30/11/2006
BALTIMORE OPEN
White Overcomes Anjema In Baltimore City Final
Tournament
Merritt Properties Baltimore City Squash Open,
Baltimore , USA
Final:
[1] John White (SCO) bt [4] Laurens Jan Anjema (NED) 10-11 (1-3), 11-10 (2-0), 7-11, 11-5, 11-5 (83m)
Semi-finals:
[1] John White (SCO) bt [3] Shahier Razik (CAN) 11-4, 11-3, 11-6 (32m)
[4] Laurens Jan Anjema (NED) bt [7] Eric Galvez (MEX) 11-10 (3-1), 11-8, 11-5 (54m)
Quarter-finals:
[1] John White (SCO) bt [5] Joey Barrington (ENG) 11-4, 11-8, 11-4 (23m)
[3] Shahier Razik (CAN) bt [8] Liam Kenny (IRL) 8-11, 11-8, 11-10 (5-3), 6-11, 11-6 (131m)
[4] Laurens Jan Anjema (NED) bt [6] Renan Lavigne (FRA) 11-9, 11-8, 2-11, 2-11, 11-6 (75m)
[7] Eric Galvez (MEX) bt [Q] Chris Simpson (ENG) 11-6, 9-11, 11-9, 11-6 (68m
1st round:
[1] John White (SCO) bt Raj Nanda (AUS) 11-6, 6-11, 11-9, 11-4
[5] Joey Barrington (ENG) bt [Q] Patrick Chifunda (ZAM) 11-8, 9-11, 11-7, 11-5 (80m)
[3] Shahier Razik (CAN) bt Jean-Michel Arcucci (FRA) 11-7, 11-8, 11-5 (55m)
[8] Liam Kenny (IRL) bt [Q] Simon Rosner (GER) 11-6, 11-6, 11-5 (50m)
[6] Renan Lavigne (FRA) bt Matthew Giuffre (CAN) 11-6, 11-3, 11-6 (28m)
[4] Laurens Jan Anjema (NED) bt Wade Johnstone (AUS) 11-2, 11-8, 11-6 (35m)
[7] Eric Galvez (MEX) bt [Q] Laurent Elriani (FRA) 11-8, 5-11, 11-5, 11-8 (75m)
[Q] Chris Simpson (ENG) bt [2] Graham Ryding (CAN) 11-9, 8-11, 11-5, 7-11, 11-9 (70m)
Qualifying finals:
Chris Simpson (ENG) bt Tony James (AUS) 11-10 (7-5), 11-5, 10-11 (0-2), 11-9 (75m)
Simon Rosner (GER) bt Bradley Hindle (AUS) 10-11 (0-2), 11-9, 6-11, 11-9, 11-4 (95m)
Patrick Chifunda (ZAM) bt Ben Garner (ENG) w/o
Laurent Elriani (FRA) bt Raj Nanda (AUS) 11-10 (4-2), 11-7, 11-4 (45m)
White Overcomes Anjema In Baltimore City Final
Scotland's John White stormed to victory in the final of the Merritt Properties Baltimore City Squash Open at the Merritt Athletic Club in Baltimore but had to fight back from 1/2 down to quash the plucky Dutchman Laurens Jan Anjema to lift the $25,000 PSA Tour title.
Relocating to the USA has clearly revitalised the 33-year-old Australian born Scot: White and his family moved from the UK to Philadelphia in March last year since when the former world No1 has reached six PSA Tour finals in his new adopted home country, winning four trophies including two within the past month!
Top seed White and Anjema, the fourth seed, know each others games well, with the Dutchman having trained with White for the past few weeks. And it showed in the closeness of the contest.
White started off in his customary manner, and raced to a 7-2 lead with his trademark hard-hit winners. However the Dutchman soon adjusted to the pace and clawed his way back before claiming the game on a tie-break.
Anjema continued his form into the second and held game ball for a commanding 2-0 lead, but White responded with three winners to level the match.
By this stage everyone in the capacity crowd was fully immersed in what was turning into an intriguing contest. Some fantastic retrieving from Anjema - including a full length splits - forced White into errors in the third game, and an upset looked on the cards. White has not achieved all he has by chance, however, and he set about the task of retrieving the situation by hitting the ball with venom and stepping up the pace.
The final two games saw some great rallies, with both players showing superb reactions and a willingness to attack - but it was White who controlled the points and clinched both games to claim the match 10-11 (1-3), 11-10 (2-0), 7-11, 11-5, 11-5 in 83 minutes.
The Baltimore triumph marks White's 12th PSA Tour title since claiming his maiden success at the Bolzano Open in Italy in May 1997
White & Anjema In Baltimore City Final
Scotland's top seed John White and fourth-seeded Dutchman Laurens Jan Anjema will meet in the final of the Merritt Properties Baltimore City Squash Open, the $25,000 PSA Tour event at the Merritt Athletic Club in Baltimore City, USA.
