24/04/2006
COMPANION CHALLENGE CUP
Rafael Rallies To Sao Paulo Success
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Companion Challenge Cup
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Reports
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Draw |
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Reports
Rafael Rallies To
Sao Paulo Success
Rafael F Alarcon
was taken
the full distance by his teenaged opponent Tarek Momen in the
final of the Companion Challenge Cup in Brazil – but
the country's six-times national champion did not disappoint local
supporters in his home town Sao Paulo where he recorded an
11-8, 7-11, 11-5, 9-11, 11-5 victory over the sixth seed from Egypt.
Alarcon, the
28-year-old second seed, was celebrating his second successive
PSA Tour title after winning the Verao Open in Santos,
also in Brazil, last month.
Momen, the
18-year-old from Cairo who upset top-seeded Frenchman Jean-Michel
Arcucci in straight games in the semi-finals, can expect to take
another significant leap in the next PSA world rankings after rising
90 places to reach 137 this month after making it to his first PSA
final in the Thessaloniki Open in Greece in March.
Tarek Topples Top
Seed To Reach Companion Final In Sao Paulo
Egyptian teenager
Tarek Momen recorded his best victory on the PSA Tour since
joining the professional circuit only last year when he upset
top-seeded Frenchman Jean-Michel Arcucci in straight games in
the semi-finals of the Companion Challenge Cup in Sao Paulo,
Brazil.
The 11-4, 11-7, 11-6
win takes the 18-year-old from Cairo into his second PSA final in four
weeks after reaching the climax of the Thessaloniki Open in
Greece in March.
Momen will take on
local hero Rafael F Alarcon, Brazil's six-times national
champion who beat Sao Paulo-based Canadian Sabir Butt 11-7,
11-4, 11-6 in the other semi-final.
Alarcon, the
28-year-old second seed who also hails from Sao Paulo, is one victory
away from his second successive PSA title victory after winning the
Verao Open in Santos, Brazil, last month.
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Tuesday 25th - interviews
by Silvia Mathieson
Jean-Michel Arcucci
" I think I played well. Tarek
was just to good in the front. There was nothing to be done.
Now I can drink caipirinha !!"
Tarek Momem
"Everything ran well: I felt much better, I was used with the court, all my
shots went to the right place.
I'm very happy !! "
Sabir Butt
I tryed to put pressure on Rafael but he has better physical condition than
me.
I was tired and unable to control the match.
Rafael Alarcon
"I'm happy to be consistent !!" |
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Match
Reports by Laura Malta
Jean-Michel Arcucci x
Tarek Momen
The first
semi-final of the tournament was between the French first-seed Jean Michel
Arcucci with the Junior Tarek Momem. The Frenchman had difficulties imposing
his own rhythm. He showed tiredness from the other two matches played before
during the tournament.
Jean-Michel was unable to keep up with the speed and better physical
condition of the talented Junior Egyptian, that won the match in straight
sets.
Sabit Butt x Rafael Alarcon
The second semi-final was a
dé-jà vu of the Verão Open with Rafael Alarcon beating for the second time
his coach Sabir Butt. The only difference was that Rafael played a lot more
aggressively and showed more control of the match.
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Alarcon Wins
Brazilian Battle In Sao Paulo
Six-times national
champion Rafael F Alarcon survived an all-Brazilian battle
against Ronivaldo Santos, also a former Brazilian champion -
beating the eighth seed 11-4, 11-7, 11-10 (2-0) in the quarter-finals of
the Companion Challenge Cup in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
The 28-year-old second
seed from Sao Paulo now meets Brazil-based Canadian Sabir Butt in
a repeat of the Verao Open semi-final they played last month
en-route to Alarcon's victory in the PSA Tour event in Santos.
Egypt's Tarek Momen
eliminated further local interest in the event when he beat
qualifier Luciano Alves Barbosa 3-11, 11-7, 11-4, 11-8.
The 18-year-old No6 seed
from Cairo will now face top seed Jean-Michel Arcucci in the
other semi-final after the Frenchman beat Argentina's Roberto Pezzota
7-11, 11-4, 11-6, 11-8
Barbosa Upsets Johnstone In Companion Opener
Brazilian qualifier Luciano Alves Barbosa
delighted local crowds at the Companion Challenge Cup when he upset
Australia's fourth seed Wade
Johnstone 11-10 (2-0), 11-9, 9-11, 11-8 in
the new PSA Tour event in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
The 29-year-old former Brazilian National Champion now
meets Tarek Momen in the quarter-finals after the sixth seed from
Egypt beat another Brazilian, lucky loser Bruno Bolzan, 11-9, 11-3,
11-8.
