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Giant-Killer Kemp
Wins Wolverhampton Open
England’s world No28 Jonathan Kemp continued his
irrepressible form at the Wolverhampton Open to clinch the
title after upsetting second-seeded compatriot Alister
Walker in the final of the $20,000 PSA World Tour squash
event in its fourth year at Wolverhampton Lawn Tennis & Squash
Club in Wolverhampton, England.
The 28-year-old sixth seed, who was born in Wolverhampton, had
reached the final against expectations after knocking out top-seeded
Dutchman Laurens Jan Anjema in the semi-finals.
And in the final, Kemp recorded an emphatic 11-4, 11-6, 11-9 win to
clinch the UK’s largest club-based squash championship title.
Both finalists, competing in the event as part of their final
preparations for the internationalSPORTgroup British Open in
Manchester, showed remarkable resilience and powers of
endurance after a succession of hard matches in earlier rounds.
The left-hander overcame spirited resistance from Walker, ranked 12
in the world, to the delight of a knowledgeable capacity crowd at
the Wolverhampton club.
"That is without question the best I have ever played," said the
local favourite. "Alister has beaten me on the last three
occasions, so I am really pleased with my win tonight – I am sure we
will have a lot of future battles.
"I
had to play my very best having had tough matches in every round,"
added Kemp, now based in Halifax in Yorkshire. "Although the
competition for this event is getting stronger each year, I’m
already looking forward to coming back to defend my title. I really
would like to thank my coaches David Pearson and David Campion;
Danny Massaro my psychologist; and Jade Elias my physio; who have
been working with me over the summer - clearly to good effect!"
Stephen Russell,
the Tournament Director, said: "The crowds this year have been
fantastic with more or less a full house from the first qualifying
round. I would like to add a thank you to four of the professional
competitors who stayed to the end of the week and put on a highly
entertaining doubles match before the men’s final. Amr Swelim and
Campbell Grayson narrowly defeated Simon Rosner and Darren Lewis in
a match full of tension and laughter.
"Without the support of our sponsors we cannot stage these events -
so very many thanks to Marstons, Warley Carriers, First City
Developments, TKBS and Digital HDMI."
Kemp's remarkable success marked his fourth PSA Tour title of the
year - achieved in five successive final appearances since March,
with title triumphs in the Manitoba Open in Canada, and then
the Berkshire Open and Atlanta Open in the USA before
his 'hometown' success in Wolverhampton.
Local Star Kemp
Sets Up First All-English Wolverhampton Open Final
England's Jonathan Kemp continued his giant-killing run in
the Wolverhampton Open by upsetting top seed Laurens Jan
Anjema to set up the first all-English final of the $20,000
PSA World Tour squash event in its fourth year at
Wolverhampton Lawn Tennis & Squash Club in Wolverhampton,
England.
The Wolverhampton-born sixth seed was in devastating form to
overcome Dutchman Anjema in an epic 11-4, 12-10, 5-11, 8-11, 11-0,
60-minute semi-final.
The favourite, ranked 13 in the world, showed no signs of fatigue,
despite a physical 84-minute quarter-final win over Englishman
Joey Barrington less than twenty-four hours earlier.
Kemp sought to seize the initiative from the opening exchanges with
adventurous and at times outrageous attacking squash and eventually
overcame Anjema in the fifth game, despite a spirited comeback from
the Dutchman which saw him level the match at two games all by
winning the third and fourth games with greater consistency and
breathtaking retrieval.
"I
played out of my skin tonight," said Kemp, the world No28. "Playing
in front my home crowd has really inspired me this week. They have
given me huge support and created a very special atmosphere. I hope
I can come back tomorrow and give the supporters something more to
shout about."
Kemp, celebrating the 11th PSA Tour final of his career and looking
for his fourth trophy of the year, faces compatriot Alister
Walker, the second seed who defeated Malaysia’s Ong Beng Hee
10-12, 11-8, 11-7, 11-7 to reach the final of the UK’s biggest
club-based squash championships.
"Today was very hard and I had to dig really deep to win," said the
world No12 from Leeds. "Beng Hee is a great player and the fact
that he is currently ranked nineteen in the world demonstrates the
strength in depth on the men’s World Tour. Today is the first time
we have ever played and I’m really pleased to have progressed to the
final."
