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Alarcon Battles To
Ecuador Open Success
Brazilian outsider Rafael F Alarcon concluded a trio of
upsets in the Ecuador Open to win the title after battling to
a dramatic five-game victory over Mexican Jorge Isaac Baltazar
Ferreira in the climax of the $21,500 PSA World Tour
squash event at the Quito Tenis Y Golf Club in the Ecuador
capital Quito.
The 32-year-old from Sao Paulo ousted second-seeded Colombian
Miguel Angel Rodriguez in the quarter-finals before despatching
Mexican Eric Galvez, the third seed, in the semis.
Fourth seed Jorge Isaac Baltazar Ferreira had reached the final for
the second year in a row - and was hoping for his first title
success.
And the 26-year-old world No58 from Mexico City took a 2/1 lead and
looked to be heading for victory in the fourth.
But seventh seed Alarcon clinched the tie-break to force the match
into a fifth-game decider.
"The fifth and final game was all about the mental strength; this is
where Alarcon made the difference," explained tournament spokesman
Juan Carlos Santacruz.
The underdog played precisely and wore out his opponent - rescuing
every single ball and playing a succession of winners before
celebrating his stunning 11-9, 8-11, 5-11, 12-10, 11-7 win after 79
minutes.
Alarcon's triumph marks the 13th PSA Tour title of his career - and
the fourth over the past three months after successes in the
Paraguay Open in Asuncion in June, the Ponta Grossa-Parana
Open in his home land in August, and in the Peru Open in
Lima last month.
Rafael Romps Into
Ecuador Open Final
Brazilian outsider Rafael F Alarcon stunned the crowds at the
Quito Tenis Y Golf Club when he secured his second successive
straight-game upset in the Ecuador Open to reach the final of
the $21,500 PSA World Tour squash event in the Ecuador
capital Quito.
The 32-year-old from Sao Paulo ousted second-seeded Colombian
Miguel Angel Rodriguez 11-5, 16-14, 11-8 in the quarter-finals
in his first Tour victory over his South American rival in more than
three years.
But there was no stopping the No7 seed in the semis when he faced
third seed Eric Galvez - and denied the event an all-Mexican
final by despatching the world No41, ranked 23 places higher, 11-7,
11-8, 11-6 in 38 minutes.
Alarcon is rediscovering the form which saw him reach a career-high
36 in December 2006. The world No64 is celebrating the 19th Tour
final of his career - and looking for his third title triumph this
year.
His opponent in the final will be Jorge Isaac Baltazar Ferreira,
the fourth seed from Mexico City who ended Leandro Romiglio's
run in just 22 minutes, beating the Argentina qualifier 11-3, 11-8,
11-4.
It
marked the end of a fine run by Romiglio, an 18-year-old from Mar
Del Plata in only his fourth appearance in a PSA Tour event.
But it takes Baltazar Ferreira into the Quito final for the second
year in a row - and moves the 28-year-old into the 13th Tour final
of his career.
South Americans
Prosper In Ecuador Open
There will be five South Americans in the quarter-finals of the
Ecuador Open after Colombian Bernardo Samper, Argentinean
Leandro Romiglio and local hope Mateo Guarderas
prevailed against expectations in the opening round of the $21,500
PSA World Tour squash event at Quito Tenis Y Golf Club
in the Ecuador capital Quito.
Wildcard Mateo Guarderas became the luckiest quarter-finalist when
top seed Borja Golan failed to recover from the knee injury
sustained in last week's Colombian Open final.
"Golan felt his knee was still very unstable, and despite the effort
he put in to play he didn’t feel confident to continue," explained
tournament spokesman Juan Carlos Santacruz. "To the
audience's dismay, he decided to retire."
Quito-based Guarderas, ranked 399 in the world, will face Leandro
Romiglio after the Argentinean became "the grand revelation of the
Ecuador Squash Open" by beating sixth-seeded Welshman Rob
Sutherland 11-5, 11-7, 4-1 (ret.) in just 21 minutes.
"A
surprised Sutherland ran out of air and couldn’t find his game,"
said Santacruz.
Unseeded Colombian Bernardo Samper scored a notable scalp
when he beat fifth seed Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan, twice stemming
fight-backs by the Malaysian before clinching his 11-6, 7-11, 11-6,
12-14, 11-9 in 49 minutes after six match-balls.
Bogota-born Samper, now based in New York, will be joined by fellow
countryman Miguel Angel Rodriguez in the last eight. In an
emotive hour-long match, second seed Rodriguez beat Mexican opponent
Cesar Salazar 11-9, 9-11, 11-7, 11-6.
Mexican Jorge Isaac Baltazar Ferreira successfully began his
bid to make the final for the second year in a row after beating
fellow countryman Miled Zarazua, a qualifier, 11-8, 11-8,
11-9.
The 26-year-old from Mexico City will now meet Robin Clarke,
the only North American in the draw. Clarke, the No8 seed from
Ottawa in Canada, took just 21 minutes to despatch US-based South
African Regardt Schonborn 11-2, 11-3, 11-7. |
