08/02/2007
EVERGREEN OREGON OPEN
Laurens Lifts Oregon Open Title
Tournament
Evergreen Oregon Squash Open,
Portland, Oregon, USA
Final:
[5] Laurens Jan Anjema (NED) bt [2] Peter Barker (ENG) 11-4, 11-4, 11-2 (35m)
Semi-finals:
[5] Laurens Jan Anjema (NED) bt [6] Shahier Razik (CAN) 5-11, 11-8, 10-11 (0-2), 11-4, 11-2 (88m)
[2] Peter Barker (ENG) bt [7] Bradley Ball (ENG) 11-5, 10-11 (2-4), 11-5, 11-10 (3-1) (78m)
Quarter-finals:
[6] Shahier Razik (CAN) bt [1] Mohd Azlan Iskandar (MAS) 11-7, 10-11 (4-6), 11-4, 6-11, 11-9 (115m)
[5] Laurens Jan Anjema (NED) bt [3] Borja Golan (ESP) 11-4, 11-10 (2-0), 11-7 (45m)
[7] Bradley Ball (ENG) bt [4] Joey Barrington (ENG) 11-10 (3-1), 8-11, 11-4, 11-8 (31m)
[2] Peter Barker (ENG) bt [8] Matthew Giuffre (CAN) 11-4, 11-6, 11-6 (31m)
1st round:
[1] Mohd Azlan Iskandar (MAS) bt [Q] David Phillips (CAN) 11-6, 11-4, 11-6 (40m)
[6] Shahier Razik (CAN) bt [Q] Yasser El Halaby (EGY) 11-3, 11-10 (2-0), 11-8 (45m)
[3] Borja Golan (ESP) bt Dan Jenson (AUS) 11-3, 10-11 (0-2), 8-11, 11-9, 11-5 (70m)
[5] Laurens Jan Anjema (NED) bt [Q] Bernardo Samper (COL) 11-8, 11-1, 11-2 (35m)
[7] Bradley Ball (ENG) bt [Q] Jan Koukal (CZE) 11-6, 11-8, 5-11, 11-6 (65m)
[4] Joey Barrington (ENG) bt Amr Mansi (EGY) 11-4, 11-2, 7-11, 11-9 (70m)
[8] Matthew Giuffre (CAN) bt Shawn Delierre (CAN) 9-11, 11-4, 11-3, 11-8 (60m)
[2] Peter Barker (ENG) bt Julian Illingworth (USA) 11-7, 11-5, 11-5 (40m)
Laurens Lifts Oregon Open Title
It was a case of 'sixth time lucky' for Laurens Jan Anjema when he upset second seed Peter Barker in the final of the inaugural Evergreen Oregon Squash Open to lift his first PSA Tour title for more than two years at Multnomah Athletic Club in Portland in the US state of Oregon.
Since winning the Corona Britania Open in Mexico in June 2004, the 24-year-old Dutchman has ended as runner-up in five Tour events around the world. "LJ was clearly ecstatic to get his first win for over two years here in Portland," said tournament spokesman James Daigle.
The two left-handers came out firing on all cylinders, a sharp contrast to some of the marathon matches earlier in the week. But it was fifth seed Anjema who took the upper hand early in the game, cruising to his 11-4, 11-4, 11-2 title-winning victory in just 35 minutes.
Barker confessed to the crowd later that his match with fellow countryman Bradley Ball the night before - a 78-minute marathon - had taken a lot out of him. By comparison, Anjema caught his semi-final opponent Shahier Razik coming off a two-hour trench battle with top seed Mohd Azlan Iskandar.
The English runner-up commented that Anjema's win was a testament to his conditioning and that on this night the better man won. Anjema was equally gracious in victory, thanking the sponsors, organizers and the fans for their support throughout the week.
The victory marks Anjema's fifth career PSA Tour title triumph - and his second in the USA.
Anjema & Barker To Meet In Oregon Final
Fifth seed Laurens Jan Anjema and No2 seed Peter Barker will meet in the final of the inaugural Evergreen Oregon Squash Open after marathon semi-final encounters in the 3-star PSA Tour event at Multnomah Athletic Club in Portland in the US state of Oregon.
Dutchman Anjema twice had to come from behind to overcome Canada's sixth seed Shahier Razik, the surprise victor over top-seeded Malaysian Mohd Azlan Iskandar in a marathon quarter-final clash. Anjema prevailed 5-11, 11-8, 10-11 (0-2), 11-4, 11-2 in 88 minutes to reach his second PSA Tour final in the month.
Barker also needed more than an hour to overcome fellow Englishman Bradley Ball, the seventh seed, 11-5, 10-11 (2-4), 11-5, 11-10 (3-1) to celebrate the 12th PSA Tour final appearance of his career.
The final, between two left-handers, will mark the pair's first Tour meeting!
Barker Survives Seeds Slaughter In Portland
England's Peter Barker was the only top four seed to survive a dramatic quarter-final day in the Evergreen Oregon Squash Open at Multnomah Athletic Club in Portland in the US state of Oregon.
