Arthur Gaskin (Irl)
12/10, 11/4, 11/9 (41m)
Matt Sidaway (Eng)
Arthur Gaskin
11/7, 11/2, 11/7 (34m) Omar Abdel Aziz
Alex Phillips (Eng)
13/11, 7/11, 11/4, 11/4 (36m) [2] Omar Abdel Aziz (Egy)
Guernsey's
Simpson Takes Jersey Title
Chris
Simpson, the
top seed from neighbouring Guernsey, became the first winner of the Jersey
Squash Classic after a hard-fought victory over fellow Englishman Charles
Sharpes in the final of the PSA World Tour Challenger 10 event at the
Jersey Squash & Racketball Club in St Clement, Jersey.
The world No26
was quickly out of the blocks, taking the first game 11-2. That scoreline was a
little flattering though, as Sharpes, five years younger and ranked almost 50
positions lower, competed strongly in the 11-minute game that featured many
tough rallies. It was Simpson though who was able to capitalise on anything
loose, punching away several crisp low volleys on his way to taking the lead.
The second
game followed a similar pattern, but Sharpes was keeping the ball tighter and
Simpson was unable to find as many opportunities to punish his compatriot. The
scores were level pegging until Simpson managed to pull away from 7-6, taking
four points in a row to double his advantage after 14 minutes.
The third
started off evenly, but again it was Simpson who accelerated away, this time
from three-all through to 7-3. Sharpes managed to get three points back but
Simpson took the final four points in quick succession to claim the title after
44 minutes of play.
"I came out
pretty sharp and steamrollered the first," said a delighted Simpson. "But I knew
it couldn't last, we'd had a lot of tough rallies up and down the walls. Sure
enough the next two were tougher. It was hard work trying to keep him behind me
as much as I could, but I knew I had to try to do something to open up the court
when I got the chance.
"It was a
physically hard match, and I was getting a bit edgy in the third, I'm glad I
managed to pull clear and at the end I think he started to feel the tough
matches he'd had earlier on.
"This has been
a great tournament, the organisation and atmosphere has been the best I've seen
for an event this size, so thanks to Nick (Taylor) and everyone who helped put
it on and I hope to be back to defend the title next year!"
The success
marks the seventh PSA Tour title of Simpson's career.
Sharpes, the
event's third seed who made his breakthrough in the semi-finals where he removed
second-seeded Egyptian Omar Abdel Aziz, was pleased with his performance:
"It's been a good tournament for me, I wasn't seeded to get to the final but I
did start to feel those earlier tough matches towards the end.
"The
tournament has been fantastic, it's a credit to everyone involved and to Jersey
and its squash community," added the 21-year-old world No73 from Surrey.
Sharpes
Shocks Aziz In Jersey Classic
Charles
Sharpes
stunned Egypt's second seed Omar Abdel Aziz in today's semi-finals of the
Jersey Squash Classic to ensure an English winner of the inaugural PSA
World Tour Challenger 10 event at the Jersey Squash & Racketball Club
in St Clement, Jersey.
The third seed
from Surrey will take on Chris Simpson, the favourite from Guernsey.
Aziz, who had
won his afternoon quarter-final in about half the time it took Sharpes to
progress, was unable to dominate his opponent.
Sharpes -
ranked almost 40 places below the Egyptian - played steady, solid squash, going
for shots when he could but never as often as the Egyptian. The London-born
21-year-old took advantage of Aziz errors in the first game to establish an 8-5
lead. Aziz won a huge rally to level at nine-all, but it was the English
underdog who took the next two points to take the lead.
Sharpes was
always ahead during the next two games - the world No36 from Cairo's best
efforts falling short as the third seed delightedly clinched a place in the
final, winning the match 11-9, 11-7, 11-7 in 49 minutes.
"As a top 30
player he's very experienced and has some great shots," said Sharpes. "But I was
really happy with how I managed to contain him and I'm so pleased to get through
to the final, especially in three games.
"Tournaments
like this are great for giving us the chance to play people like Omar and Chris
so thanks to everyone involved for putting it on," added Sharpes, now in his
sixth Tour final, but his first for more than a year.
Simpson faced
Steven Finitsis, the No4 seed from Australia who had blasted his way
through his opening two matches, dominating both with ferocious attacking
squash.
The big Aussie
made his intentions clear as he hammered away a winning nick on the first rally
of the semi-final, but Simpson was so effective at neutralising the game that
had destroyed Finitsis' previous opponents that it wasn't until midway through
the third that he managed to hit another.
World No26
Simpson had to work hard to keep his opponent in check - but he did so
effectively, maintaining a lead throughout the three games. A 6-1 advantage in
the first was converted 11-4. He was always a point or two ahead during the
second which he took 11-7, and he pulled clear from midway through the third as
Finitsis started finding the tin more frequently.
Simpson took
the final game 11-6 to earn a place in the final after 50 minutes of intense
action which the crowd thoroughly enjoyed.
"Steve is very
talented, and he can find the nick from anywhere, especially on his forehand,"
said the Yorkshire-based 26-year-old, now in his eighth Tour final - and his
second in a month. "So I knew I needed to keep the ball out of the middle and
keep him deep as much as I could. When I took it short I tried to play it softly
to take away the pace he likes, and I'm pleased with the way I managed to
execute that.
"I'm pleased
to be in the final of course," he concluded. "But I'll be more pleased if I can
win it!"
Rory Roars
Into Jersey Quarters
England's
Rory Pennell became the only qualifier to make the quarter-finals of the
Jersey Squash Classic after upsetting fellow countryman Alex Ingham
in the opening round of the inaugural PSA World Tour Challenger 10 event
at the Jersey Squash & Racketball Club in St Clement, Jersey.
Ingham led
throughout the first game but failed to capitalise on two game balls as Pennell
got the better of the end-game to take the lead after 16 minutes of solid play.
Ingham raced through the second, but despite making his opponent work hard he
couldn't shake off Pennell, who stuck with him and regained the lead after the
third game.
It was Essex
man Pennell who dominated the fourth, his extra reach paying dividends and he
finished it off with a flamboyant winner to the delight of the crowd.
"That's three
tough matches I've had already, all against left-handers too," said the tired
but delighted Pennell after his 14-12, 4-11, 12-10, 11-4 upset in 58 minutes.
"I didn't
really come here with any expectations but sometimes that works in your favour,"
added the 27-year-old from Chelmsford. "At the moment I'm not looking forward to
another match, but that will probably change in an hour or so!"
Pennell now
faces top seed Chris Simpson, also an Englishman, after the Guernsey-born
world No26 beat compatriot Nathan Lake 11-5, 11-4, 13-11.
"In the first
two games I got good starts and some good runs of points - and he was always
chasing," said Simpson. "But in the third the ball softened up a bit and he
adapted better, using height very well. I had to try to adjust my tactics and do
it back to him, and that was a really tough game to win.
"I don't come
back to the Channel Islands enough, so it's great to be playing a PSA event
here, and really encouraging to see the job Nick (Taylor) is doing with so many
juniors all as keen as mustard."
Third-seeded
Englishman Charles Sharpes came through a seesaw encounter with
Scotland's Kevin Moran, who was reprieved from the qualifying competition
by a late withdrawal. It was a match that was fiercely contested from start to
finish, each of them taking turns to forge ahead as the first four games were
shared.
The final
swing went the Englishman's way, and he was never going to let an 8-0 lead in
the decider slip away, despite a spirited late effort from Moran.
"That was so
tough," said Sharpes after his 11-5, 8-11, 11-4, 5-11, 11-3 win in 64 minutes.
"The court is pretty bouncy and it makes it so hard to win every point."
