RESULTS: PSA International 35 Fiera Properties Bluenose Classic,
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Miguel Makes It Third Time Unlucky For Selby At
Bluenose
Colombian squash star Miguel Angel Rodriguez upset top seed
Daryl Selby in the final of the Fiera Properties Bluenose
Classic to consign the Englishman to runner-up of the PSA
World Tour International 35 event at Saint Mary's University
Homburg Centre in Halifax in the Canadian province of
Nova Scotia for the third time since 2010.
Third seed Rodriguez, the world No16 from Bogota, reached the final
after upsetting Alister Walker, the No2 seed from Botswana,
in the semi-finals of the eighth edition of the Bluenose Classic.
But after the Colombian built up a 3-0 lead in the opening game of
the final, it was Selby, the world No14 from Essex, who reclaimed
the initiative - taking eight consecutive points en-route to an 11-4
game one win.
Rodriguez (pictured above in Bluenose action with Selby)
changed his tactics in the second game, and soon drew level after
conceding just two points - an achievement he duplicated in the
third.
"In the fourth game, Rodriguez had so much confidence in his drop,
the first two points were secured in drops executed in exchanges
immediately after the serve," explained tournament spokesman
Blair Cook. "Another three perfectly-executed drops and
Rodriguez grew the lead to 5-0."
Selby fought back to 4-7, but the 27-year-old from Bogota continued
his dominance to close out the match 4-11, 11-2, 11-2, 11-6 in 58
minutes to win his first Bluenose Squash Classic Championship.
"I
didn't play badly today and played well in the first game," said
Selby later. "Credit to Miguel, he played unbelievable squash after
that. He upped the intensity, and did it absolutely perfectly.
"I
take my hat off to him, and he definitely deserved to win."
When asked whether he was disappointed, having lost in the finals
now three time, Selby responded: "It will definitely keep me coming
back, however, one more loss and it's not bad luck is it?"
Rodriguez pronounced the final as "one of the best matches I've ever
played".
"I
was ready to play this match," continued the highest-ranked South
American of all-time, who now boasts 23 PSA World Tour titles from
31 final appearances.
Miguel Masters Walker In Canada
Colombian Miguel Angel Rodriguez upset second seed Alister
Walker - ranked just a single place higher in the world - in
four games to reach the final of the Fiera Properties Bluenose
Squash Classic, the PSA World Tour International 35 event
in its eighth successive year at Saint Mary's University Homburg
Centre in Halifax in the Canadian province of Nova
Scotia.
The world No16 from Bogota will now face an opponent ranked two
places higher when he faces off against top seed Daryl Selby,
the Englishman who recovered from two games down to beat fourth seed
Laurens Jan Anjema in a 109-minute marathon.
The closeness of their rankings was evident in the opening rally
between Walker and Rodriguez (both pictured above) - which
lasted 107 shots and 3 minutes! The Colombian took an early 4-0 lead
and went on to take the first game.
Walker found focus and success at the front corners and quickly
built up a 3-0 lead in the second before levelling the match
"I
was going too early to the front and I knew I had to change things
up," admitted Rodriguez later.
Indeed, the third seed began mixing the pace of the rally, at times
forcing the pace, and at others opting to build position. Rodriguez
went on to take the match 11-3, 8-11, 11-5, 11-5 after 51 minutes.
"Alister
is a very strong player from the T and likes to take the ball
early," Rodriguez continued later. "I was playing a fast pace and
trying not to give him the chance to slow down the rally."
In
the second semi, Dutch champion Anjema took the first two games and
led 4-1 in the third as a straightforward straight games win seemed
on the cards.
"From 4-1, Selby hit two nicks and quickly tied the game at 4-4,"
reported Farley MacLeod. "More tight drops and a stroke
against Anjema and Selby was ahead 9-5. Anjema continued to put up a
strong fight but in the end Selby took the game 11-8 in 23 minutes."
The world No14 from Essex (pictured above with Anjema)
continued to impose himself on the match before running out an
11-13, 5-11, 11-8, 11-8, 11-2 winner.
"Had to dig very deep tonight in a brutally hard match with LJ,"
Selby tweeted later. "Managed to come back from 2-0 and 4-1 down.
Recovery mode in full operation."
Selby is celebrating the 20th PSA Tour final of his career, and the
second in a row, while Rodriguez is marking his 31st. The final will
be the pair's sixth Tour meeting - but first since October 2008 -
with Selby holding a 4/1 head-to-head lead.
