Gregoire Marche 11-3, 11-6, 11-8
(28m) Mohamed El Shorbagy
Cesar Salazar (Mex) 11-5, 11-5, 11-7
(27m)
[2] Mohamed El Shorbagy (Egy)
RESULTS: PSA International 70 Abierto Mexicano de Raquetas,
Toluca, Mexico
Qualifying finals: Henrik Mustonen (FIN) bt Jaymie Haycocks (ENG) 11-4,
11-8, 11-9 (38m) Matthew Karwalski (AUS) bt Arturo Salazar (MEX) 11-8,
9-11, 11-4, 11-6 (38m) Karim Ali Fathi (EGY) bt Steven Finitsis (AUS) 6-11,
11-6, 11-3, 11-9 (64m) Alfredo Avila (MEX) bt Campbell Grayson (NZL) 11-6,
15-13, 11-8 (44m)
Gregory
Gaultier Retains Toluca Title
France's world No2 Gregory Gaultier survived 'one of the
toughest matches I ever played' to beat Mohamed Elshorbagy
and retain the PSA International 70 Abierto Mexicano de Raquetas
squash title at Alameda Park in Toluca, Mexico.
It
was the climax the crowd surrounding the all-glass court was hoping
for - one featuring the event's top two seeds and one which went the
full distance.
Event favourite Gaultier reached the final - the 52nd of his career
- after ending the brave run of unseeded Colombian Miguel Angel
Rodriguez in the semi-finals.
Second-seeded Egyptian Elshorbagy faced top-ranked Spaniard Borja
Golan in the other semi in what was the pair's seventh meeting
in the past five years. The 22-year-old from Alexandria extended his
head-to-head tally to 5/2 after beating the third seed in four
games.
Elshorbagy, looking for his first win in six meetings with the
Frenchman, took the opening game - then the third for the loss of
only three points after Gaultier drew level.
But the top seed exerted his authority in the next two games,
ultimately closing out the match 7-11, 11-8, 3-11, 11-6, 11-6 after
79 minutes to keep the title in his grasp.
"It was long and a tough game - we both gave everything we had,"
said champion Gaultier (pictured above, foreground, in the match),
now with 24 PSA titles to his name, afterwards. "Mohamed was always
ahead in the match but I managed to come back to win 3/2.
"We played with great spirit and determination. It was one of the
toughest matches I ever played, especially here with the high
altitude and Mohamed playing so well!
"I
am thankful to the organization, sponsors, my coaches back home and
my family," added the 30-year-old from Aix-en-Provence. "Next, San
Francisco in few days!"
Elshorbagy (pictured below, left) was unequivocal about how
his 13th PSA Tour final figured in his all-time performances: "I
gave it all and thought I had him when I was 4-0 up in the fourth
... but I got over excited and he used a lot of experience to get
out of it," said the world No6. "Overall, I'm happy with my start of
the season!!
"Greg telling me after the match that it was one of the best matches
he ever played - for me, that was THE best match I have played!
"Now I will go back to the UK and have 10 good days of training for
the US Open and the worlds!!
"I
want to congratulate Greg today for his performance ... and I wish
him luck in San Fran - not that he needs it!!
"I
also want to thank the squash Delta family for taking care of us
here like last year - they do such an amazing job!!"
Rodriguez
Rallies To Toluca Semis
Unseeded Colombian Miguel Angel Rodriguez ensured Latin
American interest in the semi-finals of the Abierto Mexicano de
Raquetas in Mexico after prevailing in a marathon upset over
fourth seed Omar Mosaad in the PSA World Tour
International 70 squash event in its second year in Toluca.
Rodriguez twice stemmed fight backs by the higher-ranked Egyptian -
but it took 113 minutes to claim the 11-6, 6-11, 11-7, 7-11, 11-9
win which earned the world No16 from Bogota a surprise place in the
last four.
The Colombian will now meet defending champion Gregory Gaultier,
the top seed from France who defeated Egypt's Marwan Elshorbagy
11-8, 11-4, 11-9.
