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Sports

Sunday March 29, 2009

Azlan finally gets it right

By AFTAR SINGH

KUALA LUMPUR: Top seed Mohd Azlan Iskandar won the NSC Series No. 5 tournament to end his 20-month Professional Squash Association (PSA) title drought at the National Squash Centre in Bukit Jalil yesterday.

The world No. 12, however, had to slog for 73 minutes before subduing world No. 24 and second seed Omar Mosaad of Egypt 11-7, 11-5, 7-11, 6-11, 11-6.

Azlan pocketed US$3,610 (RM12,635) for his efforts in the two-star tournament while Omar took home US$2,470 (RM8,645).

The 27-year-old Sarawakian’s last PSA title came in July 2007 when he won the Malaysia Open,

Breakthrough: Malaysia’s Mohd Azlan Iskandar (front) in action against Egypt’s Mosaad of Egypt yesterday.

Azlan started off well yesterday, winning the first two sets.

But a loss of focus saw him losing the next two.

Azlan, however, was mentally stronger in the final set and managed to prevail over the Egyptian.

“I should have won in straight sets ... instead I lost the third and fourth sets due to a lapse in concentration,” said Azlan.

“Omar is a good player as he is much taller and bigger than me and he put me under pressure when he levelled the score at 2-2.

“I won the fifth set because I was mentally stronger than him.”

Azlan was glad that he managed to finally end his 20-month title drought.

“It’s not easy playing two tournaments back to back as I took part in the Indian Challenger tournament in Kolkata (losing in the semi-finals) last week,” he said.

“I will take a break for the next couple of weeks and I will do a blood test to check my health.”

World No. 18 and fifth seed Tania Bailey of England scored an upset 11-5, 11-8, 11-9 win over world No. 9 and top seed Madeline Perry of Ireland in the women’s final.

It was Bailey’s first Women’s International Squash Players Association (Wispa) title in three years. Her last professional title was in April, 2006 when she won the Vassar College Class tournament in London.

Bailey pocketed US$3,800 (RM13,300) while Perry received US$2,660 (RM9,310).

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