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KARACHI: Pakistan No 1 Aamir Atlas Khan stunned world No 17 Cameron Pilley of Australia to reach the final of the CIMB Malaysian Open underway in Kuala Lumpur.
Khan, coming into the tournament on the back of a six-month Pakistan Squash Federation (PSF)ban, continued his dream run at the Open with a 10-12, 11-6, 11-4 and 11-9 win over Pilley. He reached the final of the event after shocking Malaysia’s Mohammad Azlan Iskandar, the current world No 10.
The semi-final win was particularly impressive though as Pilley stretched Khan to the limit in the first set, winning it 12-10. However, Khan it seems was out to prove a point, not only to the PSF but also the world and stuck in to take the next three sets 11-6, 11-4 and 11-9 to reach the final of the $50,000 event.
In the final the Pakistani will face Frenchman Gregory Gaultier, ranked number 6 in the world and the favourite at the Malaysian Open. Gaultier beat Alan Clyne of Scotland 11-5, 11-5, 11-1. While Gaultier clinical performance is ominous, Khan can take heart from the fact that he beat the 2009 world number one in the final of the Qatar Open.
“Gregory Gaultier is a very good player and certainly favourite to lift the title here. However, I will not go in the final as an underdog and I will try my best to beat him to claim the title,” Khan told PPI in a telephonic interview.
“I beat him at Qatar Classic Open, when he was No1 player. So definitely, I am looking forward to beat him in the final here as well,” said Khan, who has not made the cut for Pakistan’s squad at the World Team Championship in Germany next month for no apparent reason from the PSF.
