Weekend RoundUp: Malhotra Claims 20th Atlanta Open Title

India’s Vikram Malhotra claimed victory at the 20th Atlanta Open, while Hong Kong’s World No.125 Tang Ming Hong and Malaysia’s World No.87 Aifa Azman also claimed the men’s and women’s Malaysian Squash Tour IV titles over the weekend.

The Atlanta METAL Open celebrated its twentieth year with its first Indian champion in the form of World No.68 Malhotra – who captured the $10,000 title Sunday at Life Time Athletic Sandy Springs in Georgia.

Malhotra, a Trinity College graduate, has now won six PSA titles since returning to the Pro Tour in 2015 with the Atlanta METAL Open representing his third U.S. Pro Series title following the 2015 Betty F. Griffin Memorial Florida Open and 2016 Charlotte Open.

In Atlanta, Malhotra progressed through the draw as the number two seed, enduring a five-game semi-final against Mexico’s Edgar Zayas, which Malhotra pulled off 11-9 in the fifth before sealing the title in straight games in the final against top seed and Egypt’s World No.58 Mohamed Reda.

“It feels great to win, but I’m more relieved than anything,” said Molhatra following his win.

“Two of the three games went to extra points and I really had to dig deep to win today. Very happy that my training, fitness and coaching all paid off and made the difference.”

The Atlanta Open was first held in 2000: “This was my twentieth Atlanta Open,” said Andre Maur, Life Time Grand Prix Tour Director and Atlanta Open founder.

“It’s the flagship of all of our events. It’s where it all started and it’s grown in both prize money and the amateur player involvement and this tournament set the tone for the rest of our Life Time events that we’ve added to the tour since 2012.”

Meanwhile at the Malaysian Squash Tour IV, top seed Ming Hong saw off compatriot and number two seed Tsz Kwan Lau in a five-game battle in the final to lift his second PSA World Tour title.

The 24-year-old came from 2-1 down to win by a 12-14, 11-2, 11-13, 11-6, 11-3 scoreline in 65 minutes.

Meanwhile, number six seed Azman claimed the women’s title as she dispatched her compatriot and World No.131 Wen Li Lai – who was appearing in her first PSA World Tour final – in straight games in just 21 minutes.

Azman – who did not drop a single game throughout the entire tournament – was in complete control as she claimed her second PSA World Tour title, after picking up the Malaysian Squash Tour II last month, by an 11-5, 11-7, 11-6 margin.

Results
20th Atlanta Open
Round One
[1] Mohamed Reda (EGY) bt [Q] Micah Franklin (BER) 3-1: 11-5, 10-12, 11-2, 11-6
[4] Faraz Khan (USA) bt Alex Noakes 3-0: 11-9, 11-8, 11-9
[Q] Edgar Zayas (MEX) bt [3] Jesus Camacho (MEX) 3-2: 11-8, 6-11, 8-11, 11-6, 11-4
[2] Vikram Malhotra (IND) bt Syed Hamzah Shah Bukhari (PAK) 3-1: 8-11, 11-5, 11-4, 11-6
[8] Alfredo Avila (MEX) bt [Q] Adrian Ostbye (NOR) 3-0: 11-3, 11-4, 11-8
[6] Rui Soares (POR) bt [WC] Jacob Bassil (LIB) 3-0: 11-5, 11-7, 11-2
Shahjahan Khan (PAK) bt [7] Reuben Phillips (ENG) 3-0: 11-4, 11-6, 11-8
[5] Michael McCue (CAN) v [Q] Mark Broekman (ENG) 11-8, 11-3, 11-4

Quarter-finals
[1] Mohamed Reda (EGY) bt [8] Alfredo Avila (MEX) 3-1: 3-11, 11-8, 11-8, 11-4
[6] Rui Soares (POR) bt [4] Faraz Khan (USA) 3-1: 11-4, 11-9, 7-11, 11-7
[Q] Edgar Zayas (MEX) bt Shahjahan Khan (PAK) 3-2: 13-11, 4-11, 11-8, 8-11, 11-7
[2] Vikram Malhotra (IND) bt [5] Michael McCue (CAN) 3-0: 11-4, 11-0, 11-4

Semi-finals
[1] Mohamed Reda (EGY) bt [6] Rui Soares (POR) 3-2: 11-2, 11-9, 12-14, 10-12, 11-4
[2] Vikram Malhotra (IND) bt [Q] Edgar Zayas (MEX) 3-2: 8-11, 11-3, 11-6, 9-11, 11-9

Final
[2] Vikram Malhotra (IND) bt [1] Mohamed Reda (EGY) 3-0: 13-11, 11-9, 15-13

