Atlanta Open: Khan Takes Second Successive Victory

Faraz Khan was dominant throughout the week at the Atlanta Open, as he came through four matches without dropping a game to win the title, his second of the calendar year, and his second in a row.

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Challenger 10 level men’s tournament was restricted to cross-border participation, with only those currently residing in Canada, Mexico and the host nation, United States, being permitted to play.

Khan was the No.3 seed for the tournament, but thanks to his win at the Assurance Financial Austin South Open last month, he was actually the highest-ranked player in the draw, sitting at World No.70.

He continued his fine form by coming through the entire draw without dropping a game, starting off with comfortable victories against Botswana’s Alister Walker and Mexico’s Alejandro Reyes.

Khan then got the better of Jamaican No.1 Christopher Binnie in the semi-finals, before coming up against compatriot Christopher Gordon in the final. 45 minutes of play later, and the World No.70 took the win in straight games, claiming his second win of the year, and the fourth of his career, all of which have come on American soil.


Elsewhere during the week, there were good performances from the unseeded Mexican duo of Alejandro Reyes and Allan Nunez, both of whom made it into the last eight after getting the better of higher-ranked players in the second round.

Results: Atlanta Open
Final
[3] Faraz Khan (USA) bt [1] Christopher Gordon (USA) 3-0: 11-8, 11-2, 11-7 (45m)

Semi-Finals
[1] Christopher Gordon (USA) bt [4] Spencer Lovejoy (USA) 3-0: 12-10, 12-10, 11-7 (62m)
[3] Faraz Khan (USA) bt [2] Christopher Binnie (JAM) 3-0: 11-9, 11-4, 11-4 (57m)

Quarter-Finals
[1] Christopher Gordon (USA) bt Allan Nunez (MEX) 3-0: 11-2, 11-9, 11-8 (50m)
[4] Spencer Lovejoy (USA) bt [8] Miled Zarazua (MEX) 3-0: 11-6, 11-6, 11-1 (27m)
[3] Faraz Khan (USA) bt Alejandro Reyes (MEX) 3-0: 11-5, 11-3, 11-8 (31m)
[2] Christopher Binnie (JAM) bt [6] Mark Broekman (ENG) 3-1: 11-5, 8-11, 11-9, 11-4 (55m)


Round Two
[1] Christopher Gordon (USA) bt Rutvik Rau (IND) 3-0: 11-6, 11-1, 11-4 (40m)
Allan Nunez (MEX) bt [7] Abdul Malik Khan (PAK) 3-1: 11-8, 8-11, 11-5, 12-10 (71m)
[8] Miled Zarazua (MEX) bt [WC] Nick Sutcliffe (ENG) 3-0: 11-8, 11-6, 11-9 (32m)
[4] Spencer Lovejoy (USA) bt Ricardo Lopez (MEX) 3-0: 11-5, 11-7, 11-3 (35m)
[3] Faraz Khan (USA) bt Alister Walker (BOT) 3-0: 16-14, 11-2, 11-8 (55m)
Alejandro Reyes (MEX) bt [5] Timothy Brownell (USA) 3-0: 11-8, 12-10, 11-9 (45m)
[6] Mark Broekman (ENG) bt Mohamed Nabil (EGY0 3-1: 9-11, 11-6, 11-6, 11-7 (45m)
[2] Christopher Binnie (JAM) bt Syed Hamzah Shah Bukhari (PAK) 3-0: 11-3, 11-9, 11-5 (39m)

Round One
Rutvik Rau (IND) bt [WC] Aaron Luque (USA) 3-0: 11-2, 11-5, 11-6 (26m)
Allan Nunez (MEX) bt [WC] Andre Maur (IRE) 3-0: 11-4, 11-6, 11-7 (27m)
[WC] Nick Sutcliffe (ENG) bt Moustafa Osman (EGY) 3-0: 11-0, 11-3, 11-2 (11m)
Ricardo Lopez (MEX) bt Santiago Orozco (COL) 3-0: 11-8, 11-7, 13-11 (56m)
Alister Walker (BOT) bt Vandrick Inman-Benavente (USA) 3-0: 11-5, 11-4, 11-3 (23m)
Alejandro Reyes (MEX) bt [WC] Muhammad Huzaifa Ibrahim (PAK) 3-0: 11-5, 11-9, 11-4 (35m)
Mohamed Nabil (EGY) bt [WC] Wajiullah Nasim (USA) 3-0: 11-1, 11-5, 11-3 (34m)
Syed Hamzah Shah Bukhari (PAK) bt Lucas Rousselet (FRA) 3-0: 12-10, 11-9, 8-11, 11-6 (70m)