19/11/2006
SUNSET OPEN
Lau Lands First PSA Tour Title In Florida
Sunset Squash Open, Sarasota,
Florida, USA
Final:
[4] Dick Lau (HKG) bt [1] Robin Clarke (CAN) 11-5, 11-6, 11-5 (34m)
Semi-finals:
[1] Robin Clarke (CAN) bt [8] Regardt Schonborn (RSA) 7-11, 11-7, 9-11, 11-8, 11-7 (80m)
[4] Dick Lau (HKG) bt [Q] Scott Fitzgerald (WAL) 8-11, 11-9, 4-11, 11-4, 11-10 (2-0) (74m)
Quarter-finals:
[1] Robin Clarke (CAN) bt [5] Duncan Walsh (ENG) 11-7, 11-2, 11-10 (2-0) (38m)
[8] Regardt Schonborn (RSA) bt [3] Keith Pritchard (CAN) 11-7, 11-7, 11-4 (43m)
[4] Dick Lau (HKG) bt [Q] James Snell (ENG) 11-10 (3-1), 11-5, 11-4 (48m)
[Q] Scott Fitzgerald (WAL) bt [Q] Tom Pashley (ENG) 11-5, 11-5, 11-3 (26m)
1st round:
[1] Robin Clarke (CAN) bt Michal Reid (CAN) 9-11, 11-4, 11-7, 11-6 (52m)
[5] Duncan Walsh (ENG) bt [Q] John Fulham (USA) 11-6, 6-11, 11-2, 8-11, 11-3 (78m)
[3] Keith Pritchard (CAN) bt Fernando Lopez (MEX) 7-11, 11-7, 11-7, 11-9 (53m)
[8] Regardt Schonborn (RSA) bt Dave Glass (CAN) 1-11, 11-2, 11-7, 11-8 (49m)
[Q] James Snell (ENG) bt [7] Lefika Ragontse (BOT) 11-2, 10-11 (0-2), 11-4, 10-11 (2-4), 11-3 (65m)
[4] Dick Lau (HKG) bt Daniel Sibley (CAN) 11-5, 8-11, 11-6, 11-5 (54m)
[Q] Tom Pashley (ENG) bt [6] Roger Ngan (HKG) 11-6, 11-3, 6-11, 5-11, 11-7 (74m)
[Q] Scott Fitzgerald (WAL) bt [2] Robert McFadzean (USA) 11-8, 11-6, 11-10 (3-1) (42m)
Lau Lands First PSA Tour Title In Florida
Hong Kong's Dick Lau landed the first PSA Tour title of his career when he upset Canada's top seed Robin Clarke in the final of the Sunset Squash Open in Florida, USA.
The 20-year-old reached his first PSA final after a tough semi-final victory over Welshman Scott Fitzgerald, the resident professional at the Bath & Racquet Club, the host club in Sarasota. Lau, the fourth seed, twice came from behind to beat qualifier Fitzgerald 8-11, 11-9, 4-11, 11-4, 11-10 (2-0) in 74 minutes.
The final was a one-sided affair, with Lau always in control - volleying and keeping Clarke turning and bending.
"Dick played the perfect game-plan and came out an easy winner," said Fitzgerald after Lau's 11-5, 11-6, 11-5 triumph in 34 minutes.
Scott Sails Into Sunset Semis
Welshman Scott Fitzgerald sailed into the semi-finals of the Sunset Squash Open when he beat fellow British qualifier Tom Pashley in the quarter-finals of the new PSA Tour event at the Bath & Racquet Club in Sarasota in the US state of Florida.
Fitzgerald, the resident club professional at the Sarasota club for the past two years, made his breakthrough in the first round when he despatched second-seeded American Robert McFadzean in four games.
In the quarter-finals, the experienced 25-year-old from Pontypool defeated English teenager Tom Pashley – an 18-year-old from Sussex celebrating his first appearance in a PSA Tour event - 11-5, 11-5, 11-3 in just 26 minutes.
Former world No80 Fitzgerald now takes on Dick Lau, the fourth seed from Hong Kong who battled to an 11-10 (3-1), 11-5, 11-4 win over James Snell - another 18-year-old English qualifier, from Devon, who was also making his Tour debut.
There will be a surprise appearance in the other semi-final when South Africa Regardt Schonborn faces Canadian Robin Clarke. Schonborn, the No8 seed who is based at Trinity College in the USA, upset Canada's No3 seed Keith Pritchard 11-7, 11-7, 11-4.
Clarke, the favourite from Ottawa, saw off England's fifth seed Duncan Walsh 11-7, 11-2, 11-10 (2-0).
Semi-final line-up:
[1] Robin Clarke (CAN) v [8] Regardt Schonborn (RSA)
[Q] Scott Fitzgerald (WAL) v [4] Dick Lau (HKG)
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