The 26-year-old Englishman, who has risen nineteen places in the
world rankings since last year's event, is celebrating the sixth PSA
final of his career.
Local Star Kemp
Claims Semi-Final Slot In Wolverhampton
England's Jonathan Kemp celebrated the return to the city of
his birth in fine style when he beat New Zealand's Campbell
Grayson in four games in the Wolverhampton Open to claim
an unexpected semi-final berth in the $20,000 PSA World Tour
squash event in its fourth year at Wolverhampton Lawn Tennis &
Squash Club in Wolverhampton, England.
Campbell Grayson, who despatched No3 seed Amir Atlas Khan in
the opening round, was unable to progress past sixth seed Kemp, who
won 11-4, 6-11, 11-7, 11-6 to make the semis for the first time in
his third appearance in the event.
Kemp, the world No28 now based in Halifax in Yorkshire, will face
top seed Laurens Jan Anjema. The Dutchman won the opening
two games against Englishman Joey Barrington in convincing
style before a courageous fight back from the fifth seed saw
Barrington take the third and fourth games. But the Dutch champion
regained the advantage to win 11-5, 11-4, 7-11, 7-11, 11-6 in a
physical 84-minute battle.
Second seed Alister Walker, one of the UK’s rising squash
stars, scored an impressive 11-5, 11-4, 11-1 win over Italian
seventh seed Davide Bianchetti.
Walker, who defeated Irish qualifier John Rooney in his
opening match, outplayed his Italian opponent with a combination of
high tempo length, subtle changes of pace and attacking angles and
drop shots to reach his second semi-final in two years at
Wolverhampton.
"I
felt really strong today," said the Botswana-born world No12 after
his 32-minute victory. “I was really pleased to win against an
opponent who has so much experience. Hopefully, I can keep the
momentum going against Beng Hee tomorrow in the semis."
The final match of the evening saw Malaysia’s Ong Beng Hee,
the fourth seed, clinch the remaining semi-final place after
defeating England's eighth seed Chris Ryder 11-6, 12-10, 11-8
in a high quality competitive and entertaining 47-minute encounter.
Khan Crashes As
Grayson Progresses In Wolverhampton
Kiwi qualifier Campbell Grayson pulled off a stunning upset
on the opening day of the Wolverhampton Open when he battled
to a four-game win over third seed Aamir Atlas Khan – ranked
almost 40 places higher in the world – to claim a surprise place in
the quarter-finals of the $20,000 PSA World Tour squash event
in its fourth year at Wolverhampton Lawn Tennis & Squash Club
in Wolverhampton, England.
The 23-year-old from Auckland upstaged Khan, sending the world
number 14 out of the tournament with an 11-7, 9-11, 11-7, 11-7
victory in 51 minutes. The triumph marks Grayson's first ever Tour
win over a top 20 player.
The world number 53 will now face sixth-seeded Englishman
Jonathan Kemp, the Wolverhampton-born world number 28 who beat
Germany's highest-ranked player Simon Rosner 11-7, 11-7,
11-2.
Laurens Jan Anjema,
the top seed from the Netherlands who was runner-up last year, had
to work hard to overcome New Zealand’s Kashif Shuja before
earning his place in the next round with an 11-6, 9-11, 11-5, 11-6
win.
The world No13 will face England's Joey Barrington after the
fifth seed survived a physical encounter against Yasir Butt,
finally beating the Pakistan qualifier 6-11, 11-4, 10-12, 11-6, 11-4
after 79 minutes.
Indeed, there will be domestic interest in all four quarter-finals
after second seed Alister Walker and eighth seed Chris
Ryder also prevailed. Walker, who is celebrating a career-high
world No12 ranking, eased through with a resounding 11-7, 11-1,
13-11 win over Irish qualifier John Rooney.
Walker will now face Davide Bianchetti following the
Italian's straightforward 11-7, 11-6, 11-7 win over Englishman
Jaymie Haycocks.
Chris Ryder marked his return to the club where he used to be the
squash pro with an 11-4, 10-12, 11-4, 11-5 victory over Italian
qualifier Amr Swelim. The 29-year-old from Leamington Spa
will now take on Malaysian Ong Beng Hee for a place in the
semi-finals.
The fourth seed from Penang despatched Egypt's Omar Abdel Aziz
13-11, 11-5, 8-11, 11-8 in an enthralling and entertaining 54-minute
victory.
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