Squash: Jansher clinches final title

JANSHER KHAN had to come from 8-10 down in the final game before he won a repeat of the World Open final against Chris Dittmar 15-9, 14-15, 12-15, 15-6, 15-11 to take the last tournament of this year's circuit, the Qatar International, here yesterday, writes Richard Eaton from Doha, Qatar.

The top-seeded Pakistani also took the richest first prize outside the World Open, dollars 21,375, thus making it an ideal climax to the best year of his career, in which he won the sport's leading three titles.

Despite this, the man who is the world and British Open champion and world No 1, was not far from defeat against an opponent who has rarely played better. Dittmar came from a game and 5-8 down, gambled on a sudden-death finish to the second game, and audaciously tried to move the more mobile Jansher around.

'Dittmar played fantastic and was unlucky,' said Jansher's brother and coach, Mohibullah Khan. 'At 8-10 I thought Jansher would lose. He was going for drop shots and he should have played more rallies.'

Despite that Jansher snatched the match back with winners at the front. He produced two good lengths combined with drops to level at 10-10, then won four of the next five points with backhand drops as Dittmar tired towards the end of a 98-minute contest.

INTERNATIONAL TOURNAMENT (Doha, Qatar) Final: Jansher Khan (Pak) bt C Dittmar (Aus) 15-9 14-15 12-15 15-6 15-11.