Kuwait’s Abdullah Al Muzayen justified his top billing in the inaugural Ali Bin Ali Squash Championship when he beat Pakistan’s Farhan Zaman in the final of the PSA World Tour Challenger 5 event at the Khalifa International Tennis & Squash Complex in Doha, Qatar.
The 23-year-old top seed from Kuwait reached the final after stopping Nasir Iqbal, the unseeded 17-year-old from Pakistan who made his mark in the opening round by upsetting third-seeded Malaysian Elvinn Keo.
Farhan Zaman also pulled off an upset to make the final – despatching his higher-ranked cousin Mansoor Zaman, the No2 seed and former top-ranked Pakistani, in the semi-finals in just 16 minutes.
But Al Muzayen, celebrating his 11th Tour final appearance, was too strong for 18-year-old Zaman, winning 11-6, 11-4, 11-6 in 31 minutes.
Left-hander Al Muzayen is enjoying sparkling form on the PSA World Tour after now recording his fourth title triumph in a row since July.
Picture shows Al Muzayen (2nd left) with runner-up Zaman
Final:
[1] Abdullah Al Muzayen (KUW) bt [4] Farhan Zaman (PAK) 11-6, 11-4, 11-6 (31m)
Semi-finals:
[1] Abdullah Al Muzayen (KUW) bt Nasir Iqbal (PAK) 12-14, 11-3, 11-6, 11-8 (41m)
[4] Farhan Zaman (PAK) bt [2] Mansoor Zaman (PAK) 11-3, 11-6, 11-3 (16m)
Quarter-finals:
[1] Abdullah Al Muzayen (KUW) bt Zahed Mohamed (EGY) 11-8, 11-8, 7-11, 11-5 (37m)
Nasir Iqbal (PAK) bt Bader Al Hussaini (KUW) 7-11, 6-11, 11-7, 12-10, 11-6 (67m)
[4] Farhan Zaman (PAK) bt Waqas Mehboob (PAK) 11-6, 11-8, 8-11, 11-8 (36m)
[2] Mansoor Zaman (PAK) bt Muhammad Saqib Yousaf (PAK) 11-9, 9-11, 12-10, 13-11 (33m)
1st round:
[1] Abdullah Al Muzayen (KUW) bt Ahmad Alzabidi (JOR) 11-6, 11-4, 11-6 (21m)
Zahed Mohamed (EGY) bt [Q] Khawaja Adil Maqbool (PAK) 13-11, 11-8, 11-6 (29m)
Bader Al Hussaini (KUW) bt [Q] Zeyad Tareq Alowaesh (KUW) 11-8, 11-5, 11-4 (21m)
Nasir Iqbal (PAK) bt [3] Elvinn Keo (MAS) 11-5, 11-4, 11-3 (22m)
[4] Farhan Zaman (PAK) bt Abdul Rahman Al-Malki (QAT) 11-4, 11-2, 11-6 (15m)
Waqas Mehboob (PAK) bt [Q] Mazen Hesham Ga Sabry (EGY) 11-9, 11-8, 7-11, 13-11 (38m)
Muhammad Saqib Yousaf (PAK) bt Mohammad Reza Sadeghpour (IRI) 7-11, 11-3, 11-7, 11-5 (27m)
[2] Mansoor Zaman (PAK) bt [Q] Fallah Mohammed (KUW) 11-6, 12-10, 11-4 (27m)
Qualifying finals:
Khawaja Adil Maqbool (PAK) bt Ahmed Mohammed Al Tamimi (QAT) w/o
Zeyad Tareq Alowaesh (KUW) bt Nasser Al Ramzi (KUW) 16-14, 5-11, 11-9 ret. (41m)
Mazen Hesham Ga Sabry (EGY) bt Salem Fayez Mohammed (KUW) 7-11, 11-5, 11-6, 12-10 (43m)
Fallah Mohammed (KUW) bt Frank Hartkoren (NED) 11-4, 9-11, 11-7, 8-11, 12-10 (71m)
1st qualifying round:
Khawaja Adil Maqbool (PAK) bye
Ahmed Mohammed Al Tamimi (QAT) bt Aamir Khan (UAE) w/o
Nasser Al Ramzi (KUW) bt Faisal Al-Marri (QAT) 11-2, 11-1, 11-2 (11m)
Zeyad Tareq Alowaesh (KUW) bt Abdulla Mohd Al Tamimi (QAT) 11-9, 11-9, 9-11, 11-9 (45m)
Mazen Hesham Ga Sabry (EGY) bt Saoud Al Sulaiti (QAT) 11-8, 11-7, 11-6 (17m)
Salem Fayez Mohammed (KUW) bt Omar Abdullah Al Emadi (QAT) w/o
Fallah Mohammed (KUW) bt Ali Miski (LIB) 11-4, 11-5, 11-3 (14m)
Frank Hartkoren (NED) bye
