Aamir Khan wins NAS squash title

Action during the NAS squash tournament. — Supplied photo

Aamir Khan is already looking forward to coming back and defending his crown next year after putting his name down in the books as Nad Al Sheba Ramadan Sports’s first squash champion.

The 22-year-old Pakistan expatriate, born and brought up in the UAE, was in cruise mode on Monday night as he defeated compatriot, and a familiar opponent, Mubarak Mohsin in straight games to return home with a crown he seemed really keen to get.

“I was mentally prepared for this match and I was looking forward for a clean sweep,” said Khan, a former world junior No 4 who is now ranked No 246 in the world as he tries to balance his studies and squash.

“It is a really big tournament and I am really glad to win this for the first time. It is a really big achievement and I am looking forward to coming back and defending my crown. I hope they will have squash next year as well.”

Determined to finish in three games, as he said, Khan bolted off the blocks and was up 5-0 before Mohsin could win his first point. Khan, eventually, took the game 11-5. The second game was a closer tussle, with Khan and Mohsin level until 6-6, before the champion zoomed ahead to win 11-7 and make it 2-0.

The third game followed the pattern of the first as Khan raced to a 5-0 till he pulled up with a slight twinge in his thigh. He took a medical timeout and as he returned to the court, Mohsin started hunting him down, erasing the early deficit and then going toe-to-toe until 7-7, but he made a few errors towards the end, which helped Khan seal the title with a 11-8 win in the third.