RESULTS: PSA Challenger 10 Atlanta Open, Atlanta,
USA
Cesar Salazar Celebrates Atlanta Success
Cesar
Salazar
became the third Mexican in six years to win the Atlanta Open
after beating Pakistan's Nasir Iqbal in the final of the PSA
World Tour Challenger 10 squash event at the Lifetime Athletic
Atlanta in Atlanta in the US state of Georgia.
The
26-year-old World No.43 from San Luis Potosi dropped the first game to
the second-seeded Pakistani teenager Iqbal - but the event favourite
struck back to take the next three games to record his 2-11, 11-3, 11-5,
11-8 title triumph in the first tournament in the 2014 Life Time
Squash Grand Prix Tour.
The
success - which marks the fourth PSA World Tour title of Salazar's
career - follows Mexican winners Eric Galvez in 2008 and
Alfredo Avila in 2012.
Salazar (left) pictured with Tournament Director Andre Maur and
runner-up Iqbal (right)
Salazar & Iqbal To Contest Atlanta Final
Top
seeds Cesar Salazar and Nasir Iqbal will contest the final
of the Atlanta Open - with Pakistani Iqbal bidding to become the
first player to win two PSA World Tour titles this year in the
climax of the PSA Challenger 10 squash event at the Lifetime
Athletic Atlanta in Atlanta in the US state of Georgia.
Second
seed Iqbal, the World No.53 who last week won the Racquet Club Pro
Series in St Louis, despatched English qualifier Adam
Murrills 11-5, 11-3, 11-7 in the semi-finals of the second US Pro
Squash Series event of the year.
The
19-year-old from Bannu is celebrating the 11th Tour final of his career.
Event
favourite Salazar, the World No.43 from Mexico, needed four games to
overcome fifth seed Declan James, ultimately beating the
20-year-old from Nottingham 11-3, 12-10, 7-11, 11-8.
Salazar is marking his ninth appearance in a Tour final.
James Foils Farhan In Atlanta
England's Declan James produced the biggest upset on the second
day of main draw action in the Atlanta Open when he downed No3
seed Farhan Zaman to reach the semi-finals of the PSA World
Tour Challenger 10 squash championship - the US Pro Squash Series
event at the Lifetime Athletic Atlanta in the capital of the US
state of Georgia.
The
20-year-old from Nottingham recovered from a drubbing in the first game
to overcome Pakistan's World No.68 Zaman 2-11, 11-8, 15-13, 12-10.
James,
ranked 91 in the world, now faces top seed Cesar Salazar. In a
match described by tournament director Andre Maur as "the best
match of the day", the Mexican had to fight back from 2/1 down to beat
seventh-seeded Dutchman Sebastiaan Weenink 11-8, 6-11, 9-11,
11-8, 12-10.
Pakistan's No.2 seed Nasir Iqbal reached the last four after
despatching fellow countryman Aqib Hanif, a qualifier, 11-9,
11-5, 9-11, 11-6.
And
the 19-year-old from Bannu will now face a further qualifier when he
meets Englishman Adam Murrills. The 23-year-old from Manchester
overcame 'Lucky Loser' Jean-Pierre Brits, from South Africa,
11-2, 6-11, 11-6, 11-7.