The second seed from Essex took just 31 minutes to overcome Canada's No8 seed Matthew Giuffre 11-4, 11-6, 11-6 to claim his anticipated place in the last four of the inaugural 3-star PSA Tour event.
But his opponent will be fellow Englishman Bradley Ball, the seventh seed who upset compatriot Joey Barrington - the No4 seed ranked nine places higher in the world - 11-10 (3-1), 8-11, 11-4, 11-8.
The outstanding match of the session saw Canada's Shahier Razik claim the scalp of on opponent 18 places higher in the Dunlop PSA world rankings. But it took the 29-year-old sixth seed from Toronto 115 minutes to secure the shock 11-7, 10-11 (4-6), 11-4, 6-11, 11-9 victory over world No17 Mohd Azlan Iskandar, the top seed from Malaysia.
Razik will now meet fifth seed Laurens Jan Anjema after the Dutchman stopped third-seeded Spaniard Borja Golan 11-4, 11-10 (2-0), 11-7.
Semi-final line-up:
[6] Shahier Razik (CAN) v [5] Laurens Jan Anjema (NED)
[2] Peter Barker (ENG) v [7] Bradley Ball (ENG)
Borja Powers Through In Portland
Spanish number one Borja Golan had to fight back from 2/1 down to overcome Australia's Dan Jenson in the Evergreen Oregon Squash Open in what was described as the "highlight" first round match of the 3-star PSA Tour event at Multomah Athletic Club in Portland in the US state of Oregon.
The third seed dominated the first game, punishing Jenson with the tight balls to the front court after long, tough rallies. The unseeded Australian started the second game well, moving up to game-ball at 10-9. Golan evened the score at 10-all on a stroke, but Jenson took the next two points to close out the game.
The 31-year-old from Adelaide continued his strong play in the third, playing to great width to take the game and go ahead in the match. In the fourth, however, the 24-year-old from Santiago struck back to lead 9-5 - but Jenson closed the gap to 9-9. Jenson, a former world No5, controlled the next rally, but hit the tin on a cross-court drop to give Golan game ball. The Spaniard closed out the game on a controversial stroke call - then in the fifth continued to punish Jenson to secure the match 11-3, 10-11 (0-2), 8-11, 11-9, 11-5 after 70 minutes.
By contrast, Golan's opponent in the quarter-finals survived the shortest first round match - beating Colombian qualifier Bernardo Samper 11-8, 11-1, 11-2 in just 35 minutes.
England's second seed Peter Barker disappointed local crowds when he beat Portland squash hero Julian Illingworth, the US National champion, 11-7, 11-5, 11-5. Barker's opponent in the next round will another north American, eighth seed Matthew Giuffre, who beat fellow Canadian Shawn Delierre 9-11, 11-4, 11-3, 11-8 in 60 minutes.
Quarter-final line-up:
[1] Mohd Azlan Iskandar (MAS) v [6] Shahier Razik (CAN)
[3] Borja Golan (ESP) v [5] Laurens Jan Anjema (NED)
[4] Joey Barrington (ENG) v [7] Bradley Ball (ENG)
[2] Peter Barker (ENG) v [8] Matthew Giuffre (CAN)
Qualifying finals:
Bernardo Samper (COL) bt Paul Davis (AUS) 11-10 (2-0), 11-6, 11-9 (42m)
Jan Koukal (CZE) bt Tony James (AUS) 11-7, 11-7, 11-8 (51m)
David Phillips (CAN) bt Wade Johnstone (AUS) 11-1, 11-5, 11-4 (28m)
Yasser El Halaby (EGY) bt Christopher Gordon (USA) 11-7, 11-6, 11-3 (36m)
El Halaby Dashes US Hopes In Oregon
Egyptian Yasser El Halaby dashed hopes of further US interest in the Evergreen Oregon Squash Open when he beat Christopher Gordon in the qualifying finals of the 3-star PSA Tour event at Multomah Athletic Club in Portland in the US state of Oregon.
Halaby, 22, from Cairo, despatched the second-highest-ranked American in the PSA world rankings 11-7, 11-6, 11-3 in 36 minutes - and is drawn to meet Canadian Shahier Razik, the sixth seed, in the first round.
Canadian David Phillips received the toughest draw when he survived the qualifiers after beating Australian Wade Johnstone 11-1, 11-5, 11-4. The 26-year-old from Montreal will take on top seed Mohd Azlan Iskandar, the world No17 from Malaysia.
Updated 1st round draw:
[1] Mohd Azlan Iskandar (MAS) v [Q] David Phillips (CAN)
[6] Shahier Razik (CAN) v [Q] Yasser El Halaby (EGY)
[3] Borja Golan (ESP) v Dan Jenson (AUS)
[5] Laurens Jan Anjema (NED) v [Q] Bernardo Samper (COL)
[7] Bradley Ball (ENG) v [Q] Jan Koukal (CZE)
[4] Joey Barrington (ENG) v Amr Mansi (EGY)
[8] Matthew Giuffre (CAN) v Shawn Delierre (CAN)
[2] Peter Barker (ENG) v Julian Illingworth (USA)
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