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!"
RESULTS: PSA Challenger 5 Norooz Cup, Tehran, Iran
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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