Doha, Qatar: Qatar's top ranked squash player Abdulla Mohamed Al Tamimi yesterday made a triumphant return to action, securing a comfortable 3-0 victory over his French counterpart Lucas Serme to advance in the QTerminals Qatar Classic.
At the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex, the World No.23 swept his opponent away with scores of 11-5, 11-5, 11-6 as the men's competition of the Professional Squash Association (PSA) Tour Platinum category event got underway.
Serme tried to bounce back briefly during the first round match while Al Tamimi lost few points, but the Qatari sensation did not give much room for the Frenchman to break away.
"I kept my focus early on. I am very happy to win first match of the season. I am really looking forward for tomorrow," Al Tamimi, who had missed a number of major tournaments this season following a hip surgery, said after the 34-minute contest.
The Qatar star will now take on Egypt's Omar Mosaad in the second round today, said.
Mosaad beat Alex Lau of Hong Kong in three sets (12-10, 11-8, 13-11) yesterday to advance.
Both of Al Tamimi's compatriots, Wild Cards Syed Azlan Amjad and Salem Al Malki failed to make it past the first round.
Today, World No.1 Ali Farag of Egypt who will be gunning to secure his fifth title in Doha, former title winners Paul Coll (New Zealand), Peruvian World No.2 Diego Elias and Karim Abdul Gawad (Egypt) as well as top guns Marwan Elshorbagy (England), Mazen Hesham (Egypt), Victor Crouin (France) and Tarek Momen (Egypt) will join the contest in their respective second round match-ups.
In the women’s draw, both World No. 1 and 2, Egyptians Nour El Sherbini and Nouran Gohar, booked their places in the third round without sweating much. Top seed Gohar defeated Welshwoman Emily Whitlock in 26 minutes with a of 11-4, 11-5, 11-6 score-line, while World No.1 El Sherbini beat Alexandra Fuller of South Africa in similar fashion, with a 11-4, 11-8, 11-4 score-line.
Gohar will take on Olivia Fiechter today in the third round, after the American overcame Hong Kong's Lee Ka Yi 11-1, 11-9, 11-3 yesterday. Gohar's main opponent, El Sherbini beat will take on Rowan Elaraby who yesterday defeated Sabrina Sobhy of USA 11-2, 11-9, 12-10, for a place in the quarter-finals.
Among notable winners yesterday were Egypt’s Salma Hany who stunned fifth seed Nour El Tayeb 12-10, 7-11, 11-4, 7-11, 11-4 in 45 minutes.
“It was a really tough second round match against Nour,” Hany said yesterday. "I had made my mind for a fight and I am glad I was able to get the win. It was a big win and I look forward to the next match,” Hany, who will meet Canadian Hollie Naughton today, added.