Sandhu upsets Al-Tamini to clinch last eight spot

India's Harinder Pal Singh Sandhu, ranked 95 on the PSA World Tour, upset sixth-seed Abdulla Al- Tamini of Qatar in five games to enter the quarterfinals of the 19th Asian Individual Squash Championship here today.

Sandhu, a former national champion, was up against the 37th-ranked Al-Tamini and quickly found himself a game down with the Qatar player starting off aggressively.

The Indian, a product of the famed Indian Squash Academy here, levelled the match by winning the second but found himself trailing again as Al-Tamini stepped on the gas.

The Indian, backed by a goodly home crowd at the Express Avenue mall where some matches are being played, turned the heat on the higher-ranked Qatar opponent and prevailed by taking the fourth and fifth games with identical 11-6 margins.
 

Sandhu awaits the winner of the match between all-Hong Kong clash between top-seed Max Lee and Wong Chi Him in the last eight.

However, two other Indians - Mahesh Mangaonkar and Chennai lad Velavan Senthilkumar went down to seeded players, to exit the tournament.

In the women's section, top-seed Annie Au of Hong Kong made short work of Lee Jihyun (Korea) 11-3, 11-5, 11-3 to book a spot in the last eight along with compatriots Liu Tsz Ling (5th-seed) and Tong Tsz Wing (6th-seed).

Indian player Sunanya Kuruvilla's good run ended as she lost to Wing in the second round. She had upset 12th-seed Choe Yura of Japan yesterday.

Results: Men singles (third round): Yuen Chee Wern (7) (Malaysia) beat Velavan Senthilkumar (India) 11-1, 11-1, 11-8; Yip Tsz Fung (4) (Hong Kong) beat Mahesh Mangaonkar (India) 12-10, 8-11, 11-8, 11-3; Mohd Nafiizwan (3) (Malaysia) beat Ahmad Alsaraj (Jordan) 11-3, 11-2, 11-1.

Leo Au (5) (Hong Kong) beat Ng Eain Yow (14) (Malaysia) 11-7, 14-12, 11-7; Harinder Pal Singh Sandhu (15) (India) beat Abdulla Al-Tamimi (6) (Qatar) 4-11, 11-6, 8-11, 11-6, 11-6.

Women's singles (2nd round): Annie Au (1) (Hong Kong) beat Lee Jihyun (Korea) 11-3, 11-5, 11-3; Satomi Watanabe (16) (Japan) beat Rachel Mae Arnold (8) (Malaysia) 10-12, 11-7, 5- 11, 11-5, 11-4; Liu Tsz Ling (5) beat Eum Hwayeong (Korea) 11 -6, 11-6, 11-4; Tong Tsz Wing (6) beat Sunanya Kuruvilla (India) 11-6, 11-4, 11-6.