01/05/2007
LOOSE SWISS CLASSIC
Mexican comes through to win Loose
TOURNAMENT:
Losone Swiss Squash Classic, Losone, Switzerland
RESULTS:
1st round:
[1] Eric Galvez (MEX) bt Yann Perrin (FRA) 11-3, 11-4, 11-9 (45m)
Nicolas Mueller (SUI) bt [8] Luca Mastrostefano (ITA) 4-11, 11-3, 11-4, 11-5
(31m)
[Q] Patrick Gaessler (GER) bt [3] Ritwik Bhattacharya (IND) 10-4 ret.
[5] Julian Illingworth (USA) bt [Q] Arthur Gaskin (IRL) 11-2, 7-11, 11-9,
11-7 (53m)
[7] Badr Abdel Aziz (SWE) bt [Q] David Barnett (ENG) 10-11 (0-2), 11-5,
11-4, 11-4 (52m)
[4] Scott Handley (ENG) bt Mathieu Castagnet (FRA) 11-6, 10-11 (0-2), 11-3,
11-4 (40m)
Tony James (AUS) bt [6] Julien Balbo (FRA) 11-6, 11-8, 1-11, 3-11, 11-7
(49m)
[2] Rafael F Alarcon (BRA) bt [Q] Friedrich Scheel (GER) 11-4, 11-5, 11-6
(24m)
Quarter-finals:
[1] Eric Galvez (MEX) bt Nicolas Mueller (SUI) 11-9, 4-11, 11-6, 11-6 (48m)
[5] Julian Illingworth (USA) bt [Q] Patrick Gaessler (GER) 11-6, 9-11, 11-5,
5-11, 11-10 (3-1) (69m)
[4] Scott Handley (ENG) bt [7] Badr Abdel Aziz (SWE) 11-5, 6-11, 11-7, 11-3
(33m)
[2] Rafael F Alarcon (BRA) bt Tony James (AUS) 11-10 (2-0), 9-11, 11-3, 11-3
(34m)
Semi-finals:
[1] Eric Galvez (MEX) bt [5] Julian Illingworth (USA) 9-11, 11-9, 11-6,
8-11, 11-7 (92m)
[2] Rafael F Alarcon (BRA) bt [4] Scott Handley (ENG) 11-6, 11-3, 11-6 (33m)
Final:
[1] Eric Galvez (MEX) bt [2] Rafael F Alarcon (BRA) 4-11, 11-7, 11-5, 11-6
(66m)
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QUALIFING
Qualifying finals:
David Barnett (ENG) bt Ryan Thompson (NAM) 11-6, 8-11, 11-4, 11-10 (2-0)
(48m)
Patrick Gaessler (GER) bt Andre Haschker (GER) 11-3, 11-4, 11-6 (35m)
Friedrich Scheel (GER) bt Mohamed Elkeiy (EGY) 11-3, 10-11 (2-4), 9-11,
11-3, 11-8 (60m)
Arthur Gaskin (IRL) bt Stuart Crawford (SCO) 11-5, 11-3, 7-11, 4-11, 11-9
(74m)
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REPORTS
FINAL:
Galvez Gets Champion Alarcon In Losone Final
Mexico's Eric Galvez justified his seeding in the Losone Swiss Squash
Classic when he defeated Brazil's defending champion Rafael F Alarcon in the
final of the PSA Tour event in its third year at the Squash Center in Losone,
Switzerland.
The 23-year-old top seed from Puebla recovered from the effects of a
marathon 92-minute encounter with US National Champion Julian Illingworth in
the previous round to fight back from a game down to beat Alarcon, seeded
two, 4-11, 11-7, 11-5, 11-6 in 66 minutes.
It was the fourth straight PSA Tour win by Galvez over his Pan American
rival - and a victory which brought the world No36 his first Tour win of the
year, but the sixth of his career.
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SEMI-FINALS
Top Seeds Reach Losone Final
Mexican favourite Eric Galvez and Brazil's defending champion Rafael F
Alarcon will contest the final of the Losone Swiss Squash Classic after
contrasting semi-finals at the Squash Center in Losone, Switzerland.