White was in impressive form for the second day running but it was always going to be tough for opponent Shahier Razik to recover from his 131-minute marathon in the previous round. It was the third-seeded Canadian's third Tour match lasting more than 130 minutes since August last year!
White was ruthless in the first two games, despatching hard-hit winners from all over the court. Razik showed admiral determination, fighting to the end despite obvious fatigue. Indeed the Canadian managed to take a lead at 7-6 in the third - but the US-based Scot produced some exceptional nicks to clinch the match 11-4, 11-3, 11-6, and claim a place in his 28th PSA Tour final.
Anjema, the 24-year-old world No26 from The Hague , beat Mexican Eric Galvez in 54 minutes. But the 3/0 scoreline does not accurately reflect how keenly contested this match was. The first game was a classic, with never more than one point separating the two players.
After 25 minutes of fast-paced action, the score stood at 10-all, with the audience mesmerised by the shot-making and retrieving of both players. However, the Dutchman took the first game on his second game point, and this proved decisive.
Whilst Anjema always looked in control after that point there were some fascinating rallies with both players showing great speed around the court Anjema using explosive power, and the shorter Galvez utilizing his remarkable speed. Anjema showed the greater quality of shot though to beat the No7 seed 11-10 (3-1), 11-8, 11-5 to book his spot in the final against White - with whom he has been training for the past couple of weeks.
The climax marks Anjema's 12th Tour final.
Simpson Merits Merritt Properties Quarter-Final Slot In Baltimore
English qualifier Chris Simpson scored a major upset in the first round of the Merritt Properties Baltimore City Squash Open when he defeated second-seeded Canadian Graham Ryding in the upgraded PSA Tour event at the Merritt Athletic Club in Baltimore City , USA .
It was the best win of my career, said the 19-year-old from Guernsey after his 11-9, 8-11, 11-5, 7-11, 11-9 victory over Ryding, the world No19 from Toronto .
Simpson now faces seventh seed Eric Galvez after the Mexican No1 beat French qualifier Laurent Elriani 11-8, 5-11, 11-5, 11-8 in 75 minutes.
At the other end of the draw, favourite John White overcame Australia's Raj Nanda 11-6, 6-11, 11-9, 11-4 to set up quarter-final clash with England's Joey Barrington, the fifth seed who beat Patrick Chifunda 11-8, 9-11, 11-7, 11-5.
Quarter-final line-up:
[1] John White (SCO) v [5] Joey Barrington (ENG)
[3] Shahier Razik (CAN) v [8] Liam Kenny (IRL)
[4] Laurens Jan Anjema (NED) v [6] Renan Lavigne (FRA)
[Q] Chris Simpson (ENG) v [7] Eric Galvez (MEX)
Simpson & Rosner Survive Marathon Qualifying Finals In Baltimore
Englishman Chris Simpson and German Simon Rosner European Junior Champions in 2005 and 2006, respectively - both survived marathon qualifying finals at the Merritt Athletic Club in Baltimore City , USA , to claim places in the main draw of the Merritt Properties Squash Open.
Simpson prevailed in a lengthy first game against Australian Tony James which was only resolved in a tie-break at 17-15! It took 75 minutes and an 11-10 (7-5), 11-5, 10-11 (0-2), 11-9 scoreline - for the 19-year-old from Guernsey to finally claim his place in the first round, where he will take on second seed Graham Ryding, from Canada.
Rosner needed more than an hour and a half to overcome Bradley Hindle, also an Australian, 10-11 (0-2), 11-9, 6-11, 11-9, 11-4 in 95 minutes. The 19-year-old from Wurzburg will meet Ireland 's eighth seed Liam Kenny.
In a poor day for Australians in Baltimore , France 's Laurent Elriani defeated Brisbane-born Raj Nanda 11-10 (4-2), 11-7, 11-4. The US-based Frenchman, now based in the USA , will face Mexico 's No7 seed Eric Galvez.
It was a disappointing outcome for Baltimore-based Englishman Ben Garner, who was forced to concede his qualifying final to Patrick Chifunda after falling ill. The Zambian will now meet another Englishman Joey Barrington , the No5 seed, in the main draw.
Updated 1st round draw:
[1] John White (SCO) v Shawn Delierre (CAN)
[5] Joey Barrington (ENG) v [Q] Patrick Chifunda (ZAM)
[3] Shahier Razik (CAN) v Jean-Michel Arcucci (FRA)
[8] Liam Kenny (IRL) v [Q] Simon Rosner (GER)
[6] Renan Lavigne (FRA) v Matthew Giuffre (CAN)
[4] Laurens Jan Anjema (NED) v Wade Johnstone (AUS)
[7] Eric Galvez (MEX) v [Q] Laurent Elriani (FRA)
[2] Graham Ryding (CAN) v [Q] Chris Simpson (ENG)
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