Harris makes Jansher fight for record

Squash

Del Harris made Jansher Khan fight all the way to win a record seventh World Open title in Nicosia on Saturday. Harris, from Essex, gave Jansher his toughest final in seven years, saving three match points to win the third game. It took the world champion a gruelling 101 minutes to eventually win 15-10, 17-14, 16-17, 15-8.

Jansher surpassed the six World Open titles of his compatriot, Jahangir Khan but said: "I felt a lot of pressure. I am 26 and getting older by the day. If I lost now, it would be difficult to keep the momentum."

Harris, only the second English player to reach the World Open final, said: "I thought I could win it. I should have taken the second game when I led 13-10, then holding him through three match points in the third game to take it 17-16 would have made it 2-1 to me instead of the other way round."

There will be little rest for either player because Pakistan, the defending champions, meet England today in the opening match of the World Team Championships in Cairo. The organisers said neither team had submitted their order of play so it was not clear whether Jansher and Harris would meet again.