Article and image courtesy of the Professional Squash Association.
England’s Declan James produced the biggest upset on the second day of main draw action in the Atlanta Open when he downed No. 3 seed Farhan Zaman to reach the semifinals of the PSA World Tour Challenger 10 squash championship – the U.S. Pro Squash Series event at the Lifetime Athletic Atlanta, Georgia.
The twenty-year-old from Nottingham recovered from a drubbing in the first game to overcome Pakistan’s World No. 68 Zaman 2-11, 11-8, 15-13, 12-10.
James, ranked ninety-one in the world, now faces top seed Cesar Salazar. In a match described by tournament director Andre Maur as “the best match of the day”, the Mexican had to fight back from 2-1 down to beat seventh-seeded Dutchman Sebastiaan Weenink 11-8, 6-11, 9-11, 11-8, 12-10.
Pakistan’s No. 2 seed Nasir Iqbal reached the last four after dispatching fellow countryman Aqib Hanif, a qualifier, 11-9, 11-5, 9-11, 11-6.
And the nineteen-year-old from Bannu will now face a further qualifier when he meets Englishman Adam Murrills. The twenty-three-year-old from Manchester overcame ‘Lucky Loser’ Jean-Pierre Brits, from South Africa, 11-2, 6-11, 11-6, 11-7.
Semifinal line-up:
[1] Cesar Salazar (MEX) v [5] Declan James (ENG)
[2] Nasir Iqbal (PAK) v [Q] Adam Murrills (ENG)
First round:
[1] Cesar Salazar (MEX) bt [LL] Cameron Stafford (CAY) 14-12, 11-9, 11-8
[7] Sebastiaan Weenink (NED) bt [Q] Ollie Holland (ENG) 11-8, 11-3, 11-3
[5] Declan James (ENG) bt Syed Ali Mujtaba Shah Bokhari (PAK) 11-9, 10-12, 11-4, 12-10
[3] Farhan Zaman (PAK) bt [WC] Sean Conroy (IRL) 7-11, 11-9, 11-3, 11-6
[LL] Jean-Pierre Brits (RSA) bt [4] Yasir Ali Butt (PAK) 14-12, 11-4, 3-11, 4-11, 11-9
[Q] Adam Murrills (ENG) bt [8] Joe Chapman (IVB) 11-5, 11-5, 11-6
[Q] Aqib Hanif (PAK) bt [6] Abdulla Mohd Al Tamimi (QAT) 10-12, 12-10, 11-2, 11-8
[2] Nasir Iqbal (PAK) bt [Q] Adam Auckland (ENG) 11-5, 11-9, 11-7
Quarterfinals:
[1] Cesar Salazar (MEX) bt [7] Sebastiaan Weenink (NED) 11-8, 6-11, 9-11, 11-8, 12-10
[5] Declan James (ENG) bt [3] Farhan Zaman (PAK) 2-11, 11-8, 15-13, 12-10
[Q] Adam Murrills (ENG) bt [LL] Jean-Pierre Brits (RSA) 11-2, 6-11, 11-6, 11-7
[2] Nasir Iqbal (PAK) bt [Q] Aqib Hanif (PAK) 11-9, 11-5, 9-11, 11-6