyone has to be at work tomorrow, so I’m happy that everyone came here. I’d like to thank everyone for their support. I couldn’t play last year, my first time missing the event since 2010,” al-Tamimi said.
Al-Tamimi, who is blessed with excellent speed and racket skills but has at times struggled for consistency, was much the better player in game two, with the 27-year-old taking advantage of a flurry of errors from Tandon – who missed August’s Commonwealth Games due to injury – to take the second game 11-4 in just seven minutes.
“I’m really happy to be back here and I’m really happy with the win. Until yesterday, I was 50/50 to play this event because I have national service, but thanks to the federation, who helped me, I hope I can play the whole season and the upcoming seasons without having to disappear from the tour for a while.
“I look forward to playing tomorrow again, and I hope the support will be even bigger. I play the sport to play against the best guys and I don’t care to play in the second round. I’m really happy to play the top guys and Paul has had an amazing last year. He’s won a lot of tournaments and is full of confidence. He just won the gold medal at the Commonwealth Games, but I’m here at home, so I think I have the support advantage and I’ll give it my all I’m sure.
Al-Tamimi continued to dominate in the third game and comfortably swatted aside the tiring Tandon with an 11-3 win that was a minute shorter than the rapid second game.
“Today, I knew I had to play a bit differently to what I usually like to do because Ramit is such a talented player. I knew he was injured at the Commonwealth Games and I wanted to make the rallies longer than I normally like and I knew he had good skills to take me short before I take him short and I wanted to be ready for every rally to pick every shot he gives. It worked; after the first game I could see he was struggling physically and I’m glad I kept my mental strength to the end,” al-Tamimi said.
The other matches of the day ,USA’s Shahjahan Khan defeated Qatar’s wild card holder Abdulrahman al-Malki 3-0 (11-0, 11-4, 11-4) in 26minutes, while Mexico’s Cesar Salazar overcame Syed Azlan Amjad of Qatar 3-1 (9-11, 11-8, 11-8, 11-9 in 34 minutes.
Salazar, fought through some discomfort, will now face World No. 1 Ali Farag today for a place in the last 16.
“It is good to come back here to Doha, it is one of my favourite tournaments in the season! I worked really hard to be ready for this,” Salazar said.
“I have had some real problems with my body, but now I need to gain confidence, and this match will be good for that! I hope to feel better and better with that!,” he said.
“I think, it is an opportunity for me to play with the best player in the world. I played against Ali [in the World Championships so I will have the chance. For the chance, I am training! I am still trying to keep working hard so I will give my best. against Ali, he is a top player but I want these matches, so I hope to feel better and play a bit better, and to be ready for tomorrow!”
Earlier, Spain’s Borja Golan made the perfect start to his 11th Qatar Classic as he blew World No. 28 Mohamed ElSherbini of Egypt away 3-0 (11-2, 13-11, 11-4).
Golan, who at 39 is the oldest player competing in Qatar, made a stunning start to the match, occupying the front of the court with ease as he took the first game 11-2 in just nine minutes.
ElSherbini improved in a stop-start second game and had a 9-6 lead and later a game ball at 10-9, only for the in-form Golan to claw his way into a 2-0 lead with a 13-11 victory.
This win both motivated Golan and deflated ElSherbini, with the 39-year-old sealing his place in the next round with an 11-4 win in the third game.