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04/12/2004
Amjad stages comeback
Former champion Amjad Khan staged an impressive comeback to top squash in the Pakistan Open
Former champion Amjad Khan has staged a mighty comeback to force his way into
today's (Monday) first round of the Bank Alfalah Pakistan Open Squash
Championship in Islamabad.
The 24-year-old from Peshawar, a nephew of Pakistan's legendary Jansher Khan
and Pakistan Open champion in 1998, has not competed in a PSA Tour event since
the COAS International in Islamabad in January 2003 - and has not won a match
on the Tour since beating Welshman Alex Gough in the first round of the Pakistan
Open in March 2002.
The unranked Kahn made his breakthrough in the first qualifying round,
defeating compatriot Farrukh Zaman, the world No54, in four games. In the
qualifying finals, the former world No12 beat fellow countryman Khawaja Adil
Maqbool 11-6 11-9 11-8 in 33 minutes - and is drawn to meet Australia's sixth
seed Joseph Kneipp in the first round of the main draw.
Australian David Palmer is seeded to follow his third British Open title
success last month with his maiden Pakistan Open triumph in Islamabad.
The world No4 takes on Pakistani qualifier Khayal Muhammad in the opening
round - and is expected to meet England's No2 seed Nick Matthew in the final.
Qualifying finals:
Laurens Jan Anjema (NED) bt Zubair Ali Khan (PAK) 11-4, 11-6, 9-11,
11-2 (27m)
Khayal Muhammad (PAK) bt Majid Khan (PAK) 11-2, 11-10 (2-0), 8-11,
11-7 (48m)
Shamsul Islam Khan (PAK) bt Cameron Pilley (AUS) 4-11, 11-8,
9-11, 11-5, 11-2 (44m)
Farhan Mehboob (PAK) bt Gavin Jones (WAL) 7-11, 11-9, 8-11, 11-10
(2-0), 11-10 (3-1) (54m)
Joey Barrington (ENG) bt Arshad Iqbal Burki (PAK) 11-9, 11-5, 11-10
(2-0) (43m)
Shahid Zaman (PAK) bt Wakeel Khan (PAK) 11-6, 11-4,
11-6 (18m)
Jonathan Kemp (ENG) bt Saeed Hassan (PAK) 11-9, 11-9, 11-1 (18m)
Amjad Khan (PAK) bt Khawaja Adil Maqbool (PAK) 11-6, 11-9, 11-8 (33m)
1st round draw:
[1] David Palmer (AUS) v [Q] Khayal Muhammad (PAK)
[12] Dan Jenson (AUS) v Mansoor Zaman (PAK)
[5] Jonathon Power (CAN) v Peter Barker (ENG)
[11] Mohammed Abbas (EGY) v Hisham Mohd Ashour (EGY)
[4] Karim Darwish (EGY) v Shahier Razik (CAN)
[10] Anthony Ricketts (AUS) v [Q] Jonathan Kemp (ENG)
[7] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) v [Q] Laurens Jan Anjema (NED)
[14] Renan Lavigne (FRA) v Yasir Butt (PAK)
[13] Ong Beng-Hee (MAS) v Olli Tuominen (FIN)
[8] James Willstrop (ENG) v Alex Gough (WAL)
[15] Mark Chaloner (ENG) v [Q] Farhan Mehboob (PAK)
[3] Amr Shabana (EGY) v [Q] Joey Barrington (ENG)
[9] Adrian Grant (ENG) v [Q] Shahid Zaman (PAK)
[6] Joseph Kneipp (AUS) v [Q] Amjad Khan (PAK)
[16] Mohd Azlan Iskandar (MAS) v [Q] Shamsul Islam Khan (PAK)
[2] Nick Matthew (ENG) v Davide Bianchetti (ITA)
Amjad Stages Pakistan Open Comeback
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