Dubai: The UAE-based Khatri brothers Maaz and Saad are confident of creating their own bit of history as they depart to play in the Australian Junior Squash Championships later this month.
The teenagers — Maaz, 16 and Saad, who turned 15 on September 2 — are targeting two qualifying spots in the Australian junior squash squad, in the hope of earning the somewhat rare distinction of two brothers in the same age group in a national team.
The Australian Junior Squash Championships are scheduled to be held in various age categories at the Thornleigh Squash Centre, New South Wales, from September 23-27. And both Maaz and Saad will have to compete in the under-17 age category to earn their stripes in the junior squad.
And with some gruelling times spent on court during the summer months under the watchful eyes of coach Abbas Khan, both juniors are feeling empowered and raring to go.
Earlier this summer, Maaz won the under-17 crown at the 2016 Australian Junior Squash Open held in Davenport, Tasmania. A month later, the two boys played in the Oceania Junior Championships, once again returning with comforting results — Maaz ending ninth and the younger Khatri in third position, although in the under-15 category.
So putting up a strong show in New South Wales later this month will be a normal progression for them. “For me, it is going to be a huge step forward as this will be the first time ever that I will be playing in the under-17s. I have nothing to lose and everything to gain. I have worked hard during the summer months and I am confident of giving off my best,” Saad told Gulf News.
“Though the wish to do well is there, the tournament will also give me a good idea of where I stand in a higher age category,” he added.
All set to depart from Dubai next week, Maaz was more pragmatic in his approach. “I have the best part of the year in the under-17s still. So ideally I would be looking at a really good ranking in the tournament, and winning the competition will definitely give me the edge. And if I win the competition, then that will be a huge bonus as that would give me an added assurance on getting selected,” the older boy said.
“Winning the title would definitely be the focus for me. I have played against some of the players back home during my previous tournaments, and that gives me an edge perhaps,” Maaz added.
