Carla Cruises In Home Country Debut

Pakistan's top player and No1 seed Carla Khan single-handedly carried national hopes of success through to the quarter-finals of the country's first women's international squash event today when she beat local qualifier Muqaddas Ashraf in straight games in the first round of the Women's POF Wah Cantt Open at the Jahangir Khan Squash Complex in Wah Cantt, near Islamabad.

The UK-based 24-year-old, a grand-daughter of the legendary Azam Khan, despatched Ashraf 9-2 9-3 9-0 in just 14 minutes to set up a last eight clash with England's sixth seed Jenna Gates.

There was also disappointment for the other qualifier Maria Toor Pakay, who went down 9-3 9-4 9-1 to Malaysia's fifth seed Tricia Chuah.

Saima Shoukat and Misbah Rani, the two Pakistanis who failed to make it through the qualifying finals, were given a boost when both were offered places in the main draw as lucky losers.

Rani stepped in when England's fourth seed Suzie Pierrepont had to withdraw at the eleventh hour when her passport was stolen during her journey home to Brighton in Sussex after journeying to London to acquire the appropriate visas for her Pakistan trip.

Rani lost 9-1 9-2 9-0 to Malaysian Lim Yoke Wah, while Shaukat - who replaced unseeded Indian Joshna Chinappa - was beaten 9-0 9-2 9-0 by seventh-seeded Korean Lee Hai-Kyung.

1st round:
[1] Carla Khan (PAK) bt [Q] Muqaddas Ashraf (PAK) 9-2, 9-3, 9-0 (14m)
[6] Jenna Gates (ENG) bt Sally Looi (MAS) 9-2, 9-5, 9-6 (26m)
Lim Yoke Wah (MAS) bt Misbah Rani (PAK) 9-1, 9-2, 9-0 (18m)
[8] Delia Arnold (MAS) bt Anna Batool Kardar (PAK) 9-0, 9-5, 9-1 (16m)
[5] Tricia Chuah (MAS) bt [Q] Maria Toor Pakay (PAK) 9-3, 9-4, 9-1 (23m)
[3] Line Hansen (DEN) bt Siti Munirah Jusoh (MAS) 9-1, 9-3, 9-4 (25m)
[7] Lee Hai-Kyung (KOR) bt Saima Shoukat (PAK) 9-0, 9-2, 9-0 (12m)
[2] Sharon Wee (MAS) bt Sarah Awan (PAK) 9-0, 9-1, 9-1 (15m)