Malaysian Squash Tour IV
Men’s Round One
[7] Valentino Bong (MAS) bt Umair Zaman (QAT) 3-1: 11-4, 11-9, 8-11, 11-4 (33m)
Elvinn Keo (MAS) bt [4] Geoffrey Demont (FRA) 3-0: 11-3, 11-4, 11-9 (12m)
[Q] Syed Ali Mujtaba Shah Bokhari (PAK) bt [8] Syed Azlan Amjad (QAT) 3-0: 11-9, 11-9, 11-9 (30m)
[2] Tsz Kwan Lau (HKG) bt Darren Rahul Pragasam (MAS) 3-0: 11-9, 11-9, 11-7 (30m)
[1] Tang Ming Hong (HKG) bt [Q] Ong Sai Hung (MAS) 3-1: 11-7, 8-11, 11-6, 11-4 (46m)
[5] Henry Leung (HKG) bt [Q] Siow Yee Xian (MAS) 3-1: 11-3, 8-11, 11-7, 11-7 (55m)
[3] Sanjay Singh (MAS) bt [Q] Danial Nurhaqiem (MAS) 3-0: 11-9, 11-4, 11-9 (30m)
[6] Chris Lo (HKG) bt [WC] Darryl Gan (MAS) 3-1: 11-7, 10-12, 11-5, 11-2 (20m)

Women’s Round One
[1] Ho Tze-Lok (HKG) bt Noor Shadira (MAS) 3-0: 11-6, 11-3, 11-4 (21m)
[6] Aifa Azman (MAS) bt Anam Mustafa Aziz (PAK) 3-0: 11-2, 11-4, 11-3 (18m)
[4] Ooi Kah Yan (MAS) bt Cindy Merlo (SUI) 3-0: 11-7, 12-10, 11-7 (25m)
[7] Chan Yiwen (MAS) bt [Q] Eunice Tan (MAS) 3-0: 11-4, 11-4, 11-7 (15m)
[3] Nazihah Hanis (MAS) bt Arezoosadat Mousavizadeh (IRI) 3-0: 11-5, 11-3, 11-8 (18m)
[Q] Ma Si Yi (MAS) bt [5] Janet Vidhi (IND) 3-0: 11-6, 12-10, 11-7 (23m)
[Q] Kiroshanna Manoharan (MAS) bt [2] Sadia Gul (PAK) 3-0: 11-9, 11-6, 11-5 (23m)

Men’s Quarter-finals
[1] Tang Ming Hong (HKG) bt [7] Valentino Bong (MAS) 3-1: 11-9, 8-11, 11-4, 11-7 (35m)
Elvinn Keo (MAS) bt [5] Henry Leung (HKG) 3-1: 11-6, 11-9, 8-11, 11-9 (48m)
[Q] Syed Ali Mujtaba Shah Bokhari (PAK) bt [3] Sanjay Singh (MAS) 3-0: 11-3, 11-5, 11-5 (18m)
[2] Tsz Kwan Lau (HKG) bt [6] Chris Lo (HKG) 3-1: 11-5, 12-10, 4-11, 11-5 (33m)

Women’s Quarter-finals
[7] Chan Yiwen (MAS) bt [1] Ho Tze-Lok (HKG) 3-1: 13-11, 6-11, 14-12, 11-7 (50m)
[6] Aifa Azman (MAS) bt [3] Nazihah Hanis (MAS) 3-0: 11-8, 11-9, 11-4 (23m)
[Q] Ma Si Yi (MAS) bt [4] Ooi Kah Yan (MAS) 3-0: 11-8, 11-9, 11-4 (25m)
[8] Wen Li Lai (MAS) bt [Q] Kiroshanna Manoharan (MAS) 3-2: 10-12, 11-3, 6-11, 11-6, 11-5 (54m)

Men’s Semi-finals
[1] Tang Ming Hong (HKG) bt Elvinn Keo (MAS) 3-0: 11-5, 11-6, 11-6 (29m)
[2] Tsz Kwan Lau (HKG) bt [Q] Syed Ali Mujtaba Shah Bokhari (PAK) 3-1: 11-2, 12-14, 12-10, 11-5 (40m)

Women’s Semi-finals
[6] Aifa Azman (MAS) bt [7] Chan Yiwen (MAS) 3-0: 11-6, 11-0, 11-5 (17m)
[8] Wen Li Lai (MAS) bt [Q] Ma Si Yi (MAS) 3-1: 11-6, 6-11, 11-5, 11-8 (36m)

Men’s Final
[1] Tang Ming Hong (HKG) bt [2] Tsz Kwan Lau (HKG) 3-2: 12-14, 11-2, 11-13, 11-6, 11-3 (65m)

Women’s Final
[6] Aifa Azman (MAS) bt [8] Wen Li Lai (MAS) 3-0: 11-5, 11-7, 11-6 (21m)