Chris Binnie (Jam)
11/7, 11/2, 11/3 [2] Peter Creed (Wal)
RESULTS:
Rochester Pro-Am,
Rochester, NY, USA
Zac’s
Back - With Title In Rochester
#PSAWorldTour
Australia’s
Zac Alexander
marked his comeback after a seven-month layoff in impressive style when
he took the
Rochester Pro-Am
title in
Rochester,
NY, USA, after surviving a marathon 90-minute final in the
PSA World Tour Challenger 5
squash event at the
Goergen Athletic Center
at the
University of Rochester.
After undergoing hip surgery in Australia last August, the US-based
former World No.36 made a tentative Tour comeback at the Oregon
Open
in Portland in January.
Now ranked a six-year-low 111, the Brisbane-born 25-year-old entered the
Rochester event as No.3 seed – and made a triumphant breakthrough in the
semi-finals where he defeated top-seeded Malaysian Muhd
Asyraf Azan
in five games.
In the final, his 19th on the PSA Tour but first this year, Alexander
faced local hero Todd
Harrity,
the sixth seed from the USA who ousted Peter
Creed,
the No2 seed from Wales, in straight games in the other semi.
The final was World No.92 Harrity’s second in three weeks – and the
Rochester crowd were pinning their hopes on a first home winner in the
event’s ten-year history.
Alexander battled back from two games down – and then from 8-9, 9-10 and
10-11 in the decider before finally clinching a mighty 3-11, 6-11, 11-4,
13-11, 13-11 victory after 90 minutes.
“I’ve been off for a while - had a hip operation in August back in
Australia and spent six months there recovering, with no squash or
training really until January,” Alexander recalled as he savoured his
comeback triumph. “It’s harder than I thought to get back to this
level!
“It’s great to win in Rochester – I had a fair few lucky escapes saving
about 10 match balls in the semis and final!
“I really need to thank Rod Martin here in America for getting me back
up to fitness – and also Squash Australia for their support with my
operation,” added the new Rochester champion
(pictured below, extreme left, with runner-up Harrity, centre)
after notching up the 12th PSA Tour title
of his career.