Joe Lee
became the first English winner of The NASH Cup presented by the
Roberts Nash Advisory Group after beating Canada's former
champion Shawn Delierre in the final of the PSA World Tour
Challenger 15 squash event in its sixth year at London Squash
& Fitness Club in London, Ontario, in Canada.
"Head to head, Joe led Shawn 2-0 on the PSA Tour, but the last
meeting was in 2011," reported event spokesman Dave Morrish.
"This match was another one that was very hard to call, having seen
both players throughout the week. Joe has been solid throughout the
week, but Shawn has been explosive!"
In
the first game, Lee quickly converted a 5-3 lead into 9-3. "Joe went
10-3 up with a drop from a boast and then Shawn gave Joe the game
with a tin," explained Morrish.
"Shawn came out strong in the second game like a wounded warrior and
quickly won the first two points. Joe responded with two winners to
bring it back to 2-2. Joe is doing something that not many players
have done against Shawn until now - he is dropping from Shawn's
working boast and reasserting the advantage - and this is good."
From seven-all, Lee won four points in a row to extend his lead to
two games.
"It was all Joe at the start of the third and he built up a 6-2
lead," Morrish continued. "Joe has definitely got the bit between
his teeth, but I know from talking to him that he is not going to
take this for granted. He knows Shawn is dangerous and has a 'never
say die' attitude."
It
was on his second match-ball that Lee finally clinched victory 11-3,
11-7, 11-7 after 47 minutes to win the second PSA Tour title of his
career.
In
their speeches, both of the players acknowledged the hard work that
had gone into the tournament, the phenomenal hospitality of the
billets, the organization team (Jay Nash and Morrish) and how much
they appreciated the crowd support.
Tournament founder and host Jay Nash added: "We made some
changes for 2013 by doubling the purse (we increased the men's purse
by $5K and introduced a $5K WSA) and I couldn't be happier with the
way things have turned out.
"I
don't understand why all tournaments don't include a WSA and a PSA
together, as the interaction between the men and women enhanced our
members' experience immensely. We look forward to many more years of
The Nash Cup."
Presentation picture shows (L to R): Dave Morrish, Joe Lee,
Shawn Delierre and Jay Nash
Top Seeds Make NASH Cup Climax
After marathon clashes in The NASH Cup presented by the Roberts
Nash Advisory Group, it was the two top seeds Joe Lee and
Shawn Delierre who emerged triumphant to contest the final of
the PSA World Tour Challenger 15 squash event in its sixth
year at London Squash & Fitness Club in London,
Ontario, in Canada.
Lee, the 23-year-old London-born world No37, was meeting 35-year-old
Canadian Shahier Razik(both pictured above) for the
sixth time in five years - but celebrated his first win when the
former world No20 from Toronto had to concede the match midway
through the fourth game after taking a three-minute injury break.
After taking out the Canadian number two, Lee will now face the
country's top-ranked player Delierre in a bid to win the title for
the first time.
2011 champion Delierre fought for 101 minutes to overcome unseeded
22-year-old Englishman Ben Coleman(both pictured below)
11-7, 9-11, 12-10, 11-6.
"Ben had just played two of the best games of his life to reach the
semis," commented event spokesman Dave Morrish. "He tested
Shawn big time but the higher-ranked Shawn prevailed."
Lee is celebrating his seventh PSA World Tour final, but his first
for more than a year, while 31-year-old Delierre - ranked just a
single position behind the Englishman - is marking his 18th final
and second of the year.
Veteran Razik Masters Teen Abouelghar At Nash Cup
Experience prevailed over youth in The NASH Cup presented by the
Roberts Nash Advisory Group in Canada where 35-year-old Canadian
number two Shahier Razik recovered from 2/1 down to beat
Egyptian teenager Mohamed Abouelghar to claim a place in the
semi-finals of the PSA World Tour Challenger 15 squash event
at London Squash Racquets Club in London, Ontario.
"I
am going to give this one 'match of the day' for two reasons," said
event spokesman Dave Morrish afterwards. "One, it was an
amazing match; and two, I didn't think Shahier was able to win this
one before the outset!
"Mohamed is known for his shots, and boy, he has some! He was
clearly feeling his way into the game in the first, but the
experienced Shahier didn't give him too much to play with and
consequently there were a high number of errors from his younger
opponent. First game Shahier 11-8," said Morrish.
