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 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 (pictured), 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.
Semi-final line-up:
[1] Cesar Salazar (MEX) v [5] Declan James (ENG)
[2] Nasir Iqbal (PAK) v [Q] Adam Murrills (ENG)
Quarter-finals:
[1] Cesar Salazar (MEX) bt [7] Sebastiaan Weenink (NED) 11-8, 6-11, 9-11, 11-8, 12-10
[5] Declan James (ENG) bt [3] Farhan Zaman (PAK) 2-11, 11-8, 15-13, 12-10
[Q] Adam Murrills (ENG) bt [LL] Jean-Pierre Brits (RSA) 11-2, 6-11, 11-6, 11-7
[2] Nasir Iqbal (PAK) bt [Q] Aqib Hanif (PAK) 11-9, 11-5, 9-11, 11-6
1st round:
[1] Cesar Salazar (MEX) bt [LL] Cameron Stafford (CAY) 14-12, 11-9, 11-8
[7] Sebastiaan Weenink (NED) bt [Q] Ollie Holland (ENG) 11-8, 11-3, 11-3
[5] Declan James (ENG) bt Syed Ali Mujtaba Shah Bokhari (PAK) 11-9, 10-12, 11-4, 12-10
[3] Farhan Zaman (PAK) bt [WC] Sean Conroy (IRL) 7-11, 11-9, 11-3, 11-6
[LL] Jean-Pierre Brits (RSA) bt [4] Yasir Ali Butt (PAK) 14-12, 11-4, 3-11, 4-11, 11-9
[Q] Adam Murrills (ENG) bt [8] Joe Chapman (IVB) 11-5, 11-5, 11-6
[Q] Aqib Hanif (PAK) bt [6] Abdulla Mohd Al Tamimi (QAT) 10-12, 12-10, 11-2, 11-8
[2] Nasir Iqbal (PAK) bt [Q] Adam Auckland (ENG) 11-5, 11-9, 11-7
Qualifying finals:
Ollie Holland (ENG) bt Geoffrey Demont (FRA) 7-11, 11-9, 11-9, 11-5
Adam Auckland (ENG) bt Cameron Stafford (CAY) 11-7, 11-7, 11-8
Adam Murrills (ENG) bt Reuben Phillips (ENG) 11-7, 14-16, 11-2, 11-8
Aqib Hanif (PAK) bt Jean-Pierre Brits (RSA) 11-3, 13-11, 11-7
1st qualifying round:
Ollie Holland (ENG) bt Andre Maur (IRL) 11-3, 11-7, 11-8
Cameron Stafford (CAY) bt Adrian Leanza (USA) 11-2, 11-9, 8-11, 11-13, 11-5
Reuben Phillips (ENG) bt Ahmed Maged Hamza (EGY) 11-5, 11-5, 11-8
Adam Murrills (ENG) bt Baba Tunde Ajagbe (NGR) 11-8, 11-7, 11-7
Jean-Pierre Brits (RSA) bt Le Roy Leong (MAS) 11-1, 11-3, 11-6
