Kamran
Conquers Khawaja For Tehran Title
RESULTS:
PSA Challenger 5 Norooz Cup, Tehran, Iran
Malaysian
Kamran Khan cantered to the second PSA World Tour title of his career
when he beat Pakistan's Khawaja Adil Maqbool in the final of the
Norooz Cup, the PSA Challenger 5 squash event in its fourth year at
the Enghelab Sports Complex in the Iran capital Tehran.
It was the
final the organisers hoped for - between the event's top two seeds. Favourite
Khan, the 22-year-old world No60 from Kuala Lumpur, knocked out three Iranians
on his way to the final - in the semi-finals taking out third seed Mohammad
Reza Sadeghpour.
Dubai-based
Maqbool, hoping to keep the title in Pakistani hands, made it through to the
first Tour final of his career after beating Iran's No4 seed Navid Maleksabet
in the other semi.
But Khan,
ranked more than 100 places above his opponent, was too strong for Maqbool in
the final, winning 11-1, 11-7, 11-6 in 30 minutes.
"I had two
five-game marathons and I was a little bit flat on the court," said the
23-year-old runner-up afterwards. "And also Kamran chose the best tactic - being
steady!"
1st round:
[1] Kamran Khan (MAS) bt Mohammad Amin Ataei Khah (IRI) 11-7,
11-9, 11-3 (22m)
Mohammad Sanaee (IRI) bt Mohammed Jafari (IRI) 11-9, 12-10, 11-4
(20m)
Abbas Ali (PAK) bt [Q] Seyed Mohammad Reza Zia Kashani (IRI) 11-6,
11-7, 13-15, 12-10 (38m)
[3] Mohammad Reza Sadeghpour (IRI) bt Sohail Shameli (IRI) 11-5,
11-8, 11-6 (18m)
[4] Navid Maleksabet (IRI) bt Masoud Gharehzyaldini (IRI) 11-1,
11-6, 11-6 (27m)
[Q] Erfan Jamshidi (IRI) bt Alireza Sanaei (IRI) 9-11, 15-13, 6-0
ret.
Mohammed Yaquop Hajeyah (KUW) bt [Q] Murtaza Murtaza (PAK) 11-3,
11-8, 11-8 (25m)
[2] Khawaja Adil Maqbool (PAK) bt [Q] Kashif Khan (PAK) 7-11,
11-6, 9-11, 11-6, 11-7 (50m)
Quarter-finals:
[1] Kamran Khan (MAS) bt Mohammad Sanaee (IRI) 4-11, 11-2, 11-9,
11-5 (42m)
[3] Mohammad Reza Sadeghpour (IRI) bt Abbas Ali (PAK) 9-11, 11-9,
13-11, 11-8 (44m)
[4] Navid Maleksabet (IRI) bt [Q] Erfan Jamshidi (IRI) 11-8, 11-8,
12-10 (30m)
[2] Khawaja Adil Maqbool (PAK) bt Mohammed Yaquop Hajeyah (KUW)
11-9, 9-11, 10-12, 11-5, 11-6
(46m)
Semi-finals:
[1] Kamran Khan (MAS) bt [3] Mohammad Reza Sadeghpour (IRI) 11-2,
14-12, 11-1 (43m)
[2] Khawaja Adil Maqbool (PAK) bt [4] Navid Maleksabet (IRI) 7-11,
11-5, 11-6, 11-7 (43m)
Final:
[1] Kamran Khan (MAS) bt [2] Khawaja Adil Maqbool (PAK) 11-1,
11-7, 11-6 (30m)
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