2002 Pakistan Open


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Pakistan Open 2002 Draw Bronsteins Preview Walkers Preview Qualifier Local prequal Qual Round 1 Qual Round 2 Results Round one I Round one II Round of 16 Quarters Semis Finals Final - PNS Chris Walker Friday Report Saturday Rpt Features Amjad Peter Nicol History '80-'02 Winners Player Profiles Pakistan Squash Power-Nicol head to head Chris Walker endorses Green Magic			Squashtalk Pro Squash Headlines Event Engine Squash: Tourney of Champs US Open YMG Capital Classic World Men's Open Qatar Classic Cathay Pacific Superseries Qatar Masters '02 British Open Pakistan Open Macau Open Melbourne 01 Al Ahram Video recordings Player profiles Rankings Calendar
		The Pakistan Open, Unusual Preparations for an Unusual situation by Chris Walker © 2002 SquashTalk.
		March 18, 2002 © 2002 may not be reproduced without express permission. [Pakistan Open Draw] [Bronstein's Preview] LAHORE SHOW Squash's Pakistan Open begins in Lahore, in the Northern half of Pakistan, situated between the countries of Afghanistan and India on March 20th. That's the date of first round of the qualification draw - which will be of 32 players competing for a place in the main draw. The main draw of 32 will then begin on March 22nd and conclude with the final on March 27th. So it seems almost incredible that the event is actually going ahead with a war on both fronts - the war against terrorism on the West border and the war with India for Kashmir on the Eastern one. How could this event go ahead at this time? SECURITY GUARANTEED BY PSF A good question but one that has been emphatically answered by the Pakistan Squash Federation who have promised a 'fool proof security' system in place for the duration of the tournament thus guaranteeing the players safety and satisfying the Professional Squash Association that it's players are safe. In fact, as a show of confidence the Cheif Executive of the PSA, Gawain Briars, is visiting Lahore for the event too. I have been to Pakistan on a number of occasions now, and in the past while there have been torrid times in the country the squash has prevailed. One year we had an armed guards assigned to us when we left the hotel to make our way to the squash courts. Initially it's a bit of a shock to the system - a little un-nerving - but after that it was quite reassuring as we sped through the streets of Karachi as the Untouchables. You see, in Pakistan Squash stands up there with Cricket and Hockey as one of the Nation's major sports. The names of Jahangir and Jansher Khan will get you a long way on the streets of any of the major cities and the list of great players that have come out of Pakistan is a long one. PREPARATION STRATEGIES So how do you plan for an event like this? It's difficult because of the various challenges that the foreign players face. We can't drink the water - it HAS to be from a bottle, and then any food from the hotels and restaurants that is not cooked runs the risk of giving us the dreaded tummy bug. Even eating the salad is a no no, for fear that it has been washed with non-bottled water. Players have dropped like fly's in the past from food poisoning of one sort or another - whether from eating an orange that had been cut up and placed on the breakfast buffet or from eating a steak sandwich pool-side you just can't be too careful. So this year the political situation has made a few players a little more cautious and that, coupled with the food issues and risks (which in my opinion are slowly improving), has meant some of us are heading for Dubai to train, acclimatise to the heat and get used to the time difference. There is a group of about 10 of us who will be staying in Dubai until March the 21st when we'll fly in to Lahore and prepare to play the next day in the first round. It's a small compromise but one that allows us to avoid the unusual local challenges right up until the last possible moment. Thus arriving in better shape.........in theory! I'll be bringing you at squashtalk.com some special reports from Pakistan via the superhighway, so look out for my next instalment once I arrive at the venue, happy squashing Chris Walker
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