Asian Champions Meet In CAS International Opener

After failing to qualify for the event a year ago, 15-year-old Aamir Atlas Khan beat fellow Pakistani Farzan Rasheed 11-9 11-5 11-7 in today's qualifying finals of the CAS International to make the main draw of the $25,000 PSA Tour event in Islamabad, Pakistan, for the first time.

Aamir, the Asian Junior Champion from Peshawar and a nephew of Jansher Khan, has been drawn to face Malaysia's top seed Ong Beng Hee, the reigning senior Asian champion.

Amjad Khan, who succeeded Jansher Khan as Pakistan's top-ranked player, is making a notable comeback after withdrawing from the PSA Tour at the end of 2003. The 25-year-old former world No12 beat compatriot Bilal Zaman 11-7 4-11 11-4 9-11 11-7 to make his first appearance in a PSA main draw this year. Khan will face England's No2 seed Adrian Grant.

Qualifying finals:
Basit Ashfaq (PAK) bt Farrukh Zaman (PAK) 11-8, 11-9, 11-10 (2-0) (29m)
Amjad Khan (PAK) bt Bilal Zaman (PAK) 11-7, 4-11, 11-4, 9-11, 11-7 (47m)
Aamir Atlas Khan (PAK) bt Farzan Rasheed (PAK) 11-9, 11-5, 11-7 (24m)
Majid Khan (PAK) bt Khalid Atlas Khan (PAK) 11-8, 11-9, 7-11, 5-11, 11-3 (44m)