23/09/2012
NASH CUP 2012
Three Up For Illingworth At Nash Cup
Nash
Cup 2012
17-22 Sep, London, Ontario, $10k |
Round One
19 Sep |
Quarters
20 Sep |
Semis
21 Sep |
Final
22 Se |
[1] Julian Illingworth (Usa)
11-6, 11-6, 11-5 (36m)
Scott Arnold (Aus) |
Julian Illingworth
11-9, 2-11, 11-7,
6-11, 11-5 (74m)
Anthony Graham |
Julian Illingworth
7-11, 11-8, 11-7,
11-9 (56m)
Andrew Schnell |
Julian Illingworth
6-11, 11-9, 11-6, 11-6 (59m)
Olivier Pett |
Anthony Graham (Eng)
7-11, 11-6, 11-4, 11-7 (55m)
David Letourneau (Can) |
Andrew Schnell (Can)
11-5, 11-2, 15-13 (30m)
[Q] Tyler Hamilton (Can) |
Andrew Schnell
11-13, 11-6,
11-13, 11-1, 12-10 (70m)
Jan Koukal |
[3] Jan Koukal (Cze)
12-10, 11-6, 11-4 (30m)
[Q] Adrian Dudzicki (Can |
[Q] Fred Reid (Can)
15-13, 9-11, 11-6, 11-9 (36m)
[4] Olivier Pett (Eng) |
Olivier Pett
12-10, 11-8, 11-4
(26m)
Yann Perrin |
Olivier Pett
11-7, 7-11, 11-8,
13-11 (56m)
Clinton Leeuw |
Yann Perrin (Fra)
11-3, 12-10, 5-11, 11-3 (46m)
Andrew McDougall (Can) |
Thomas Brinkman (Can)
16-14, 11-5, 5-11, 11-7 (46m)
[Q] Matt Serediak (Can) |
Thomas Brinkman
13-11, 11-1, 11-7
(39m)
Clinton Leeuw |
Clinton Leeuw (Rsa)
9-11, 11-7, 11-9, 9-11, 13-11 (97m)
[2] Shawn Delierre (Can) |
Three Up For
Illingworth At Nash Cup
US squash star
Julian Illingworth picked up his third PSA World Tour title in a
row when he beat England's Olivier Pett in the final of the Nash Cup,
the PSA Challenger 10 event in its fifth year at the London Squash
Racquets Club in London in the Canadian province of Ontario.
The record
eight-time US national champion had dropped games in both the previous rounds -
and did so in the final as Pett, the fourth seed who made the final against
expectations after beating South African Clinton Leeuw in the semis,
opened a one-game lead.
Pett raced to
a 6-2 lead in the second, but favourite Illingworth battled back to draw level
before maintaining the upper hand in the next two games to close out the match
6-11, 11-9, 11-6, 11-6 in 59 minutes.
The victory
marks Illingworth's 12th successive match win after claiming the titles at the
Northern Ontario Championship in April and the BH Open in Brazil
earlier this month. In winning his eighth title on the PSA Tour, Illingworth
also becomes the first US Nash Cup champion.
"The Nash Cup
is the largest (size) trophy that Illingworth has won to date on the tour, and
we wish him the best of luck this season," said tournament director Dave
Morrish. "We look forward to having him back to defend his title next year!
"Jay Nash
ended the presentation ceremony by announcing that not only will we be having a
WSA event next year, but also that we will be upping our "purse" to $15k next
year!
"What a great
end to an unbelievable week," concluded Morrish.
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Pett Powers
Into Nash Cup Climax
England's
fourth seed Olivier Pett secured an unexpected place in the final of the
Nash Cup in Canada after defeating South African Clinton Leeuw in
the semi-finals of the PSA World Tour Challenger 10 squash event in its
fifth year at the London Squash Racquets Club in London, Ontario.
It was the end
of the run for unseeded Leeuw who made his breakthrough in the opening round
when he dismissed defending champion Shawn Delierre.
"The real
match started in the second game," reported Yann Perrin, the Frenchman
who lost to Pett in the previous round. "There were long rallies and Clinton
tried to take the ball earlier and got on to the volley more - and it was
working.
"He was to put
more pressure with his backhand drop, and he won the second. After the third and
the fourth, it was really close; but a few errors from Clinton gave the
opportunity to Olly to finish the point.
"The last
point exemplified what the match was all about - a great rally and some
fantastic retrieving, ending with a cross-court flat dead nick from Olly
reaching back under pressure high on the forehand."
Pett, the
23-year-old world No58 from Sussex, was delighted with his 11-7, 7-11, 11-8,
13-11 win: "It was a hard fought match! Clinton was playing with a lot of
confidence and I was nervous because I knew I was next on his to-do-list!
Luckily, I was able to squeeze some mistakes out of him and take the match.
"To be honest,
the longer the match went on the more nervous I became so I was very happy to
get the win. Clinton was running me around the court for a good portion of the
match, thankfully I enjoy burning calories. I love London Squash, everyone is
really nice and the gym is great!"
Pett will now
face top seed Julian Illingworth, the eight-time US champion who was
pushed all the way before overcoming local hope Andrew Schnell 7-11,
11-8, 11-7, 11-9.
Rising
Canadian star Schnell reached the semis after upsetting third seed Jan Koukal
in the previous round.