Seeds Still In The Chase In Halifax
The four seeds duly secured their places in the semi-finals of the
Fiera Properties Bluenose Squash Classic in Canada - but were
not given easy rides by their quarter-final opponents in the PSA
World Tour International 35 event in its eighth successive year
at Saint Mary's University Homburg Centre in Halifax,
Nova Scotia.
While English favourite Daryl Selby chalked up his second
successive straight games win in the event - beating compatriot
Eddie Charlton(pictured above with Selby, foreground)
11-8, 11-2, 11-8 in his second 46-minute victory in 24 hours -
second seed Alister Walker was taken the full distance by
Martin Knight before beating the New Zealander in 78 minutes.
Kiwi Knight, the world No47 celebrating his seventh successive
Bluenose Classic appearance since 2006, twice led the world No15
from Botswana. But Walker dug deep to force a decider.
Game five saw both players enter the court with a heightened sense
of intensity and focus. With everything on the line, the score
remained close throughout the game. It was nip and tuck up to
seven-all. A stroke against Knight put Walker ahead 8-7. Three
Knight tins later gave victory to Walker 6-11, 11-7, 10-12, 11-3,
11-7.
"Martin is constantly improving and adding more shots to his
weapons," said Walker (pictured above, foreground, with Knight)
later. "He kept me unsettled throughout the match."
Walker now faces Miguel Angel Rodriguez, the No3 seed from
Colombia who needed four games to see off Mexican qualifier Eric
Galvez 11-3, 8-11, 13-11, 11-5.
The other semi will be a European affair in which Selby takes on
Dutch champion Laurens Jan Anjema. The fourth seed from The
Hague defeated New Zealand's Campbell Grayson in straight
games, but it took the world No18 62 minutes to close out the match
11-7, 11-8, 13-11.
"I
felt like I was always one step behind and there was a lot of
pressure," said Anjema afterwards. "The last time I played Campbell,
in Guatemala, I was struggling. He has a good technique and you
never know where the ball is going till the last second."
Selby Sails Through Bluenose Opener
England's Daryl Selby, seeded to make it third time lucky
after two runner-up finishes, sailed through the first round of the
Fiera Properties Bluenose Squash Classic in Canada to secure
a place in the quarter-finals of the PSA World Tour International
35 event in its eighth successive year at Saint Mary's
University Homburg Centre in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
The world No14 from Essex, beaten finalist in 2010 and 2012, faced
top-ranked Mexican Cesar Salazar. At 1-2 down in the opening
game, Selby strung together 10 consecutive points to take the game
11-2.
From seven-all in the second, the favourite pulled away to establish
a two-game lead.
"In the third game, it appeared that Selby (pictured above, left,
with Salazar) was in control as he commanded an early 5-2 lead,"
said event spokesman Jon Boody. "Salazar was not ready to surrender
as he went on a four point spree to go ahead 6-5. In Selby fashion,
his patience throughout long rallies paid off as he dominated the
next five rallies to take game three 11-6 for a 3/0 match win."
Selby will now face fellow countryman Eddie Charlton for a
place in the semi-finals. Charlton, the world No63 from Nottingham,
pulled off a confidence-boosting upset over Steven Finitsis,
ranked five places higher.
But the Australian extended Charlton to five games - and 112 minutes
- before the 25-year-old Englishman secured the 11-8, 7-11, 2-11,
11-7, 14-12 win which gained him a place in the next round.
The decider was a dramatic affair in which Charlton squandered five
match-balls from 10-5 - then had to save two match-balls against him
before finally clinching victory.
But a longer match took place in the other half of the draw where
Mexican qualifier Eric Galvez(pictured in the match
above, right) - the lowest-ranked player in the draw - managed a
mighty upset over Muhd Asyraf Azan, beating the world No65
from Malaysia 11-7, 11-7, 11-13, 11-8 in 127 minutes.
The marathon encounter marks the longest winning match in the
14-year PSA Tour career of 30-year-old former world No33 Galvez.
The experienced Mexican now takes on PanAm rival Miguel Angel
Rodriguez, the third seed from Colombia. The world No16 from
Bogota ended all Salazar interest in the event when he beat Cesar's
twin brother Arturo Salazar, a qualifier, 11-8, 11-7, 11-3.
New Zealander Martin Knight celebrated his seventh successive
Bluenose Classic appearance by overcoming Czech qualifier Jan
Koukal 11-9, 11-4, 7-11, 12-10 in 64 minutes.
The world No47 from Auckland, competing in his sixth PSA Tour event
in his fourth country since early September, will now face No2 seed
Alister Walker.
The world No15 from Botswana battled for more than an hour to quash
French qualifier Lucas Serme 16-14, 8-11, 11-4, 11-6.
