Hong Kong number one Faheem Khan described his meeting with world number two Jonathon Power yesterday as a "wrestling match on a squash court". He certainly must have felt battered and bruised mentally - if not physically - at the end of the 30-minute first round argy-bargy encounter in the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Open with the Canadian romping his way to a 15-1, 15-11, 15-6 victory.

The result was never in doubt. Khan, ranked 89th in the world, was only there to fill in the blanks on the inevitable outcome - and he did it with a display of histrionics that would have shamed those entertainers of the World Wrestling Federation.

The match was riddled with let calls and breaks where Khan questioned the referee's decisions, but that did not distract Power from getting on with the job at hand - progressing into Sunday's final which he hopes will be against arch-rival Peter Nicol of Scotland.

"He definitely was playing me a lot," said Power afterwards, explaining the pushing and shoving which went on court. "He was not trying to go to the ball." Power rushed away with the first game in double-quick time leaving Khan gasping for answers to stop an electric performance filled with explosive winners.

The local number one came back on court obviously with a mind to slow down his opponent with delaying tactics. "Khan is a smart player. He tried to slow me down but the game was always going to be one-sided," said Power, winner here in 1998 and runner-up to Nicol last year.

Khan also said beating Power never crossed his mind. "I know he is too good for me. But at least I wanted to have a good game. But unfortunately for me I could not as the referee did not control the match. Power was pushing me around all the time."

It seemed that the angrier Khan got, the better he played. The second game was closer as a clearly motivated Khan tried his best to bring Power to his knees. But even his best was not enough. "He was too good, too fast and too sharp," said Khan.

Power wanted to wrap it all up as quickly as possible. Still recovering from his "battle" with Egyptian Ahmed Barada last week at the Al Ahram International in Cairo where he retired with a knee injury, the Canadian is nursing himself back to full strength. "I was surprised at the way I felt today. I have been taking the usual treatment - anti-inflammatory, ice and rest - and it is feeling strong, I will have to wait," said Power.

Reprinted with permission of the South China Morning Post online. (www.scmp.com)

• First Round II Report 7-30 (Squashtalk)
• Power first round win 7-30 (Squash Canada)
• First Round I Report 7-30 (Squashtalk)
• Nicol confident 7-29 (SCMP)
• Barada relaxed, ready 7-29 (SCMP)
• Power confirms Cathay entry 7-28
• Power and Barada at loggerheads 7-25

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