"Couldn't pull
another upset tonight, but overall a great event," tweeted the 20-year-old from
Calgary after his Nash Cup exit.
World No31
Illingworth is celebrating the 18th PSA Tour final of his career - and his third
in a row. By contrast, it will be only the third of Pett's career - but the
Englishman boasts 100% success in his previous two!
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Schnell Shoots
Down Koukal In Nash Cup Upset
Canadian
Andrew Schnell celebrated his second home soil upset over higher-ranked
Jan Koukal this year when he beat the Czech number one in a five-game
thriller in the quarter-finals of the Nash Cup, the PSA World Tour
Challenger 10 squash event in its fifth year at the London Squash
Racquets Club in London, Ontario.
The
20-year-old from Calgary recorded his first win over Koukal, the world No47 from
Prague, at the Bankers Hall Club Pro Am in his home city in January.
"This was a
roller coaster of a game and Andrew was to some extent in control of his own
destiny tonight and nearly committed suicide," explained Nash Cup tournament
director Dave Morrish. "He dictated so much of the play and forced Jan
into a waiting and absorbing game.
"Jan's
retrieving was often breath-taking. Andrew most definitely took the game to Jan
tonight and attacked at every opportunity, both short and deep. His error rate
was pretty high for a match of this level but at the end of the day, squash was
the winner as Andrew hit a few more winners than he did errors!"
The match went
the full distance, with Schnell ultimately triumphing 11-13, 11-6, 11-13, 11-1,
12-10 in 70 minutes.
"Jan and I
played a while back, that game also went to five, so I knew that when things got
tough in today's match I could pull through and take it," said Schnell, the
world No82. "Really excited to get through considering Jan is a very good player
and you never know how matches like that will go. Looking forward to tomorrow's
match, excited for the semis!"
The young
Canadian will now meet top seed Julian Illingworth, the world No31 from
New York. But the record eight times US champion was also taken the full
distance before overcoming unseeded Englishman Anthony Graham 11-9, 2-11,
11-7, 6-11, 11-5 in 74 minutes.
"I feel really
lucky to have made it through today," admitted 28-year-old Illingworth. "I
checked out for a bit but luckily for me I was able to pull myself together and
come back. Seriously, Anthony is great and I feel lucky to get the win. He is
young and has a lot of talent which, if he nurtures it well could be anywhere in
the top 40."
His defeated
opponent summed up his reaction in one word: "Gutted! I thought I played well,
but I lost my concentration in patches and just couldn't come back. If I had
adapted to the change of pace that occurred during the third game that would
have put me in a better position to take the match.
"A lot of
positives to take out of this match - I just need to learn to play better at the
business end of the game," added the 22-year-old from Gloucestershire.
The other
semi-final will be an Anglo-South African clash between fourth seed Olivier
Pett and Cape Town-born Clinton Leeuw.
Englishman
Pett beat Canadian Thomas Brinkman 13-11, 11-1, 11-7, while unseeded
Leeuw - who secured his place in the last eight after ousting title-holder
champion Shawn Delierre in the opening round - continued his
giant-killing run by defeating higher-ranked Frenchman Yann Perrin 12-10,
11-8, 11-4.
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Big Mop
Delierre Dumped By Leeuw
Clinton
Leeuw
lasted out the longest match of his career when he ousted defending champion
Shawn Delierre in the opening round of the Nash Cup, the PSA World
Tour Challenger 10 squash event in its fifth year at the London Squash
Racquets Club in London in the Canadian province of Ontario.
The unseeded
30-year-old from South Africa fought back from a game down, then survived a
lengthy tie-break in the fifth game decider before finally clinching victory
over the third-seeded Canadian in his fourth match-ball 9-11, 11-7, 11-9, 9-11,
13-11 after 97 minutes.
World No45
Delierre is famous for his marathon encounters - this was his 17th Tour match
lasting more than 95 minutes since the PAR-to-11 scoring system was introduced
in 2004!
"I feel like a
big mop, with only the handle working," explained the 30-year-old from Toronto
afterwards. "I had to use the head of the handle because the legs weren't
working. I was happy with the B game that I brought. Credit to Clinton for not
letting me play my A game tonight."
Leeuw, ranked
almost 50 places lower, added: "I have known Shawn for six or seven years, and
he has climbed high in the rankings. I have a lot of respect for him and have
been psyching up for him all week. I'm very, very, happy with tonight - bit
battered and bruised but hopefully will feel OK in the morning!"
Thomas
Brinkman
kept home hopes alive after beating fellow Canadian Matthew Serediak, a
qualifier, 16-14, 11-5, 5-11, 11-7. The 23-year-old from British Columbia will
now face Leeuw for a place in the semi-finals.
Further
Canadian interest in the quarter-finals will be provided by Andrew Schnell,
the 20-year-old world No82 from Calgary who defeated Canadian qualifier Tyler
Hamilton 11-5, 11-2, 15-13.
Schnell will
face the Czech number one Jan Koukal after the third seed removed
Adrian Dudzicki, a qualifier from Ottawa, 12-10, 11-6, 11-4.
Schnell scored
his first ever Tour victory over world No47 Koukal in the Bankers Hall Club
Pro Am in his home city in January.
"I was a bit
shaky in the first game, but settled down after that and found the shots I
wanted," said Koukal after the opening match in his 19th PSA Tour event this
year.
"My next match
is against Andrew (Schnell) - and I'll be looking for revenge!"
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