DEVONPORT (Tasmania): Pakistan’s Nasir Iqbal continued his impressive summer Down Under on Sunday when he defeated Switzerland’s David Barnett in the Tasmanian Open final in Devonport.

Nasir, 30, had won two of his last three events in Australia over the last few weeks, reaching the semi-finals of the other. His lone defeat in the semi-final came to France’s Melvil Sciani­manico, a loss which the Pakistan player avenged in the last four here in Tasmania, to set up the final with Barnett.

Young Barnett was appearing in his biggest final, and was targeting a maiden Tour title, but knew he had his work cut out against a player with a highest career world ranking of No. 35.

Both games one and two were extremely tight but it was Nasir who made his experience count in both, taking the first game 11-8 before edging a second-game tiebreak 12-10.

Barnett won game three 11-6 to keep himself in contention, but Nasir took control of the fourth game to shut down the threat, clinching it 11-5 to get his hands on the trophy in a 49-minute battle, his third trophy in the last two months.

Meanwhile, Mohammad Ashab Irfan and Mohammad Asim Khan will face off in an all-Pakistan final at the Life Time Clemens Johns Creek Open.

Second seed Asim defeated Adegoke Onaopemipo of Nigeria 8-11, 11-6, 11-5, 5-11, 11-9 in their 90-minute semi-final while third seed Ashab blanked Nicholas Spizzirri of the US 11-9, 11-8, 11-6 in 40 minutes, and remains on course for a second consecutive Tour title.

Neither of the two Pakistan players had to get past the No.1 seed to reach this final, after Spizzirri’s stunning win over fellow American and world No. 50 Shahjahan Khan in the quarter-final.

Spizzirri has never been inside the world’s top 200, but produced a sensational display to sink top seed Shahjahan, though he was unable to repeat his success in the semi-final.

Asim and Ashab will now go head-to-head for the third time this season, with the former winning the previous two.

Published in Dawn, July 22nd, 2024