Galvez was pushed to the limit by the ever-improving Julian Illingworth, the
fifth seed from the USA. The Mexican held off tough resistance from his
American opponent - his experience on the big points shining through as he
secured his 9-11, 11-9, 11-6, 8-11, 11-7 victory after 92 minutes.
In the other semi final, second seed Alarcon easily defeated Scott Handley,
the No4 seed from England. The Englishman, clearly troubled by a groin
injury, was unable to sustain the kind of pressure necessary for him to stay
in the match as the Brazilian marched through to his second successive final
appearance following an 11-6, 11-3, 11-6 win in 33 minutes.
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QUARTER-FINALS
Illingworth Tested By Gaessler In Losone
US champion Julian Illingworth was taken the full distance by Patrick
Gaessler before beating the German qualifier in a tie-break to reach the
semi-finals of the Losone Swiss Squash Classic in Switzerland.
After a tight battle all the way, it was 22-year-old Gaessler, from
Stuttgart, who had the upper hand all the way through the fifth game to
reach match-ball at 10-8. But Illingworth hung in and recovered to record a
morale-boosting 11-6, 9-11, 11-5, 5-11, 11-10 (3-1) victory in 69 minutes.
The fifth seed from Portland will now meet Eric Galvez, the top seed from
Mexico who ended the brave run of Switzerland's 'young gun' Nicolas Mueller.
The 17-year-old recently-crowned European Junior Champion managed to stay
with the favourite well into the third game - but then the Mexican's
high-tempo game started to tell physically on his younger opponent as he
went on to win 11-9, 4-11, 11-6, 11-6 in 48 minutes.
Brazil's defending champion Rafael F Alarcon is one match away from his
second successive final appearance at the Squash Center in Losone after
beating Australia's Tony James 11-10 (2-0), 9-11, 11-3, 11-3.
The 29-year-old second seed from Sao Paulo now meets England's Scott
Handley. The fourth seed from Oxfordshire beat Sweden's No7 seed Badr Abdel
Aziz 11-5, 6-11, 11-7, 11-3.
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FIRST ROUND
Junior Champion Mueller Shines On Senior Stage At Home
Nicolas Mueller, who became Switzerland's first winner of the European
Junior U19 Championship earlier in the month, showed off his skills on the
senior stage on home soil when he upset Italy's No8 seed Luca Mastrostefano
in the first round of the Losone Swiss Squash Classic.
The 17-year-old from Hirzel, near Zurich, fought back from a game down to
beat Mastrostefano 4-11, 11-3, 11-4, 11-5 to reach the quarter-finals of the
PSA Tour event in its third year at the Squash Center in Losone,
Switzerland.
Mueller will now face Eric Galvez, the top-seeded Mexican who despatched
France's Yann Perrin 11-3, 11-4, 11-9.
Another surprise winner was German qualifier Patrick Gaessler. Up 10-4 in
the first game against India's third seed Ritwik Bhattacharya, the
22-year-old from Stuttgart found himself in the quarter-finals when the
world No46 from New Delhi was forced to retire with a knee injury.
Gaessler will meet fifth seed Julian Illingworth, the US National Champion
who overcame Irish qualifier Arthur Gaskin in four hard-fought games.
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QUALIFYING
Scheel & Gaessler Boost German Hopes In Losone
Germans Patrick Gaessler and Friedrich Scheel won through the qualifying
finals of the Losone Swiss Squash Classic to secure places in the main draw
of the PSA Tour event in its third year at the Squash Center in Losone,
Switzerland.
Scheel produced the biggest upset of the day, fighting his way back against
Mohammed Elkeiy of Egypt from two games to one down to win 11-3, 10-11
(2-4), 9-11, 11-3, 11-8 in 60 minutes. The 22-year-old from Paderborn meets
Brazil's No2 seed Rafael F Alarcon, the defending champion, in the first
round.
German National Team members Patrick Gaessler and Andre Haschker fought it
out together - but 22-year-old Gaessler proved too strong, comfortably
winning in three games to stretch his winning run against Haschker to five
matches in recent meetings.
In the last match between Arthur Gaskin and Stuart Crawford, Irishman Gaskin
saw his two love lead whittled back to two all. At 9-9 all in the decider,
Gaskin played a backhand crosscourt volley-nick off Crawford's serve and
followed it up with a fine backhand drop winner to book his place in the
first round.
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