Jens Schoor
11-3, 7-11, 11-5, 11-7 (62m) Martin Knight
Matthew Karwalski (Aus)
8-11, 11-4, 11-6, 11-4 [2] Martin Knight (Nzl)
RESULTS: PSA Challenger 15 Squash Revolution Toronto Cup,
Toronto, Canada
Illingworth Captures Toronto Cup
US
squash star Julian Illingworth claimed his first win over
Jonathan Kemp for more than four years when he upset the third
seed from England in a thrilling five-game final of the Squash
Revolution Toronto Cup to clinch the PSA World Tour
Challenger 15 title in Canada's largest city Toronto.
After matches were played in various venues across Toronto, the
event reached its climax at the city's Badminton and Racquet Club.
"Jonathan came out very strong and took a close first game by using
more variation and positive play to the front court," explained club
spokesman Johnny Potmesil.
"Illingworth however came back strong and began to really stretch
out the rallies working Jonathan all around the court. Despite
amazing retrieval and some beautiful nicks, Julian's attrition and
ability to absorb Jonathan's attacking play earned him the next two
games for a 2/1 lead.
"Jonathan however was not done yet. Despite the amount of retrieval
and hard work of the last two games, Kemp came out very aggressively
taking every ball much earlier and taking the ball in short at will!
His aggressive volleying and front court game proved too much and
Kemp takes the fourth 2/2!!
"The decider was a close affair with Julian playing some relentless
length, forcing errors out of Kemp's racquet for an early 5-3 lead.
Kemp however responds with more fierce drops and nicks and brings it
level to 7-7. After some incredibly long rallies which caused gasps
from the crowd the game was tied at nine-all.
"A
tired error then gave Julian match ball and after a succession of
lets Julian takes the match 11-9 celebrating his third PSA title of
the year. What a brilliant tight match and amazing squash from both
competitors!"
The win marks the 12th PSA World Tour title of eight-time US
champion Illingworth's career - and his first win over Kemp since
March 2009.
Kemp & Illingworth In Triple Title Bid In Toronto
Jonathan Kemp
and Julian Illingworth will each be bidding for a third
PSA World Tour title this year when they meet in the final of
the Squash Revolution Toronto Cup, the PSA Challenger 15
squash event in Canada's largest city Toronto.
Kemp, the No 3 seed from England, extended his unbeaten run against
Martin Knight when he upset the second-seeded New Zealander
11-6, 4-11, 11-4, 11-5 in 47 minutes in the semi-finals at the
Toronto Badminton & Racquet Club.
Fourth seed Illingworth carried North American interest through to
the final when he ended young Mexican Alfredo Avila's run.
The 22-year-old from Mexico City had ousted top-seeded Egyptian
Karim Ali Fathi in a five-game quarter-final thriller.
But eight-time US champion Illingworth was too strong for the
unseeded Mexican - finally overcoming world No 56 Avila 11-8, 11-6,
16-14 after 64 minutes.
Kemp, the world No 45 from Ipswich in the English county of Suffolk,
is celebrating his 19th Tour final, whilst world No 48 New Yorker
Illingworth is marking his 22nd.
The final will be the pair's first Tour meeting for more than two
years - but their fifth since 2009, with Kemp currently leading the
head-to-head count 3/1.
Avila Foils Fathi In Toronto Tussle
Unseeded Mexican Alfredo Avila caused the biggest possible
upset in the Squash Revolution Toronto Cup when he ousted top
seed Karim Ali Fathi to reach the semi-finals of the PSA
World Tour Challenger 15 squash event being played across
various venues in Canada's largest city Toronto.
It
was at the Toronto Lawn Tennis Club that Avila, a 22-year-old
from Mexico City, recovered from two games down to beat Egypt's
world No 41 Ali Fathi in a match described by the club's Squash
Professional Mark Porter as "a high-paced marathon".
"Karim dictated the play at the start of the match," said Porter.
"He was hitting the ball with devastating pace and moving Alfredo
around the court with ease. But the young Avila put on an amazing
display of retrieving and routinely forced Karim to play more shots
per rally than he wanted to.
"After dropping the first two games it appeared that Avila's ability
to extend rallies was paying off as his opponent was starting to
slow down," continued the club spokesman. "Avila seemed to be
getting faster as the match wore on and was able to take the next
two games. In the fifth Avila raced off to a 5-0 lead and never
looked back, successfully completing his comeback and booking a spot
in the semis."
The 6-11, 7-11, 11-8, 11-4, 11-3 victory in 74 minutes takes the
world No 56 through to meet fourth seed Julian Illingworth.
In
a battle also contested at the same club, eight-time US champion
Illingworth, ranked 48 in the world, defeated Australian Rex
Hedrick 11-9, 11-5, 11-2 in 56 minutes.
The two players in the other semi made their quarter-final journeys
in somewhat contrasting styles: Martin Knight, the second
seed from New Zealand, fought for more than an hour to see off
rising German star Jens Schoor 11-3, 7-11, 11-5, 11-7, while
third-seeded Englishman Jonathan Kemp was handed victory
after just two games when Pakistan's Danish Atlas Khan
retired injured with the score standing at 11-9, 12-10.
