Qatar's Abdulla Al Tamimi (right) in action against Frenchman Sebastien Bonmalais.
Doha, Qatar: Home hero Abdulla Al Tamimi held his nerve to win a four-game thriller in a day highlighted by an astonishing 109-minute battle between young guns at the QTerminals Qatar Classic.
Yesterday at the Khalifa International Tennis & Squash Complex, Al Tamimi thrilled the home crowd by booking his quarter-final spot after making a brilliant comeback to dispatch Frenchman Sebastien Bonmalais.
The World No. 21 Al Tamimi closed out the match 3-1 (8-11, 11-9, 11-9, 11-7 in 56 minutes).
Al Tamimi will take on Jonah Bryant, who eliminated Mohamad Zakaria, in today’s last-eight clash.
The match between the 20-year-old World No.20 Bryant and the Egyptian World No.14 Zakaria, aged 19, was one of the most entertaining matches of the day.
Clocking in at nearly two hours, the match saw Bryant demonstrating incredible resolve to come back from being down two games to one, ultimately winning 3-2 (6-11, 16-14, 10-12, 11-9, 11-7) to advance to the quarter-finals.
Meanwhile, No. 2 seed Paul Coll secured an efficient 3-0 (11-7, 11-4, 11-5) victory over Dimitri Steinmann, while Iker Pajares edged Mohamed Abouelghar in a 71-minute tie-break thriller to win 3-2 (4-11, 11-5, 11-6, 7-11, 13-11).
The women's draw also delivered nail-biting finishes. In the standout match of the women's second round, No. 6 seed Tinne Gilis (BEL) had to give her best to defeat Fayrouz Aboelkheir (EGY) in a hard-fought five-game contest which ended 3-2 (11-3, 10-12, 11-13, 11-3, 11-7) in 61 minutes.
World No. 3 and top seed Nour El Sherbini (EGY) secured her expected spot in the quarter-finals, efficiently dispatching wildcard Nour Heikal (EGY) in straight games (11-8, 11-3, 11-3, 11-7 in 35 minutes).
Melissa Alves (FRA), who knocked out the No. 8 seed in Round One, also advanced after Aifa Azman (MAS) retired in the fourth game. Azman retired with a score of 9-11, 11-7, 7-11, 2-2 (ret), sending Alves through to the quarter-finals.
Meanwhile, Farida Mohamed advanced with a four-game victory over compatriot Mariam Metwally (11-8, 7-11, 12-10, 11-8 in 43 minutes).