There was better news, however, for the Egyptian's older brother
Mohamed Elshorbagy. It was the final match of the day in a
severely-delayed schedule - and it took just 28 minutes for the No2
seed to overcome Frenchman Gregoire Marche 11-3, 11-6, 11-8.
"Started my quarter final today at 1 45am!! and now its 2 45am and
just got back to the hotel," tweeted the world No6 later. "Glad I
won in 3 though!!"
Elshorbagy senior now faces Spaniard Borja Golan for a place
in the final. The third seed was taken the full distance before
seeing off Mexican qualifier Alfredo Avila 8-11, 11-6, 11-6,
6-11, 11-6 in 85 minutes.
Miguel Masters Palmer Protégé Toluca Tussle
Currently adjacent in the PSA world top 20, David Palmer
protégés Miguel Angel Rodriguez and Stephen Coppinger
had all to play for in the opening round of the Abierto Mexicano
de Raquetas, the PSA World Tour International 70 squash
event in its second year in Toluca, Mexico.
Both players (pictured in action above) have credited their
recent arrival amongst the world's top 20 elite to working with
Palmer, the illustrious US-based Australian former world number one
and twice world champion.
But it was Rodriguez, the world No16 from Colombia, who prevailed on
the all-glass court at Alameda Park - beating 17th-ranked
South African Coppinger 11-8, 11-3, 11-7 in 42 minutes.
The 27-year-old Pan American champion from Bogota now meets fourth
seed Omar Mosaad, the world No11 from Egypt who was stretched
to four games by Nicolas Mueller(both pictured below)
before seeing off his top-ranked Swiss opponent 11-9, 9-11, 11-8,
11-6.
But the Mexican crowd was treated to a significant upset when
qualifier Alfredo Avila battled from a game down to beat
England's world No34 Adrian Waller 8-11, 11-7, 11-7, 16-14 in
55 minutes.
The 22-year-old world No58 from Mexico City - the lowest-ranked
player in the draw - progresses to face third seed Borja Golan
for a place in the semi-finals.
It
was a good night for Egypt's Elshorbagy family after brothers
Mohamed Elshorbagy and Marwan Elshorbagy both secured
places in the quarter-finals.
Second seed Mohamed beat Mexican wild card Cesar Salazar
11-5, 11-5, 11-7, while younger brother Marwan, the 20-year-old
former world junior champion ranked 29 in the world, upset England's
world No22 Tom Richards 11-5, 11-2, 11-4.
Champion Gaultier Draws Karwalski In Toluca
France's world No2 Gregory Gaultier will begin his defence of
the Abierto Mexicano de Raquetas title in Mexico against
Matthew Karwalski following the Australian's success in the
qualifying finals of the PSA World Tour International 70
squash event in Toluca.
The world No57 from New South Wales denied Arturo Salazar the
chance to line up alongside his twin brother Cesar Salazar in
the first round of the richest event ever to be staged in Mexico.
Karwalski beat Arturo Salazar 11-8, 9-11, 11-4, 11-6 in 38
minutes to earn his first meeting with Gaultier, the 30-year-old
from Aix-en-Provence who won the 2012 title after triumphing in the
quickest final of his career.
Mexican interest in the main draw was boosted when 22-year-old
Alfredo Avila upset New Zealand's higher-ranked Campbell
Grayson 11-6, 15-13, 11-8 in the qualifying finals.
Avila, the world No58 and now the lowest-ranked player in the main
draw, will face England's Adrian Waller, the world No34.
Henrik Mustonen
and Egyptian Karim Ali Fathi were the other two players to
qualify. Finn Mustonen beat England's Jaymie Haycocks 11-4,
11-8, 11-9, while Fathi, the 20-year-old world No56 from Cairo who
is making his maiden appearance in Mexico, defeated experienced
Australian Steven Finitsis 6-11, 11-6, 11-3, 11-9 in 64
minutes.