All eyes will be on an all-Brazilian clash at the
bottom of the draw when second seed Rafael F Alarcon takes on
Ronivaldo Santos, the No8 seed, in the match that should have been
last November's Brazilian national final. Alarcon, who reclaimed the
title in 2005 after Santos conceded the match, beat Egypt's Mohamed
Elkeiy 11-7, 11-5, 11-8, while Santos took five games to overcome
Argentinean qualifier Rodrigo Pezzota 11-4, 11-3, 7-11, 10-11
(1-3), 11-10 (2-0). |
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Companion
Challenge Cup 2006
21-26 April, Sao Paulo, Brazil $10k |
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Round One
Apr 23 |
Quarters
Apr 24 |
Semis
Apr 25 |
Final
Apr 26 |
[1]
Jean-Michel Arcucci (Fra)
11/4, 11/8, 8/11, 13/11
[Q] Jorge Gutierrez (Arg) |
Jean-Michel Arcucci
7/11, 11/4, 11/6, 11/8
Roberto Pezzota |
Jean-Michel Arcucci
11-4, 11-7, 11-6
Tarek
Momen |
Tarek
Momen
11-8, 7-11, 11-5,
9-11, 11-5
Rafael Alarcon |
[8]
Roberto Pezzota (Arg)
11/4, 11/6, 11/7
[Q] Matias Valenzuela (Arg) |
[4] Wade
Johnstone (Aus)
12/10, 11/9, 9/11, 13/11
[Q] Luciano Barbosa (Bra) |
Luciano Barbosa
3/11, 11/7, 11/4, 11/8
Tarek
Momen |
[6] Tarek
Momen (Egy)
12/10, 11/3, 11/8
[LL]
Bruno Bolzan (Bra) |
Manoel Pereira (Bra)
10/12, 11/5, 11/7, 11/6
[5] Tony James (Aus) |
Tony James
11/8, 12/10, 11/8
Sabir Butt |
Sabir Butt
11-7, 11-4, 11-6
Rafael Alarcon |
Edilson
Nunes (Bra)
11/7, 11/4, 11/4
[3] Sabir Butt (Can) |
Mohamed Elkeiy (Egy)
11/7, 11/5, 11/8
Ronivaldo
Santos (Bra) |
Ronivaldo Santos
11/4, 11/7, 12/10
Rafael Alarcon |
[Q]
Rodrigo Pezzota (Arg)
11/4, 11/3, 7/11, 11/13, 12/10
[2] Rafael Alarcon (Bra) |
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Qualifying Finals:
Rodrigo Pezzota (Arg) bt Bruno Bolzan ( Bra)
11/9, 11/6, 11/8
Jorge Gutierrez (Arg) bt José Pedro Escobar ( Bra)
3/1
Matias Valenzuela (Arg) bt Antonio Christovam ( Bra) 3/1
Luciano Barbosa (Bra) bt Vinicius Costa (Bra)
3/1
Qualifying round one:
Rodrigo Pezzota (Arg) bt Roni Duarte (Bra)
11/8, 11/7, 11/2
Bruno Bolzan (Bra) bt Julio Caseiro (Bra)
11/6, 11/6, 7/11, 11/9
José Pedro Escobar (Bra) bt Conrado Ramos (Bra)
5/11, 3/11, 11/5, 11/9, 11/5
Jorge Gutierrez (Arg) bt Diego Bolzan (Bra)
11/4, 12/10, 8/11, 11/4
Antonio Christovam (Bra) bt Guilherme Mello (Bra)
11/8, 11/3, 11/5
Matias Valenzuela (Arg) bt Roberto Sciencia (Bra)
9/11, 3/11, 9/11
Luciano Barbosa (Bra) bt Luis André Couto (Bra)
7/11, 11/5, 11/7, 11/7
Vinicius Costa (Bra ) bt Lucky Odeh (Ngr)
11/2, 11/6, 11/6
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