RESULTS: PSA Challenger 5Doubledot Media Christchurch
International Open
Christchurch, New Zealand
Rehman
Rallies To Christchurch Crown
#PSAWorldTour
Austrian Aqeel
Rehman
upset top seed Jan Koukal
in the final of the Doubledot Media Christchurch
International Open,
the PSA World Tour Challenger 5
squash event in its third year in Christchurch,
New Zealand.
Seeded three, Rehman made his breakthrough in the semi-finals at Burnside Squash Club
when he fought back from two games down to end the giant-killing run of
local qualifier Kashif Shuja,
the former World No.36 who had dismissed second-seeded Australian
veteran Mike Corren
in the previous round.
Now in a surprise fourth PSA Tour final of his career, the 28-year-old
from Salzburg (pictured below, left, with Koukal)
faced favourite Koukal, the in-form Czech
star who was celebrating his fifth Tour final of the year and arrived in
Christchurch after picking up his 30th career title last month at the
City of Perth WA Open
in Australia.
"Koukal, forced by a forearm tendon injury to play a style of game
relying heavily on drops, lobs, guile and other generally gentle
strokes, was effective in the opening exchanges," reported event
spokesman Antony Liken.
"His ability to find height and width with the shiny new Dunlop when
lobbing, and to navigate around the cracks at the front of the court
when dropping, meant there was little Rehman could do to prevent him
taking a 1/0 lead."
But the UK-based Austrian, ranked 93 in the world, regained the
initiative to close out the match 7-11, 11-9, 11-1, 11-5 after 42
minutes to record his first ever victory over European rival Koukal, the
World No.62.
The title triumph marks the third PSA Tour title of Rehman's career –
but his first for more than a year.
