27 Nov 2016
Doha, 27 November 2016. Aspire Academy graduate scholar Azlan Amjad lived up to his number one seeding to win the Aspire PSA satellite tournament on Friday night at the Academy. In doing so he cemented himself as the number 2 player in the country with victory over Qatar number 3 Abdulrahman Al-Malki in the final.
Though both players remained close on the scoreboard for much of the first game it was Azlan who managed to take the last few points and the opening game 11-8. From then on he remained in control to take the next two games in a fairly straightforward manner taking the match 11-8, 11-3, 11-4.
Al-Malki appeared notably drained in the latter parts of the final following his narrow semi-final victory over Aspire graduate Umair Zaman. After coming back from two games down in this match Umair looked to have done enough to gain his first ever win over his higher ranked opponent. Al-Malki’s experience and consistency at the latter stages however proved the decisive factor and he managed to escape 11-9 in the deciding game.
In the other semi-final Azlan overcame the unorthodox Jordanian Mohammed El Said 3-1 in a tricky encounter. After dropping the second game Azlan managed to assert himself physically to take the match in four games.
Earlier in the event three current Aspire students, Hamad Al-Amri, Waleed Zaman and Abdulaziz Al-Ishaq performed well to each win their opening matches against senior opposition.