Rafa
Rallies To Home Success In Campinas
With
victories over the fourth, second and top seeds in the Copa Maxxis
Construcoes Galeria Shopping Open in Brazil, unseeded Brazilian
squash star Rafael Alarcon did more than enough to satisfy the
home crowd at the Galleria Shopping Centre in the city of
Campinas by winning the new PSA World Tour Challenger 10
squash event.
Playing in only his third Tour event of the year, the 36-year-old from
Sao Paulo made his breakthrough in the quarter-finals - becoming the
only unseeded player to prevail after beating fourth-seeded Welshman
Peter Creed in four games.
It
took the world No83 just three games to see off England's No2 seed
Eddie Charlton, ranked 23 places higher, in the next round to reach
the final - his second in a row and the 35th of his career, since making
his maiden final appearance in July 2003, also in Campinas!
His
final opponent was Martin Knight, the top-seeded New Zealander
who was also making his second successive appearance in a PSA Tour
final.
The
Auckland-based Kiwi, ranked 53 in the world, romped to a 2/0 lead - the
packed crowd sensing that the top-ranked Brazilian's home advantage was
running out.
But
Rafa rallied back, winning the third after a tie-break - then taking the
next two to record an impressive 2-11, 9-11, 13-11, 11-8, 11-6 title
victory.
The
win marks the 20th Tour title of Alarcon's career.
After
the win, Alarcon told the home crowd that this would be his last Tour
appearance in Brazil - and that he was planning to play his final
tournament in England in November, and retire from the international
circuit after celebrating his 100th event - at the AJ Bell PSA World
Championship in Manchester.
RESULTS:
1st
round:
[1] Martin Knight (NZL) bt [Q] Manoel Pereira (BRA) 11-2,
11-8, 7-11, 11-8
[Q] Anthony Graham (ENG) bt Gonzalo Miranda (ARG) 11-8,
11-9, 10-12, 11-7
[WC] Josimar Silva (BRA) bt Joe Chapman (IVB) 8-11, 11-8,
11-6, 11-9
[3] Mohamed Abouelghar (EGY) bt Hernan D'Arcangelo (ARG)
11-6, 11-8, 11-5
[4] Peter Creed (WAL) bt Alex Ingham (ENG) 11-6, 11-8,
11-7
Rafael Alarcon (BRA) bt [Q] Reuben Phillips (ENG) 11-8,
11-6, 11-1
[Q] Thomas Ford (ENG) bt Fred Reid (CAN) 11-3, 11-3 ret.
[2] Eddie Charlton (ENG) bt Alejandro Garbi Caro (ESP)
3-11, 11-8, 12-10, 11-7
Quarter-finals:
[1] Martin Knight (NZL) bt [Q] Anthony Graham (ENG) 11-8,
11-7, 11-9
[3] Mohamed Abouelghar (EGY) bt [WC] Josimar Silva (BRA)
13-11, 10-12, 11-2, 11-8
Rafael Alarcon (BRA) bt [4] Peter Creed (WAL) 11-7, 11-9,
6-11, 11-13, 11-6
[2] Eddie Charlton (ENG) bt [Q] Thomas Ford (ENG) 6-11,
7-11, 11-3, 11-9, 11-6
Semi-finals:
[1] Martin Knight (NZL) bt [3] Mohamed Abouelghar (EGY)
11-7, 11-6, 5-11, 11-5
Rafael Alarcon (BRA) bt [2] Eddie Charlton (ENG) 11-8,
11-7, 11-8
Final:
Rafael Alarcon (BRA) bt [1] Martin Knight (NZL) 2-11,
9-11, 13-11, 11-8, 11-6
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