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06/06/2019
XII Torneo Internacional Sporta 2019

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XII Torneo Internacional Sporta 2019
29 May - 02 Jun
Guatamala, Guatamala, $52.5k

ROUND TWO
30 MAY
QUARTERS
31 MAY
SEMIS
01 MAY
FINAL
02 MAY

[1] Miguel Rodriguez (COL)
9-11, 11-6, 11-4, 11-6
Shahjahan Khan (USA)

Miguel Rodriguez
11-4, 11-7, 11-3
Karim El Hammamy
Miguel Rodriguez
11-5, 6-11, 11-6, 11-5
Cesar Salazar
Miguel Rodriguez
10-12, 13-11, 11-5, 11-9
Diego Elias
[6] Karim El Hammamy (EGY)
11-7, 11-9, 3-11, 4-11, 11-6
Dimitri Steinmann (SUI)
[8] Chris Hanson (USA)
13-11, 11-3, 10-12, 11-9
Auguste Dussourd (FRA)
Chris Hanson
11-4, 11-6, 11-5
Cesar Salazar
[3] Cesar Salazar (MEX)
11-8, 12-10, 8-11, 11-9
Rui Soares (POR)
Alfredo Avila (MEX)
3-11, 13-11, 11-9, 11-6
[4] Greg Lobban (SCO)
Alfredo Avila
9-11, 11-4, 11-5, 11-6
Juan Camilo Vargas
Alfredo Avila
3-11, 11-7, 11-7, 12-10
Diego Elias
Juan Camilo Vargas (COL)
11-8, 11-7, 11-4
[7] Mazen Gamal (EGY)
[5] Arturo Salazar (MEX)
11-5, 11-7, 11-8
Victor Crouin (FRA)
Arturo Salazar
11-6, 11-7, 9-11, 11-5
Diego Elias
Mario Yanez (MEX)
11-7, 11-5, 11-6
[2] Diego Elias (PER)

ROUND ONE

[1] Miguel Rodriguez (COL) bye
Shahjahan Khan (USA) bt Sean Conroy (IRL) 11-7, 11-3, 11-8
Dimitri Steinmann (SUI) bt Michael McCue (CAN) 11-8, 10-12, 11-3, 7-11, 11-4
[6] Karim El Hammamy (EGY) bye
[8] Chris Hanson (USA) bye
Auguste Dussourd (FRA) bt Josue Enriquez (GUA) 11-7, 11-6, 11-7
Rui Soares (POR) bt David Baillargeon (CAN) 6-11, 9-11, 11-3, 11-5, 11-4
[3] Cesar Salazar (MEX) bye
[4] Greg Lobban (SCO) bye
Alfredo Avila (MEX) bt Robert Downer (ENG) 11-6, 11-7, 11-4
Juan Camilo Vargas (COL) bt Christopher Gordon (USA) 11-3, 11-7, 11-6
[7] Mazen Gamal (EGY) bye
[5] Arturo Salazar (MEX) bye
Victor Crouin (FRA) bt Jesus Camacho (MEX) 8-11, 12-10, 11-9, 11-6
Mario Yanez (MEX) bt Martin Svec (CZE) 8-11, 11-9, 11-3, 11-6
[2] Diego Elias (PER) bye


 

REPORTS

Rodriguez Wins Title For Second Straight Year

World No.9 Miguel Rodriguez has won the XII Torneo International PSA Sporta crown for the second successive year, as he beat Peru’s Diego Elias in the final.

It was a rematch of last year’s final, in which the ‘Colombian Cannonball’ overcame the ‘Peruvian Puma’ in straight games.

This was the fourth meeting between the pair, with last year’s final victory continuing Rodriguez’s 100% record over his fellow South American.

This time round it was more difficult, as the tournament’s No.2 seed took the first game on a tie-break, winning it 10-12. Rodriguez fought back in the second, also winning it on a tie-break, 13-11.

From there on in, it was much easier for Rodriguez to take the victory, as he won both the third and fourth games to claim the win, and his 29th title on the PSA World Tour.

It caps an impressive season for the Colombian, who has spent the entire twelve months in the top ten of the World Rankings. Elias will play in the CIB PSA World Tour Finals next week, after finishing in the top eight of the points list this season.
Rodriguez And Elias To Meet In Final For Second Successive Year

Colombia’s Miguel Rodriguez and Peru’s Diego Elias will meet in the final of the XII Torneo Internacional PSA Sporta for the second year in succession after they claimed respective semi-final wins over Mexican duo Cesar Salazar and Alfredo Avila in Guatemala.

