Australia's Matthew Karwalski won
the biggest PSA World Tour title of his career when he beat
fourth-seeded Englishman Jaymie Haycocks in the final of the ACHS
Resistencia Regatas Open - Tour de las Americas, the PSA Challenger 10
squash event in its third year at Club Regatas Resistencia in Resistencia,
Argentina.
The second-seeded Karwalski always had the
measure of his English opponent as he eased to an 11-9, 11-7, 11-7 win over
Haycocks.
Both had overcome local qualifiers in the
previous round - 29-year-old fourth seed Haycocks surviving a close five-game
battle against Argentina's Leandro Romiglio to each the third Tour final
of his career.
The title was Karwalski's fourth on the
PSA Tour - but his first in almost two years since he won the Golden Open
on home soil in June 2011.
The win is a huge confidence boost for the
27-year-old from New South Wales, who will make his senior Australian debut at
the Men's World Team Championship in France next month.
Argentinean Qualifiers
Repel Resistance In Resistencia
Quarter-finals:[2] Matthew Karwalski (AUS) bt Matthew Serediak (CAN) 11-5, 11-6,
11-4 (22m)[Q] Robertino Pezzota (ARG) bt [3] Arturo Salazar (MEX) 7-11,
11-8, 11-8, 11-9 (46m)[4] Jaymie Haycocks (ENG) bt Gonzalo Miranda (ARG) 8-11, 11-3,
11-3, 10-12, 11-3 (57m)[Q] Leandro Romiglio (ARG) bt [Q] Diego Elias (PER) 13-11, 6-11,
9-11, 11-1, 11-1 (75m)
Local qualifiers Leandro Romiglio
and Robertino Pezzota dug deep to secure surprise semi-final slots in
the ACHS Resistencia Regatas Open - Tour de las Americas, the PSA
World Tour Challenger 10 squash event in its third year at Club Regatas
Resistencia in Resistencia, Argentina.
In a quarter-final clash between two qualifiers,
22-year-old Romiglio ended the brave run of 16-year-old Peruvian schoolboy Diego
Elias.
Playing in his first PSA World Tour event,
Elias led the more experienced Romiglio 2/1 - but the effort took its toll on
the young teenager. Mar Del Plata-based Romiglio dropped just two further
points as he stormed to a 13-11, 6-11, 9-11, 11-1, 11-1 win in 75 minutes.
Pezzota leads Argentinean interest in the
other half of the draw where he faces second seed Matthew Karwalski. The
30-year-old world No 204 from Rosario pulled off a sensational upset when he
beat Mexico's No3 seed Arturo Salazar - ranked more than 130 places
higher - 7-11, 11-8, 11-8, 11-9 in 46 minutes.
Australian Karwalski needed just 22
minutes to see off Canadian Matthew Serediak 11-5, 11-6, 11-4.
Semi-final line-up:[2] Matthew Karwalski (AUS) v [Q] Robertino Pezzota (ARG)[Q] Leandro Romiglio (ARG) v [4] Jaymie Haycocks (ENG)
Peruvian Schoolboy
Elias Ousts Home Hope In Argentina
1st round:[2] Matthew Karwalski (AUS) bt Fernando Lopez (MEX) 11-5, 11-6,
11-2 (25m)Matthew Serediak (CAN) bt [WC] Fernando Molina (ARG) 14-16, 11-6,
11-5, 11-6 (46m)[Q] Robertino Pezzota (ARG) bt Michael McCue (CAN) 11-6, 11-4,
11-3 (27m)[3] Arturo Salazar (MEX) bt Joe Chapman (IVB) 11-4, 11-5, 11-5
(23m)[4] Jaymie Haycocks (ENG) bt [Q] Josue Enriquez (GUA) 11-5, 11-3,
11-7 (31m)Gonzalo Miranda (ARG) bt Juan Pablo Roude (ARG) 7-11, 13-11,
11-9, 8-11, 11-8 (76m)[Q] Diego Elias (PER) bt Hernan D'Arcangelo (ARG) 11-6, 12-10,
13-11 (42m)[Q] Leandro Romiglio (ARG) bt [1] Jan Koukal (CZE) 11-7, 15-13,
10-12, 11-9 (46m)
Qualifier Diego Elias, a
16-year-old schoolboy from Peru, produced a sensational upset in the opening
round of the ACHS Resistencia Regatas Open - Tour de las Americas when
he ousted experienced local hope Hernan D'Arcangelo to claim an
unexpected place in the quarter-finals of the PSA World Tour Challenger 10
squash event at Club Regatas Resistencia in Resistencia,
Argentina.
Elias, who showed his potential last
September when he became the youngest ever winner of the Pan American Junior
U19 Championship, battled for 42 minutes in his maiden appearance in a Tour
event to overcome D'Arcangelo, a 32-year-old from Cordoba, 11-6, 12-10, 13-11.
The young teenager now has another
Argentinean in his sights. Elias will face fellow qualifier Leandro Romiglio,
a Spain-based 22-year-old who upset Jan Koukal, the top seed from the
Czech Republic, 11-7, 15-13, 10-12, 11-9.
There was further upset in the other half
of the draw where local qualifier Robertino Pezzota despatched Canadian Michael
McCue 11-6, 11-4, 11-3.
Australian Matthew Karwalski now
becomes favourite to take the title after seeing off Mexican Fernando Lopez
11-5, 11-6, 11-2.
The No2 seed from New South Wales now
faces Canada's Matthew Serediak, a 14-16, 11-6, 11-5, 11-6 winner over
Argentina wildcard Fernando Molina.
Quarter-final line-up:[2] Matthew Karwalski (AUS) v Matthew Serediak (CAN)[3] Arturo Salazar (MEX) v [Q] Robertino Pezzota (ARG)[4] Jaymie Haycocks (ENG) v Gonzalo Miranda (ARG)[Q] Leandro Romiglio (ARG) v [Q] Diego Elias (PER)
