Julian Illingworth,
the sole US entrant in the main draw of the Betty F Griffin Memorial
Florida State Open, produced the perfect home result by winning the
PSA World Tour Challenger 10 squash event at the Lifetime
Athletic Club in Boca Raton, USA.
The
top-seeded 28-year-old from New York reached the 19th Tour final of his
career when he beat unseeded South African Clinton Leeuw in the
semi-finals.
In the
other semi, fourth-seeded Welshman Peter Creed denied 2010
champion Alfredo Avila a second appearance in the final after
coming through a 61-minute five-game marathon against the 21-year-old
Mexican.
The
final was one of the longest matches of the championship, but record
eight-time US champion Illingworth edged through to beat Welsh champion
Creed - celebrating his fourth final of the year - 11-3, 9-11, 11-9,
11-6 in 70 minutes.
The
triumph marks the ninth Tour title of Illingworth's career - but his
fourth this year.
Leeuw
Outlasts Binnie In Florida Marathon
South
African Clinton Leeuw had to survive a 95-minute first round
marathon in the Betty F Griffin Memorial Florida State Open
before claiming his place in the quarter-finals of the PSA World Tour
Challenger 10 squash event at the Lifetime Athletic Club in
Boca Raton, USA.
The
Cape Town-born 30-year-old beat Jamaican qualifier Christopher Binnie
6-11, 11-8, 11-8, 8-11, 14-12.
"The
match between Leeuw and Binnie was spectacular," said event spokesman
Kevin Jullion. "Lots of tough points and athleticism on display.
Leeuw was very focused throughout and Binnie showed a great deal of grit
in levelling the match at two-all - coming back from a score of 4-8 in
the fourth game, and ultimately winning that game 11-8.
"That
was a pre-cursor to the fifth game, as the two traded off several match
points but were unable to close out. Finally, at 12-13 with a an
overhead forehand volley nick attempt Binnie tried to extend the match
still further but the shot clipped the top of the tin to end it."
Unseeded Leeuw, ranked 95 in the world, will now take on Yasir Ali
Butt, the third seed from Pakistan who beat English qualifier Tom
Pashley 5-11, 11-9, 11-5, 11-5.
But
Farhan Zaman, the 19-year-old world No93, failed to join compatriot
Butt in the last eight - going down 11-9, 11-8, 11-7 to lower-ranked
Australian Scott Arnold.
"First
upset win of season in the last tourn before xmas," tweeted Arnold
later. "Didn't need another reason to love Florida but I'll take it!"
US
interest in the event is being led by top seed Julian Illingworth.
The record eight-time US champion beat Canadian Thomas Brinkman
11-7, 11-5, 11-9 and will now face Mexican Erik Tepos Valtierra
for a place in the semi-finals.
