ISLAMABAD, Sept 9: Punjab’s Yasir Butt, tipped by national coach Rehmat Khan as having the potential to make it to big-time squash, on Tuesday claimed the 7th Hashim Khan National Junior title, edging out Khalid Atlas of Army.

In a hotly-contested under-19 final, played at the Roshan Khan Complex, Yasir had to go the full distance in beating his rival 10-8, 9-6, 4-9, 4-9, 9-5 who fought tooth and nail in a match that lasted well over 70 minutes.

But Yasir fell 0-6 behind in the opening game only to fight back gallantly and level the scores at 8-8 and then winning it at 10-8.

Yasir, the junior British Open champion, appeared to have the match in his control as he took the second game too that was also well-fought. However Khalid, playing with great confidence, was not the one to give up easily and surprised his opponent by snatching the third and fourth games and forcing the match into a decisive fifth.

The deciding game was again a nail-biting affair that saw both players level, first at 4-4 and then again at 5-5 but then Khalid appeared to lose concentration which allowed Yasir to win quick points and clinch the game and the match.

Rehmat, speaking to Dawn after the final said that he was glad the match was decided in five games. “This is the true test of the players because if they keep winning in straight games they wouldn’t know how to handle the longer matches.”

He said that he had coached Yasir for two years and he was a player who was willing to listen and picks up the finer points of the game well.

Meanwhile, the under-17 title was captured by Bilal Zaman of PAF who crushed Army’s Majeed Hussain 9-2, 9-4, 9-0 while Amir Atlas took the honours in the under-15 age group, his victim being Sindh’s Naveed Alam whom he thrashed 9-2, 9-3, 9-1.

Waqar Mehboob, another PAF boy, outplayed Danish Atlas in the under-13 final winning 9-2, 9-1, 9-1 in only eight minutes.

In the girls under-19 competition, Muqaddas Ashraf of Punjab defeated Misbah Rani 9-1, 9-2, 9-4 to lay her hands on the trophy while Maria Gul emerged the under-17 champion by blanking Gul Zaman 9-0, 9-0, 9-0.

In the under-15s decider, Zoya Khalid downed Sara Sharif in the under-15 event 9-2, 9-0, 9-3 in only 12 minutes and Roshna Mehboob ousted Ana Batool 9-4, 9-3, 9-0 in the under-13 age bracket.

Sports Minister Rais Munir gave away the prizes. He praised the Pakistan Squash Federation (PSF) for successfully holding the championship and making efforts to promote the game at all levels.

Results (finals, boys)

UNDER-19s: Yasir Butt (Pb) bt Khalid Atlas (Army) 10-8, 9-6, 4-9, 4-9, 9-5

UNDER-17s: Bilal Zaman (PAF) bt Majeed Hussain (Army) 9-2, 9-4, 9-0

UNDER-15s: Aamir Atlas (PAF) bt Naveed Alam (Sindh) 9-2, 9-3, 9-1

UNDER-13s: Waqar Mehboob (PAF) bt Danish Atlas (PAF) 9-2, 9-1, 9-1 Finals, girls

UNDER-19s: Muqaddas Ashraf (Pb) bt Misbah Rani (Army) 9-1, 9-2, 9-4

UNDER-17s: Maria Gul (PAF) bt Gul Zaman (Pb) 9-0, 9-0, 9-0

UNDER-15s: Zoya Khalid (Pb) bt Sara Sharif (Pb) 9-2, 9-0, 9-3

UNDER-13s: Roshna Mehboob (Pb) bt Ana Batool (Pb) 9-4, 9-3, 9-0.