Rodriguez, the defending champion, had beaten Salazar in four games during last week’s Allam British Open and the World No.9 repeated that scoreline at Sporta Guatemala, winning 11-5, 6-11, 11-6, 11-5 to book a place in a 39th PSA final.

Elias, the World No.8, recovered from a game down to beat surprise semi-finalist Avila, winning 3-11, 11-7, 11-7, 12-10.

Avila had shocked No.4 seed Greg Lobban earlier on in the tournament and took a surprise one game lead against the Peruvian, but Elias recovered to come out on top in the end, and he will aim to avenge a 3-0 defeat to Rodriguez in last year’s title decider.

The final will take place on Sunday June 2 at 16:30 (GMT-6).
Mexican Duo Salazar and Avila Book Semis Slots

The semi-finals of the XII Torneo Internacional PSA Sporta will feature two Mexicans after No.3 seed Cesar Salazar and the unseeded Alfredo Avila booked their last four spots courtesy of wins over America’s Chris Hanson and Colombia’s Juan Camilo Vargas, respectively, in Guatemala.

Salazar, the World No.23, dropped a surprise game against Portugal’s Rui Soares in the previous round, but had a much easier time of things against No.8 seed Hanson as he cruised to an 11-4, 11-6, 11-5 victory.

Salazar will take on top seed and World No.9 Miguel Rodriguez next in a repeat of their captivating third round clash at the British Open last week. Rodriguez, the defending champion, beat Egypt’s Karim El Hammamy in straight games.

The other semi-final will see Avila go head-to-head with 2018 runner-up Diego Elias. Avila had shocked fourth seed Greg Lobban in round two, and picked up where he left off against the Scotsman as he recovered from a game down to defeat Vargas.

Meanwhile, Elias prevented the semis from featuring a Mexican trio as he got the better of Salazar’s twin brother, Arturo, winning 11-6, 11-7, 9-11, 11-5.
 
Avila and Vargas Upset Seeding In Round 2

Mexico’s Alfredo Avila and Colombia’s Juan Camilo Vargas upset the seedings on day two of the XII Torneo Internacional PSA Sporta PSA World Tour Bronze event held in Guatemala and will now face each other for a place in the semi-finals.

World No.72 Avila came from a game down against Scotland’s No.4 seed Greg Lobban to win 3-11, 13-11, 11-9, 11-6 and reach the quarter finals.

Meanwhile, his opposition in the last eight – World No.105 Vargas – also upset the seedings as he prevailed against Egypt’s No.7 seed Mazen Gamal.

The Colombian was in dominant form against the Egyptian World No.67 to prevail an 11-8, 11-7, 11-4 winner.

Elsewhere, top seeds Colombia’s Miguel Rodriguez and Peru’s Diego Elias both prevailed to advance to the quarter finals of the tournament.

Rodriguez was forced to come from a game down against United States’ World No.76 Shahjahan Khan to win 9-11, 11-6, 11-4, 11-6. While, Elias put in a strong performance against Mexico’s Mario Yanez to prevail in straight games.

Rodriguez will now face Egypt’s Karim El Hammamy for a place in last four after the World No.53 prevailed in a five-game thriller with Switzerland’s Dimitri Steinmann. Elias, meanwhile, has set up a meeting with Mexico’s Arturo Salazar after he defeated France’s Victor Crouin in round two.

The other quarter final will see United States’ Chris Hanson face Mexico’s Cesar Salazar after they recorded respective wins over France’s Auguste Dussourd and Portugal’s Rui Soares.
 
Soares Survives Scare From Baillargeon
To Reach Last 16


The first round of the XII Torneo International PSA Sporta saw 16 players battle it out for a spot in the second round of the tournament in Guatemala.

Rui Soares’ route into the second round was much tougher than he would have expected, as he had to come from two games down to beat Canada’s David Baillargeon.

The World No.109 won the first two games relatively comfortably before Soares started his comeback. Portugal’s No.1 then won the third and fourth to take it into a decider, before then winning the fifth to scrape into the second round.

There was a shock in the first round, as Robert Downer overcame Mexico’s Alfredo Avila, who is ranked 54 places above the Englishman in the world.

Downer’s reward is a clash with Scotland’s Greg Lobbam in the second round, as the only two Brits in the competition go face-to-face this evening.

