World No.145 Jesus Camacho came up with a gladiatorial display to
dispatch England’s Adam Murrills in the final of the British Virgin
Islands Open Squash Championship, PSA M5 tournament - lifting his
first PSA World Tour title in the process.
The 18-year-old Mexican, who hails from Mexico City, reached the
third PSA World Tour final of his career courtesy of wins over
wildcard Jules Snagg, compatriot Leonel Cardenas and second seed
Cameron Stafford, while Murrills scored a notable scalp over
pre-tournament favourite and home hope Joe Chapman on his way to the
title-decider in the Tortola Sports Club.
The early exchanges were dominated by a flurry of intense, attacking
squash as both players found themselves neck and neck for much of a
high-octane opening game. Camacho saved a game ball at 10-9 down,
and then took the next two points to go a game to the good.
An aggressive response from Murrills saw the 26-year-old surge 8-0
ahead in the second game, and he wrapped it up for the loss of just
a single point. The momentum shifted again though in the third, with
Camacho injecting pace into proceedings to put Murrills under
immense pressure, eventually regaining his lead to put himself on
the cusp of claiming a maiden PSA World Tour crown.
Murrills regrouped in a closely-contested fourth game and built up
some rhythm with a number of spectacular winners, before unforced
errors enabled Camacho to build up a succession of points. With the
score delicately poised at 9-8 in Camacho’s favour, the teenager
held his nerve to take the next two points without reply, closing
out a 12-10, 1-11, 11-3, 11-8 triumph to open up his title account.
“This is my first PSA win," said a delighted Camacho.
"I must tell my family, I am so happy, thank you."
Murrills added: “I gave it my best shot today, but Jesus keeps it so
fast and tight and doesn’t make many mistakes. It was a tough loss
today, but congratulations to the youngster.”
Top seed Joe Chapman battled through to the semi-final of the
British Virgin Islands Open Squash Championship, PSA M5 tournament
after coming through a hard-fought fixture with Guatemala’s Italo
Bonatti in the last eight.
Chapman, a semi-finalist in last year’s tournament, surged into a
two-game lead, but was pegged back in the third after a resurgent
Bonatti began to find his rhythm and hit his lengths with
consistency.
The World No.107 was soon back on top though after rattling off a
succession of winners and he closed out an 11-9, 11-5, 7-11, 11-5
victory to remain on course to take the crown on home soil.
Up next for Chapman is an encounter with England’s Adam Murrills,
who secured his place in a sixth successive PSA World Tour
semi-final after dispatching Mauricio Sedano 3-0 in just 32 minutes.
Cameron Stafford and Jesus Camacho, seeds two and four,
respectively, will face off in the other semi-final fixture.
Stafford, of the Cayman Islands, saw off Kale Wilson in straight
games, while Camacho is one win away from reaching a third career
PSA World Tour final thanks to a highly-competitive 3-2 win against
fellow Mexican Leonel Cardenas.
The final qualifying round of the British Virgin Islands Open Squash
Championship, PSA M5 tournament saw a trio of local players seal
their places in the main draw at the Tortola Sports Club.
British Virgin Islands native Mike Adamson overcame compatriot Lee
Osborne in straight games to ensure that he will compete in the main
draw action. Adamson came through a tight opening game on the
tie-break, and followed that up by moving through the gears to
secure a 12-10, 11-7, 11-6 victory.
Adamson has the distinction of going up against top seed and title
favourite Joe Chapman in round one, with Chapman looking to improve
on his semi-final finish at last year’s tournament.
Elsewhere, Dion Anselm is also through to the main draw after
dispatching Winston Findlay 3-0. Anselm dominated proceedings and
fended off a late attempt at a fightback from his opponent in game
three to advance. Up next for Anselm is a showdown with number two
seed and 2015 semi-finalist Cameron Stafford, who makes his first
appearance on the PSA World Tour since April.
Neville Sorrentino was the other home player to progress past the
final round of qualifying courtesy of a win over Alex Davidson, and
his reward is a first round meeting with Guatemala’s Mauricio Sedano.
Mexico’s Leonel Cardenas, meanwhile, ended the crowd’s hopes of
seeing a local quartet make it through to the main draw after he
defeated Rory Thornton, and he will take on World No.193 Albert
Shoihet in his maiden PSA World Tour main draw appearance.
