Gaultier Celebrates Triumphant Malaysian Open Debut by Howard Harding
23 July 2011-
French squash star Gregory Gaultier celebrated his debut appearance in
the long-established CIMB Malaysian Open in Selangor by winning the PSA
World Tour International 50 event today at the Curve Shopping Mall in
sensational style.
The top seed, ranked six in the world, swept through the high-class field to reach the final without dropping a game.
His surprise opponent was unseeded Pakistani Aamir Atlas Khan - the
20-year-old world No28 from Peshawar who followed his quarter-final
upset over home favourite and title-holder Mohd Azlan Iskandar by
dismissing higher-ranked Australian Cameron Pilley in the semis.
But the mighty Gaultier was not to be stopped: Appearing in the 40th
PSA Tour final of his career, the 28-year-old from Aix-en-Provence
brushed aside Khan 11-8, 11-3, 11-3 in 43 minutes to avenge his defeat
by the Pakistani in their last meeting in Qatar in 2009.
It was the French and European champion's first Tour title triumph of
the year - but the 18th of Gaultier's distinguished career. RESULTS: PSA International 50 CIMB Malaysian Open, Selangor, Malaysia