Aamir Atlas
Khan
held off the challenge of fellow Pakistani Nasir Iqbal in the final of
the 5th Kish Persian Gulf Cup to win the PSA World Tour Challenger 10
squash title after beating his unseeded opponent in five games at the Kish
Olympic Sports Center in Kish Island, Iran.
Despite
surviving a 108-minute five-game battle in the semi-finals, 18-year-old Iqbal
opened up a 2/1 lead over the former world No14.
But Khan, who
has never previously lost to his teenaged compatriot, reclaimed the upper hand
in the encounter before closing out the match 11-5, 6-11, 7-11, 11-3, 11-8 in 85
minutes.
"I am very
happy with my performance and enjoyed playing here on the best courts and in a
beautiful place," Khan told the national TV channel. "It's a very well-organised
event and I would like to come again next year.
"Thanks to
Kish sports for this event and I wish them more success in squash and with their
talented players who are the future of squash in the coming days," concluded the
22-year-old world No65.
The success
takes Kahn's career tally to nine PSA Tour titles.
All-Pakistan
Final For Persian Gulf Cup
For the second
time in three years, a surprise all-Pakistan final will bring the Kish
Persian Gulf Cup to a climax after Aamir Atlas Khan and unseeded
Nasir Iqbal prevailed in contrasting semi-finals of the fifth staging of the
PSA World Tour Challenger 10 squash event at the Kish Olympic Sports
Center in Kish Island, Iran.
Aamir, the
second seed who ousted younger brother and 2011 champion Danish Atlas Khan
to reach the semis, continued his powerful run in Iran to see off Egypt's
Andrew Wagih Shoukry, the No3 seed, 11-7, 11-2, 11-7 in 32 minutes.
Khan is
celebrating the 15th Tour final of his career.
It took Iqbal
more than three times longer to produce the event's biggest upset when he beat
top seed Mohd Ali Anwar Reda in another Pakistan/Egypt clash.
Reda, a former
world No23 from Cairo and firm favourite for the event, twice had to stem leads
by 18-year-old Iqbal, ranked 34 places lower.
But the
Peshawar teenager held his nerve to close out the match 11-9, 6-11, 11-5, 9-11,
11-5 after 108 minutes to claim his fifth PSA Tour final appearance.
Aamir Defeats Danish For Sibling Success
Brotherly love was cast
aside when Aamir Atlas Khan defeated former champion Danish Atlas Khan
to claim a place in the semi-finals of the 5th Kish Persian Gulf Cup, the
PSA World Tour Challenger 10 squash event at the Kish Olympic Sports
Center in Kish Island, Iran.
It was the third Tour
meeting between the sons of the former Pakistan pro Atlas Khan - and the
third victory by the senior sibling as 22-year-old Aamir despatched his
19-year-old brother, winner of the title in 2011, 11-4, 11-9, 10-12, 12-10 in 26
minutes.
Aamir now faces
Andrew Wagih Shoukry, the No3 seed from Egypt who beat Pakistani Aqib
Hanif 11-6, 11-7, 11-8.
The other semi will
also be a Pakistan/Egypt battle after Peshawar-based Nasir Iqbal upset
India's fourth seed Harinder Pal Sandhu 11-4, 11-6, 11-8.
Teenager Iqbal
progresses to face top seed Mohd Ali Anwar Reda, the world No47 from
Cairo who dismissed Frenchman Geoffrey Demont 11-4, 11-7, 11-7.
Pakistanis Power Through In Iran
Pakistan players
dominated proceedings on the opening day of main draw action in the 5th Kish
Persian Gulf Cup, the PSA World Tour Challenger 10 squash event at
the Kish Olympic Sports Center in Kish Island, Iran.
Second seed Aamir
Atlas Khan led the way in his first appearance on the PSA Tour this year.
The 22-year-old from Peshawar dismissed Jordan's Ahmad Al-Saraj 11-9,
11-9, 12-10 and will now face younger brother Danish Atlas Khan for a
place in the semi-finals
Danish, aged 19,
defeated Qatar qualifier Abdulla Mohd Al Tamimi 11-7, 11-7, 11-8.
Another all-Pakistan
battle took Aqib Hanif through to the last eight. Hanif, from Lahore,
beat Khawaja Adil Maqbool 11-4, 11-5, 11-3 and progresses to meet
Andrew Wagih Shoukry in the next round after the third-seeded Egyptian
overcame Spanish qualifier Alejandro Garbi Caro 11-8, 11-13, 11-3, 11-4.
Nasir Iqbal
ensured Pakistan interest in the top half of the draw. The 26-year-old from
Lahore beat local hope Mohammad Reza Sadeghpour and will now face India's
sole representative Harinder Pal Sandhu, the fourth seed, for a place in
the last four.
