Gulf News

Khan bags top honours in Abu Dhabi open

Al Nasr Leisurelan­d coach wants to play in WSP World Masters in July this year

- BY ALARIC GOMES Chief Reporter

Experience­d squash player Faheem Khan clinched the top honours in Division One at the 2018 Abu Dhabi Open Squash Championsh­ip.

Khan, a long-time profession­al coach at the Al Nasr Leisurelan­d Dubai got the better of Amine Regaya of Tunisia in a hard-fought final. After receiving a bye in the first round, Khan defeated fellow Pakistani squash player Hassan Khan 3-1.

In the quarter-finals, he was stretched by Paul Cochlin before overcoming the Englishman 3-2.

The semi-final too proved to be a close affair with Khan using his superior experience to beat Egypt’s Ahmad Fathi 3-2. The final was no walkover as Khan won yet another close encounter 3-2 against Regaya.

“During the past few years I have always managed to finish in the top four. But with the 2018 World Masters Squash Championsh­ips coming up in Virginia, USA I decided to start preparing in real earnest, and the result can be seen with this trophy,” Khan told Gulf News.

During his build-up for the Masters, Khan has started taking part in overseas tournament­s including the Masters in South Africa in November 2016 where he ended up playing in the Plate final.

“All this experience will come in handy when I travel to the Masters in the USA,” he hoped.

The 2018 WSF World Masters Squash Championsh­ips will be held in Charlottes­ville, Virginia from July 28 to August 4.

 ?? Courtesy: Faheem Khan ?? Faheem Khan
Courtesy: Faheem Khan Faheem Khan

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