Simpson Retains Bankers Hall Club Crown
A
masterful performance by Chris Simpson in the Talisman Energy
Bankers Hall Club Pro Am saw the Englishman successfully retain the
Canadian title after breezing through the established PSA World Tour
Challenger 10 squash event at the Bankers Hall Club in
Calgary without dropping a game.
"The
number two seed was clearly the class of the field this week," said
tournament organiser Bob Ballinger.
In the
final against unseeded Leo Au, Simpson was never threatened in
either of the first two games - winning them both comfortably. The
24-year-old from Harrogate in Yorkshire was determined not to let his
Hong Kong opponent have any opportunity to get in front of him with time
to utilise his great front court game.
The
third game saw the players go point for point until Simpson broke free
from five-all to take an 8-5 lead. Upon winning the final rally, a fist
pump from Simpson signalled his satisfaction at securing his title here
for the second time after an 11-3, 11-4, 11-7 scoreline.
"Simpson showed his experience in each match here against younger
opponents and his ability to solve the lively altitude-aided conditions
left all of them shaking their heads at times as well," added Ballinger.
The
triumph extends Simpson's distinguished record in PSA Tour finals to
five wins out of five!
Simpson Sets Sights On Second Calgary Crown
England's defending champion Chris Simpson is poised to become
only the second two-time winner of the Talisman Energy Bankers Hall
Club Pro Am title after coming through the semi-finals of Canada's
established PSA World Tour Challenger 10 squash event at the
Bankers Hall Club in Calgary.
But to
join Mexican Arturo Salazar as the only back-to-back winner of
the title, the Guernsey-born 24-year-old will have to overcome the
impressive Leo Au, the world No 87 from Hong Kong.
"Like
Simpson, Au has seemed to get better each match of this tenth annual
event here," said tournament organiser Bob Ballinger.
In
front of a packed afternoon crowd in downtown Calgary, Au put an end to
the impressive run of Charles Sharpes in a straight games
victory.
The
Englishman had spent over 90 minutes on court in each of his previous
two matches - in the first, removing top seeded Malaysian Mohd
Nafiizwan Adnan - and possibly was a half step off his pace of the
first two matches.
In
each game of their 61-minute semi-final, Au was always a comfortable
number of points ahead of Sharpes, who was unable to put himself into
Sunday's final. The 11-7, 11-4, 11-7 victory takes 21-year-old Au into
the sixth PSA Tour final of his career - but his first in North America.
The
second semi, between second seed Simpson and Canadian Andrew Schnell,
was a rematch of a first round encounter between these two players last
year, when Simpson started his run to winning the tournament by beating
the Calgary star in straight games.
"So
could Schnell, after one more year of experience on the PSA circuit as
well as international team play with Canada's national team, improve on
last year's result with Simpson?" said Ballinger.
Sadly
for the young Calgary player, there would not be a victory as the
defending champion Simpson turned in a near perfect match to take out
the 20-year-old 11-4, 11-5, 11-3 in 45 minutes.
"Simpson's game truly was one of the most impressive displays of squash
we have seen here for quite some time as it showed not only his
experience of being on the circuit for longer than Schnell but also how
he was able to cope with the lively courts here with altitude in
downtown Calgary," added Ballinger.
Simpson is marking the fifth Tour final of his career - and goes in to
the match with Au boasting a perfect four-wins-out-of-four record in his
previous finals.
Sole
Seed Simpson Progresses In Calgary
England's Chris Simpson, the sole seed in the last eight of the
Talisman Energy Bankers Hall Club Pro Am, progressed to the
semi-finals of the established PSA World Tour Challenger 10
squash event in Calgary after beating home hope David
Letourneau in straight games at Bankers Hall Club.
The
defending champion was in fine form and demonstrated once again that his
game really can match up against whatever style is thrown his way.
Second
seed Simpson defeated Letourneau, a 22-year-old from Calgary playing in
his hometown in front of family and friends, 11-7, 11-7, 11-6 in 46
minutes.
