Peru's Elias set to defend title as QTerminals Qatar Classic begins

Doha: Peruvian Diego Elias is set to defend his title as QTerminals Qatar Classic gets underway at Doha's Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex today. 

Elias is part of a steller line-up at the season’s first PSA World Tour Platinum event which sees nine of the world’s top 10 players in action.

Elias, the current World No.4, clinched his maiden Platinum title last season in Doha when he defeated New Zealander Paul Coll in a thrilling four-setter.

He has received a bye in round one and will begin his title defence against India’s Saurav Ghosal in the second round. 

Meanwhile, two-time champion and World No.1 Ali Farag will take on the winner of the clash between Qatari wildcard Syed Azlan Amjad and Mexico’s Cesar Salazar in round two.

Home hero Abdulla Mohamed Al Tamimi, the current World No. 43, will take on India’s Ramit Tandon, ranked 36th, in his first round match with the winner advancing to meet the World No. 2 Coll, who is a two-time finalist in Doha.

Coll has a chance to claim back the World No.1 spot back if he wins the tournament and Farag does not reach the final. 

Fifth seed Mohamed ElShorbagy, a former world champion and a three-time QTerminals Qatar Classic winner, will await in the second round the winner of the contest between Malaysia’s Eain Yow Ng and Frenchman Auguste Dussourd.

Abdulrahman Al Malki, the third Qatari player to be seen in action in the opening round faces a difficult opponent in his round, World No.31 Shahjahan Khan of the USA.

Today’s Order of Play
Glass Court 
12:00 [WC] Sayed Azlan Amjad (QAT) vs Cesar Salazar (MEX)
12:45 Mathieu Castagnet (FRA) vs Moustafa El Sirty (EGY)
13:30 Eain Yow Ng (MAS) vs Auguste Dussourd (FRA)
14:15 Declan James (ENG) vs Baptiste Masotti (FRA)
16:00 Mohamed ElSherbini (EGY) vs Borja Golan (ESP)
16:45 [WC] Abdulrahman Al Malki (QAT) vs Shahjahan Khan (USA)
17:30 Faraz Khan (USA) vs Omar Mosaad (EGY)
18:15 Ramit Tandon (IND) vs Abdulla Mohd Al Tamimi (QAT)

Court 1 
12:00 Leonel Cardenas (MEX) vs Zahed Salem (EGY)
12:45 Dimitri Steinmann (SUI) vs Adrian Waller (ENG)
13:30 Patrick Roony (ENG) vs Mahesh Mangaonkar (IND)
14:15 Bernat Jaume (ESP) vs Nathan Lake (ENG)

Court 2
12:00 Sebastien Bonmalaise (FRA) vs Yahya Elnawasany (EGY)
12:45 Tayyab Aslam (PAK) vs Karim El Hammamy (EGY)
13:30 Todd Harrity (USA) vs Mazen Gamal (EGY)
14:15 Henry Leung (HKG) vs George Parker (ENG)