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| May 17, 2005 | Tuesday | Rabi-us-Sani 8, 1426 |
Second seed Farrukh annexes trophy
ABBOTTABAD, May 16: Second seed Farrukh Zaman lifted the glittering trophy of President PSF Cup squash after defeating Amir Atlas 3-2 in the final at the newly-constructed Jansher Squash Complex on Monday. Experienced Farrukh of Mari Gas was extended full length by his much younger opponent also from Mari Gas Amir before the experience prevailed and Farrukh won 9-11, 3-11, 13-11, 11-9, 11-9.
15-year-old Asian junior champion Amir made a spirited comeback in the third game levelling the score 10-10 but as luck would have it he twice hit the tin and the game went to Farrukh. It was indeed a fight of stamina and experience in which the cool-headed Farrukh roared back to won the final in style after going down two games.
Amir pushed the score to 6-1 but he had no panacea to Farrukh’s long rallies, who took over the charge and levelled the score 6-6 in a dramatic spell.
The score moved by degrees till it reached 9-8 in the first game when Amir made good use of his wristwork to collect two points in a row and win the game.
The second game proved just eyewash as Amir dropped only three points and exhibited excellence in all the departments of the game.
Farrukh came back with new plans in the third game. He kept Amir busy with long rallies and deep lobs to force him run about the backcourt. In no time, Amir started showing signs of tiredness.
Farrukh made it 10-6 when Amir recovered his rhythm to level the score at 10-10 but Furrukh had had enough. He played like a champion in a do or die fashion to win the game and reduce the margin 2-1.
The last two games proved a one-sided affair, in which Farrukh, helped by his deadly drops, kept Amir moving about to cover every inch of the court.
Amir did show some signs of recovery in the fourth game when the score was 9-9 but it was too late by then as Farrukh had already collected two points.
In the final game, Amir had a golden chance when he collected three points in a row at 6-10 to push the score to 9-10 but again he failed to respond to beautiful backhand shots from Farrukh and it was over at 11-9.
Earlier, the former world champion Jansher Khan inaugurated the complex which the Pakistan Squash Federation has named after him in recognition of his services.
Farrukh was awarded Rs52,000 and a trophy and Amir Atlas Rs36,000 and a trophy.
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