The
British Channel Islands-born 24-year-old will now meet another Calgarian
Andrew Schnell, a straight games winner over his older brother
Graeme Dobson Schnell.
"There
have been many memorable matches in the history of this tournament as
well as many much anticipated matches here too," explained tournament
organiser Bob Ballinger. "This was one that was very highly
anticipated, due in large part to the fact that the brothers were
playing in their hometown as well as that many in the crowd had watched
them play numerous local tournaments over the years.
"No
doubt the heavy favourite was the younger Schnell but some wondered how
he would handle playing not just his brother and great friend, but doing
it on such a big stage....the reward to be a berth in the semi finals
here.
"The
match was much like others with these two - Andrew being able to dictate
play most of the time with long rallies and great retrieving by both
players. With their father nervously looking on and their mother just
too anxious to even come and watch them it was Andrew who secured his
spot in the semis," concluded Ballinger after the 11-7, 11-7, 11-1
victory.
England giant-killer Charles Sharpes maintained his fine run in
the event. After ousting the top seed on day one, the 19-year-old
progressed to overcome fellow countryman Lewis Walters 9-11,
11-8, 13-11, 11-8 in 93 minutes.
"That
gives Sharpes a total of three hours and seven minutes of court time in
his two matches," added Ballinger. "There was never more than a
three-point difference at any time between these two before Sharpes was
able to string a crucial run from 6-6 in the fourth game to take a 9-6
lead which he rode to 11-8 in the final game."
Sharpes will now face Leo Au, the world No87 from Hong Kong who
beat Australian Scott Arnold 9-11, 11-6, 11-6, 11-5.
Sharpes Leads Upsets In Calgary
England's Charles Sharpes led a flurry of upsets on the opening
day of action in the Talisman Energy Bankers Hall Club Pro Am,
ousting top seed Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan to reach the quarter-finals
of the established PSA World Tour Challenger 10 squash event at
Bankers Hall Club in Calgary.
Despite sub zero temperatures hitting the Canadian city early this week,
first round play was very heated in many aspects. "Never in the history
of this tournament have there been so many upsets on the first day and
never before have three Calgarians made their way into the quarter
finals," said tournament director Bob Ballinger.
The
packed lunch time crowd at Bankers Hall Club were treated to a real back
and forth match that never saw more than a four point difference between
the two players as Sharpes pulled off a huge win to beat Adnan, the
world No32 from Malaysia, 10-12, 11-9, 11-9, 7-11, 11-9 in 94 minutes.
"Just
beat the seed 1 wan adnan world number 32 in a very tough 3-2 in the
first round #YES," tweeted the London-born 19-year-old after his
breakthrough victory.
Sharpes, ranked 96 in the world, now faces fellow countryman Lewis
Walters who downed Canadian hope Matthew Serediak 11-4, 11-9,
11-6.
But,
in his first official PSA event, local Calgarian and tournament wild
card Graeme Dobson Schnell thrilled the hometown crowd with an
exciting 11-9, 12-10, 3-11, 11-8 victory over Mexican national team
member Alfredo Avila.
After
winning a very tight first two games, 23-year-old Schnell lost his way
in third game only to prevail with a strong fourth game to take the
victory.
Shortly afterwards, Andrew Schnell joined his older brother in
the quarter-finals with a hard fought victory over tour veteran Jan
Koukal, the No3 seed from the Czech Republic, in 87 minutes.
Schnell junior, a Canadian senior international, led two games to one
and was 8-3 up in the fourth. But Koukal imposed his experience to draw
level. The Czech champion led 7-3 in the decider only to see Schnell win
seven straight points to reach match ball at 10-7. Again Koukal dug in
and tied things up at 10-10 - but the Canadian held his nerve to win
11-5, 6-11, 11-5, 11-13, 12-10 after 87 minutes to secure a
quarter-final berth against his older brother.
A
third seed bit the dust when Australia's Scott Arnold defeated
Dick Lau, the No4 seed from Hong Kong, 11-5, 12-10, 11-6.
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