"We then experienced the kind of magic we would expect to see from
someone like Ramy (Ashour)! Outright winners (dead nicks from all
areas of the court including four boasts from the back that just
rolled out). Despite a valiant effort from Shahier, he had no answer
to this and Mohamed won the game 11-2."
The 19-year-old from Cairo went on to take the third, but Razik, the
third seed from Toronto, battled back to draw level.
"The waters were now calm and the young Egyptian was no longer the
dominant force that he had been," continued Morrish. "Shahier took
an early 2-0 lead and built on this with consistent steady squash.
His opponent continued to go for the winners but hit more errors
than winners and Shahier took the game and the match 11-8.
"Fair play to Shahier. Most people were betting against him after he
went 2/1 down. If I were stuck on a ship in stormy weather I would
want Shahier on my ship any day! Great effort and a great match."
The 11-8, 2-11, 7-11, 11-6, 11-8 victory in 59 minutes takes world
No50 Razik through to face world No37 Joe Lee, the
23-year-old top seed from England.
Lee held off the challenge of younger fellow countryman Declan
James, beating the 20-year-old qualifier from Nottingham 11-5,
11-3, 11-7.
The other semi will also be an Anglo/Canadian clash - between
Montreal's No2 seed Shawn Delierre and Ben Coleman.
Delierre, the Canadian number one, battled for 90 minutes to see off
unseeded Englishman Eddie Charlton 11-9, 11-6, 10-12, 11-1.
Coleman, the 22-year-old world No85, became the only unseeded player
to make the last four after beating experienced Czech number one
Jan Koukal.
The world No78 from Prague had pulled off the first round's only
upset when he ousted fourth-seeded Malaysian Muhd Asyraf Azan.
Koukal twice led against underdog Coleman, but the reigning British
U23 champion ultimately prevailed, winning 9-11, 11-8, 6-11, 11-6,
11-4 in 87 minutes to set up his second Tour meeting in Canada with
Delierre.
Koukal
Ousts Azan In Nash Cup Upset
Former champion Jan Koukal celebrated his fifth successive
appearance in The NASH Cup, presented by the Roberts Nash
Advisory Group in perfect style when he beat fourth seed Muhd
Asyraf Azan in the biggest upset on the opening day of main draw
action in the PSA World Tour Challenger 15 squash event at
London Squash Racquets Club in London in the Canadian
province of Ontario.
Described as 'match of the day' by tournament spokesman Dave
Morrish, the clash lasted for 82 minutes and delighted the
packed crowd.
"All the rallies were long, explosive and exciting," continued
Morrish. "At 9-9 in the third, it was clear the crowd had a real
game on their hands. Jan finished the game off by hitting a tin and
hitting out on the lob, making it 2/1 to Muhd. They shared points to
6-6 in the fourth before Jan took a small advantage of 8-6 and 9-7
before taking it 11-8.
"So to a fifth! Muhd built a 5-2 lead and it looked like Jan was
down and out. The crowd were behind him and he went from 2-5 to 9-5
- seven points in a row - and managed to close it out 11-8. Popular
victory from the Czech!"
After his 11-6, 5-11, 9-11, 11-8, 11-8 victory, the 2010 champion
from Prague progresses to meet Ben Coleman, the world No85
from England who acknowledged that he probably played his best ever
squash in overcoming higher-ranked Frenchman Lucas Serme
11-8, 11-7, 11-3.
England's Declan James became the only qualifier to survive
the first round after recovering from a game down to beat compatriot
Joel Hinds 9-11, 11-3, 11-7, 11-5 in 63 minutes.
James, the 20-year-old former European Junior Champion from
Nottingham, now faces another fellow countryman Joe Lee, the
top seed who needed 40 minutes to overcome rising Canadian star
Nicholas Sachvie, the wild card, 11-7, 11-2, 11-6.
Home interest in the event is led by second seed Shawn Delierre
and No3 seed Shahier Razik. Delierre, the world No38 from
Montreal, defeated compatriot Andrew Schnell 11-3, 11-9,
11-3, while 2011 champion Razik, the world No50 from Toronto, fought
back from a game down to beat fellow countryman David Letourneau,
a qualifier from Calgary, 6-11, 11-7, 11-6, 11-3.
