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Thierry Takes Title On Reunion Island
The inaugural
Internationaux de la Reunion on Reunion Island celebrated the perfect
conclusion when former world champion Thierry Lincou - born on the Indian
Ocean island 33 years ago - lifted the $30,000 PSA World Tour squash
title at ASCTR-Stade Michel Volnay in Saint Pierre without
dropping a game.
Much to the delight of the
organisers, event favourite Lincou was in stunning form all week - ultimately
setting up the dream climax when he faced second seed Laurens Jan Anjema
in the final.
While the former world
number one Frenchman despatched Egypt's Mohd Ali Anwar Reda in straight
games in the semi-finals, Dutchman Anjema twice had to come from behind before
overcoming third-seeded Egyptian Omar Mosaad in a 78-minute marathon.
But after a close first
game which went to a tie-break, world number eight Lincou cruised to a 13-11,
11-3, 11-7 victory in 48 minutes to claim the Reunion crown.
The triumph takes Lincou's
PSA Tour title tally to 21 - putting the Marseille-based Frenchman just one
title below PSA Tour rival Amr Shabana, the three-time world champion
from Egypt. Shabana is in second place in the current players' title-winning
list - headed by David Palmer, the Australian who boasts 25.
Lincou & Anjema To Contest Reunion Island
Final
The top two seeds,
Thierry Lincou of France and Laurens Jan Anjema of the Netherlands,
will contest the final of the inaugural Internationaux de la Reunion
after coming through contrasting semi-finals in the $30,000 PSA World Tour
squash event at ASCTR-Stade Michel Volnay in Saint Pierre on
Reunion Island.
Lincou, the former world
champion and world number one who is competing for the first time in a Tour
event on the island of his birth, ended the run of Egypt's Mohd Ali Anwar
Reda - beating the No7 seed 11-6, 11-5, 11-2 in 47 minutes.
The straight games success
- Lincou has yet to drop a game in the tournament - takes the 33-year-old top
seed from Marseille into the 39th PSA Tour final of his career.
Second seed Anjema had a
much tougher test before claiming his anticipated place in the climax. The
26-year-old world No18 from The Hague twice had to come from behind before
overcoming third-seeded Egyptian Omar Mosaad 6-11, 13-11, 4-11, 11-5,
12-10, in 78 minutes.
The four-time Dutch
champion is celebrating his second Tour final in a week after winning the
Movida International Toulouse Open in France on the eve of his arrival in
Reunion. It will be the 21st PSA final of his career - but, surprisingly, only
the second time on the Tour the Dutchman has faced European rival Lincou since
their maiden meeting in the Qatar Classic in November 2005.
Reda Rallies Into Reunion Semis
Egypt's Mohd Ali Anwar
Reda secured a surprise semi-final slot in the Internationaux de la
Reunion on Reunion Island after surviving a marathon 72-minute battle
with Irishman Liam Kenny in the inaugural $30,000 PSA World Tour
squash event at ASCTR-Stade Michel Volnay in Saint Pierre.
Unseeded Kenny had reached
the last eight after a shock first round upset over England's fourth seed Tom
Richards. But, despite twice leading, the US-based 31-year-old was unable
to stop seventh seed Reda marching to a 6-11, 11-7, 2-11, 11-5, 11-2 victory -
and a place in the last four.
Reda now faces
Reunion-born former world champion Thierry Lincou for the first time in
his career. The top-seeded local star despatched French team-mate
Renan Lavigne, the fifth seed, 11-3, 11-6, 11-5.
There will also be
Egyptian interest in the other semi-final after third seed Omar Mosaad
defeated Australian Aaron Frankcomb, the No6 seed, 11-1, 11-8, 11-3.
The Cairo-based world No23
will now face Dutchman Laurens Jan Anjema, the second seed. Anjema,
fresh from his title triumph in last week's Movida International Toulouse
Open in France, was fully stretched by opponent Yann Perrin before
beating the unseeded Frenchman 9-11, 11-7, 11-3, 6-11, 11-5 in 67 minutes.
Thierry Takes Reunion Return
In His Stride
France's
former world champion Thierry Lincou marked the return to the island of
his birth in confident style with a comfortable straight games win in the first
round of the Internationaux de la Reunion, the inaugural $30,000 PSA
World Tour squash event at ASCTR-Stade Michel Volnay in Saint
Pierre on Reunion Island.
Lincou, making
his maiden PSA appearance on the Indian Ocean island which is some 200 km south
west of Mauritius, beat English qualifier Eddie Charlton 11-6, 11-6,
12-10 in 32 minutes.
The top seed,
ranked eight in the world, will now meet French team-mate Renan Lavigne,
the fifth seed who despatched French qualifier Johan Bouquet 11-4, 11-4,
11-1 in just 28 minutes.
French
interest in the last eight was boosted when unseeded Yann Perrin battled
to an 11-3, 11-5, 7-11, 13-11 shock win over Hungary's No8 seed Mark Krajcsak
in 62 minutes. The 23-year-old from Aix-en-Provence earns a clash with second
seed Laurens Jan Anjema.
The Dutchman,
fresh from his title triumph in last week's Movida International Toulouse
Open in France, recovered from a game down to beat Australian Scott
Arnold 8-11, 11-6, 11-3, 11-4.
But the
event's biggest upset came when unseeded Irishman Liam Kenny ousted
England's fourth seed Tom Richards 11-7, 11-9, 1-11, 11-9.
Kenny, making
amends for an unexpected first round exit in Toulouse, will now take on Mohd
Ali Anwar Reda, the seventh seed from Egypt who gained his place in the last
eight courtesy of an 11-7, 11-8, 11-6 win over English qualifier Rory Pennell.
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