Elsewhere, both Shahjahan Khan and Christopher Gordon made sure there was US interest in the second round, with the former setting up a clash with No.1 seed Miguel Rodriguez.

There is also a pair of Frenchman through to the last 16, as Auguste Dussourd and Victor Crouin succeeded against Josue Enriquez and Jesus Camacho, respectively.

Switzerland’s Dimitri Steinmann and Mexico’s Mario Yanez are the other two men into the last 16, the stage of the competition where the seeded players enter the fray.

Yanez set up a battle with World No.8 Diego Elias, while the Salazar brothers, Karim El Hammamy, Chris Hanson and Mazen Gamal also start their campaigns later today.
Previews

XII Torneo Internacional PSA Sporta Main Draw Released

The main draw for this month’s XII Torneo Internacional PSA Sporta has been released with Colombia’s World No.7 Miguel Rodriguez seeded to meet Peru’s World No.8 Diego Elias in the final of the PSA World Tour Bronze tournament, when the event takes place between May 29- June 2.

2018 British Open champion Rodriguez is seeded to meet Peru’s Elias in the final, in what would be a repeat of last year’s ending where Rodriguez got the better of the Peruvian in straight-games to claim the title in Guatemala.

Defending champion Rodriguez headlines the tournament and receives a bye into round two, along with the other top eight seeds, where he will face either Mexico’s Mario Yanez or Pakistan’s Shahjahan Khan.

The Colombian will also have to navigate a tough side of the draw which includes the likes of Mexico’s Cesar Salazar, Egypt’s Karim El Hammamy and United States’ Chris Hanson if he is to defend his crown.

Situated at the opposite end of the draw, Elias will first have to overcome the challenge of either Egypt’s Mohamed ElSherbini, who has claimed three titles in 2019, or the Czech Republic’s Martin Svec in round two if he is to go one better this year and win the trophy.

The Peruvian, who won the Macau Open title last month, also has a tough route to the final, with Elias on the same side of the draw as the likes of Scotland’s World No.30 Greg Lobban, Mexico’s World No.45 Arturo Salazar and Egypt’s World No.67 Mazen Gamal.

Meanwhile home interest Josue Enriquez, from Guatemala City, will face France’s Auguste Dussourd for a place in the last 16.
 
Colombia’s Rodriguez to Headline XII Torneo Internacional PSA Sporta Draw

Colombia’s World No.7 Miguel Rodriguez will headline the XII Torneo Internacional PSA Sporta when the PSA Bronze tournament takes place from May 29- June 2 in Guatemala.
Defending champion Rodriguez will be back in action at this season’s tournament after claiming last year’s title when he defeated Peru’s Diego Elias in the final.

The Colombian enjoyed a formidable month in May last year when he claimed the prestigious 2018 British Open title, before going on to claim his second successive PSA title at the Sporta Guatemala XI Torneo Internacional PSA.

This year will see another stellar line-up with Peru’s World No.9 Elias looking to go one step further than last year, with Mexican twins Cesar and Arturo Salazar and Scotland’s Greg Lobban also all featuring in the draw.

They will face tough competition from the likes of Egyptian trio Karim El Hammamy, Mazen Gamal, Mohamed ElSherbini, United States’ Chris Hanson and Switzerland’s Dimitri Steinmann.

Meanwhile, home interest comes in the form of World No.122 Josue Enriguez, who was born in Guatemala City and will hope to produce a strong showing at his home event.

Entry List
1. Miguel Rodriguez (COL)
2. Diego Elias (PER)
3. Cesar Salazar (MEX)
4. Greg Lobban (SCO)
5. Arturo Salazar (MEX)
6. Karim El Hammamy (EGY)
7. Mazen Gamal (EGY)
8. Chris Hanson (USA)
9. Dimitri Steinmann (SUI)
10. Mohamed ElSherbini (EGY)
11. Alfredo Avila (MEX)
12. Victor Crouin (FRA)
13. Shahjahan Khan (PAK)
14. Auguste Dussourd (FRA)
15. Christopher Gordon (USA)
16. Rui Soares (POR)
17. Mario Yanez (MEX)
18. Michael McCue (CAN)
19. Jesus Camacho (MEX)
20. Martin Svec (CZE)
21. Juna Camilo Vargas (COL)
22. David Baillargeon (CAN)
23. Josue Enriquez (GUA)
24. Robert Downer (ENG)