Germany's
Simon Rosner celebrated the sixth PSA World Tour title of his
career after triumphing in four games in the final of the Santiago Open,
the PSA International 25 squash event staged on an all-glass court at the
Central Area Shopping Center in Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
After
making his breakthrough in the semi-finals, where he stunned local hero and
defending champion Borja Golan in a 73-minute marathon, it took the world
No18 from Paderborn a minute longer to subdue Australian Cameron Pilley
in the climax.
Fourth seed
Pilley also overturned the seedings in the semis - removing 2010 champion
Adrian Grant, the top seed from England.
And the
world No17 from New South Wales took the opening game in the final before Rosner
- ranked a single place lower - battled back to move 2/1 up.
Both
players gave it their all in the fourth, with Pilley reaching game-ball three
times in a bid to take the match into a fifth game decider.
But Rosner
held his nerve to close out the match 8-11, 11-5, 11-8, 16-14 to win his first
Tour title of the year.
"I'm just
so happy to have won my sixth PSA title," said the jubilant German afterwards.
"I have been working really hard and that paid off finally.
"I would
also really like to congratulate my opponent and roomie for a great match and a
fair final," added the 24-year-old.
Rosner Races
Into Santiago Semis
Germany's
Simon Rosner claimed the quickest quarter-final win in the Santiago Open
in Spain when he ended qualifier Shaun le Roux's run in the PSA World
Tour International 25 squash event staged on an all-glass court at the
Central Area Shopping Center in Santiago de Compostela.
The third seed
from Paderborn despatched South African Le Roux 11-9, 11-6, 11-9 in just 30
minutes to earn a clash with top seed Borja Golan, the top-ranked
Spaniard playing in his home town.
"I played well
apart from the first points in the first game, but managed to just sneak that
game 11-9," said the six-time German national champion. "Afterwards I played
better and managed to hit the corners!
"I'm looking
forward to my match tomorrow and hope to reach the final," added the 24-year-old
world No18.
Golan, the
defending champion bidding for his third Santiago Open title since 2008,
survived the longest match of the day - stretched to four games and 62 minutes
before seeing off British U23 champion Adrian Waller 11-8, 11-9, 8-11,
11-9.
In the top
half of the draw, Englishman Adrian Grant moved closer to his fourth
final in a row after beating Malaysian Ivan Yuen 11-8, 11-5, 11-5.
The top seed,
ranked 19 in the world, will now face fourth seed Cameron Pilley. The
Australian number recovered from a game down to defeat Egyptian Omar Abdel
Aziz 9-11, 11-7, 11-4, 11-1.
Incredibly,
Grant and Pilley - who have shared places in the world top 20 for more than six
years and first met in 2002 - will be celebrating their first PSA World Tour
meeting since 2007!
Le Roux Leaps
Over Lee In Santiago Surprise
South African
Shaun le Roux became the only qualifier to claim a place in the
quarter-finals of the Santiago Open in Spain when he upset England's
Joe Lee in the first round of the PSA World Tour International 25
squash event staged on an all-glass court at the Central Area Shopping Center
in Santiago de Compostela.
Lee, who
celebrated a career-high world No53 ranking this month and went on to qualify
for his first PSA World Series event this year at the US Open,
took the opening game.
But Le Roux,
winner of the recent Central Gauteng Open in his home country and ranked
almost 30 places lower, recovered the initiative to take the next three to win
5-11, 11-8, 11-4, 11-3 in 50 minutes.
The Cape
Town-born 26-year-old will now face third seed Simon Rosner after the
German number one despatched England's Chris Ryder 11-7, 11-7, 11-5.
Local hero
Borja Golan, the defending champion, swept into the quarter-finals after
taking out Indian number one Saurav Ghosal, the highest-ranked unseeded
player in the draw.
Second seed
Golan, born and raised in Santiago de Compostela and twice a winner of the
event, brushed aside the world No23 11-7, 11-4, 11-6.
Golan, ranked
16 in the world, is expected to face England's top seed Adrian Grant in a
repeat of last year's final. Londoner Grant, the 2010 champion, successfully
embarked on his bid to make the final for the fourth year in a row by beating
top-ranked Hungarian Mark Krajcsak 12-10, 11-3, 11-2.
Grant will
face Malaysian Ivan Yuen for a place in the semi-finals, while Golan
takes on Englishman Adrian Waller.
