Atlas bags maiden title of the year

Pakistan number one defeats Zaman in squash final.

KARACHI:

Pakistan number one Amir Atlas rounded off his year on a positive note as he clinched his first title of 2011, beating Farhan Zaman 3-2 to win the Pakistan Circuit Four Championship.

Atlas started the match in a convincing manner, winning the first set 11-4, but faced resistance from Zaman in the second before coming out on top 11-8. Zaman took an early 3-1 lead in the third set but Atlas recovered to make it 8-6 only for Zaman to hit back to secure the set 11-8.

Zaman went on to win the fourth set by an identical margin to level the match but Atlas battled hard to triumph 11-8 in the decider.

“I’m proud of the way I played in this tournament,” Zaman told The Express Tribune. “Winning two sets against an experienced player like Atlas was highly encouraging.”

Published in The Express Tribune, December 29^th, 2011.