Qatar’s Abdulla Mohamed Al Tamimi in action against India’s Ramit Tandon, yesterday.
Doha: Qatar’s Abdulla Mohamed Al Tamimi thrilled home fans with a commanding 3-0 victory over India’s Ramit Tandon as the QTerminals Qatar Classic kicked off at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex, yesterday.
The World No.44 wrapped up the 11-8, 11-4, 11-3 win in only 27 minutes over World No.30 Tandon to book a second round clash with World No.2 Paul Coll today.
Al Tamimi was tested by Tandon in the early stages of yesterday’s match before the Qatari fought back to win the first game, showing excellent speed and skills.
The 27-year-old took the second game in just seven minutes taking advantage of a flurry of errors from Tandon – who missed August’s Commonwealth Games due to injury.
Al Tamimi continued to dominate in the third game and comfortably swatted aside the 2018 Asian Games bronze medallist to advance.
“I’d like to thank everyone for the support. I couldn’t play last year, my first time missing the event since 2010. I’m really happy to be back here and I’m really happy with the win,” the Qatari star said after his win.
“Until yesterday, I was 50/50 to play this event because I have national service, but (I could play) thanks to the Federation, who helped me,” Al Tamimi added.
“I look forward to playing tomorrow again, and I hope the support will be even bigger,” the Aspire Academy graduate said ahead of his tough encounter against the New Zealander Coll, a two-time finalist in Doha.
“Paul has had an amazing 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 said.
Meanwhile, Al Tamimi’s compatriots, Syed Azlan Amjad and Abdulrahman Al Malki failed to join field in the round of 32.
Mexico’s Cesar Salazar, who fought through some discomfort, had to come from behind to defeat Qatari wildcard Amjad in a four-game battle (3-1: 9-11, 11-8, 11-8, 11-9) and book a meeting against top seed Ali Farag who is aiming for his third title in Doha.
In the second match of the evening session, US No.1 Shahjahan Khan dispatched wildcard and World No.152 Al Malki 3-0: 11-0, 11-4.
Also yesterday, several upsets were created with World No.20 Baptiste Masotti, World No.24 Adrian Waller and No.32 Sebastien Bonmalais all failing to advance.
World No. 49 Declan James beat Masotti 3-1, World No. 42 Dimitri Steinmann surpassed Waller 3-1 and World No.45 Yahya Elnawasany fought back to beat Bonmalais 3-2 to advance to the second round.
2022 QTerminals Qatar Classic: RESULTS (selected)
Cesar Salazar (MEX) bt [WC] Syed Azlan Amjad (QAT) 3-1: 9-11, 11-8, 11-8, 11-9
Mathieu Castagnet (FRA) bt Moustafa El Sirty (EGY) 3-1: 8-11, 11-6, 13-11, 12-10
Eain Yow Ng (MAS) bt Auguste Dussourd (FRA) 3-0: 11-7, 11-5, 11-6
Declan James (ENG) bt Baptiste Masotti (FRA) 3-1: 11-7, 11-8, 9-11, 11-8
Borja Golan (ESP) bt Mohamed ElSherbini (EGY) 3-0: 11-2, 13-11, 11-4
Shahjahan Khan (USA) bt [WC] Abdulrahman Al-Malki (QAT) 3-0: 11-0, 11-4, 11-4
Omar Mosaad (EGY) bt Faraz Khan (USA) 3-1: 11-5, 5-11, 11-5, 13-11
Leonel Cardenas (MEX) bt Zahed Salem (EGY) 3-0: 15-13, 11-9, 11-7
Karim El Hammamy (EGY) bt Tayyab Aslam (PAK) 3-0: 11-1, 11-5, 11-2
Patrick Rooney (ENG) bt Mahesh Mangaonkar (IND) 3-0: 11-7, 11-8, 11-6
Abdulla Mohd Al Tamimi (QAT) bt Ramit Tandon (IND) 3-0: 11-8, 11-4, 11-3
Today's Draw: Second Round
[1] Ali Farag (EGY) vs Cesar Salazar (MEX)
Miguel Rodriguez (COL) vs Nicolas Mueller (SUI)
Youssef Soliman (EGY) vs Mathieu Castagnet (FRA)
Eain Yow Ng (MAS) vs [5] Mohamed ElShorbagy (ENG)
[8] Marwan ElShorbagy (EGY) vs Declan James (ENG)
Borja Golan (ESP) vs Shahjahan Khan (USA)
Fares Dessouky (EGY) vs Omar Mosaad (EGY)
Raphael Kandra (GER) vs [3] Mostafa Asal (EGY)
[4] Diego Elias (PER) vs Saurav Ghosal (IND)
Leonel Cardenas (MEX) vs Dimitri Steinmann (SUI)
Yahya Elnawasany (EGY) vs Karim El Hammamy (EGY)
Gregoire Marche (FRA) vs [6] Tarek Momen (EGY)
[7] Joel Makin (WAL) vs Victor Crouin (FRA)
Patrick Rooney (ENG) vs Nathan Lake (ENG)
Todd Harrity (USA) vs George Parker (ENG)
Abdulla Mohd Al Tamimi (QAT) vs [2] Paul Coll (NZL)
