May 2011
May 23, 2011 •
Tags: Arturo Salazar, Guatemala, Internacional Sporta Open, PSA, Samantha Cornett, WISPA • Categories: all posts, players, tournaments
Mexican Arturo Salazar successfully retained his Internacional Sporta Open title Guatemala City after beating compatriot Eric Galvez 14-12, 11-8, 11-2 in the final of the men’s event for the second year in a row. The triumph marked Salazar’s 6th title win in 7 Tour finals. Canada’s Samantha Cornett (pic) prevented a Mexican double when she beat Graciela Lopez Perez in the final of the women’s championship. The 5th seed from Ottawa had to battle for 5 games – and twice come from behind – before beating unseeded teenager Perez, ranked 153 in the world, 7-11, 11-6, 10-12, 11-3, 11-3. The victory marks 20-year-old world No68 Cornett’s maiden WISPA title.
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May 22, 2011 •
Tags: Arturo Salazar, Eric Galvez, Guatemala, Internacional Sporta Open, Ivonne Diaz, PSA, Samantha Cornett, WISPA • Categories: all posts, players, tournaments
Defending champion Arturo Salazar battled to a 5-game upset over top seed Miguel Angel Rodriguez in the Internacional Sporta Open to set up a surprise all-Mexican final in Guatemala City. 4th seed Salazar stemmed a fightback by Angel Rodriguez to beat the world No23 from Colombia 11-7, 11-9, 6-11, 3-11, 11-9. In a repeat of last year’s final, Salazar will face Eric Galvez (pic), who denied Arturo the chance to play his twin brother Cesar Salazar by beating the unseeded 23-year-old 11-7, 11-9, 1-11, 5-11, 11-8. Unseeded Graciela Lopez Perez takes Mexican interest into the final of the women’s championship after defeating 7th seed Imelda Salazar Martinez 8-11, 11-2, 11-3, 11-8. The 19-year-old, celebrating her maiden WISPA Tour final, will face Canadian Samantha Cornett, who upset 3rd-seeded Mexican Ivonne Diaz 11-5, 11-6, 11-6 to reach the 2nd Tour final of her career.
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May 21, 2011 •
Tags: Arturo Salazar, Cesar Salazar, Eric Galvez, Guatemala, Internacional Sporta Open, Miguel Angel Rodriguez, PSA • Categories: all posts, tournaments
Mexican twins Arturo Salazar (pic) and Cesar Salazar are on course to meet in a surprise final of the Torneo Internacional Sporta Open after battling through the quarter-finals in Guatemala. After upsetting 2nd seed Ryan Cuskelly in the opening round, Cesar continued his impressive run by overcoming New Zealand’s higher-ranked Campbell Grayson 11-6, 11-7, 11-9. The 23-year-old will now meet fellow countryman Eric Galvez, the world No90 who defeated Frenchman Yann Perrin, ranked almost 30 places higher, 4-11, 11-8, 11-8, 11-8. Arturo Salazar will be hoping to make it an all-Mexican final when he lines up against top-seeded Colombian Miguel Angel Rodriguez in the other men’s semi. The fourth seed defeated compatriot Jorge Isaac Baltazar Ferreira 11-7, 11-4, 5-11, 4-11, 11-7, while favourite Angel Rodriguez twice came from behind to beat South African qualifier Clinton Leeuw 7-11, 11-6, 5-11, 11-5, 11-4.
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May 20, 2011 •
Tags: Egypt, Hurghada International, PSA, Ramy Ashour, Raneem El Weleily, WISPA • Categories: all posts, players, tournaments
Ramy Ashour (pic) and Raneem El Weleily triumphed in contrasting Hurghada International finals to secure a popular home double in the Egyptian Red Sea resort. In what he described as ‘one of the toughest matches we’ve played together’, world No2 Ashour faced his Egyptian team-mate and fellow former world No1 Karim Darwish, world No3, in the climax of the men’s event. In a repeat of the 2010 final, defending champion Ashour came back from 1/2 down to overcome his compatriot 11-9, 9-11, 12-14, 11-9, 11-3 in 80 minutes to claim the title for the 4th year in a row. The final of the women’s event produced a breakthrough win for Raneem El Weleily against her country’s No1 Omneya Abdel Kawy. But in her 8th Tour clash with world No8 Abdel Kawy since June 2006, El Weleily claimed her maiden victory – beating the title-holder and four times champion 11-5, 12-10, 11-9 in just 27 minutes.
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May 19, 2011 •
Tags: Egypt, Hurghada International, Karim Darwish, Omneya Abdel Kawy, PSA, Ramy Ashour, Raneem El Weleily, WISPA • Categories: all posts, players, tournaments
The Hurghada International turned out like the Egyptian Nationals as there are only home interests taken into consideration, when no other nation will participate either in the women’s nor in the men’s final in Hurghada. The only upset in the semi-finals was realized by 4th seed Raneem El Weleily (pic) who took out the top-seed Australian Rachael Grinham 11-4, 12-10, 11-9 in just 31 minutes. El Weleily’s opponent will be 2nd seed Omneya Abdel Kawy who beat compatriot Nour El Tayeb after recovering from one game down to win 9-11, 15-13, 11-7, 11-7. Both men’s finalists turned down their opponents after straight games victories. As Ramy Ashour needed 48 minutes to beat Frenchman Greg Gaultier in 3 tough games, Karim Darwish eased through the semi by overcoming the “Flying Finn” Olli Tuominen 11-3, 11-6, 11-4 in just 29 minutes. The big question is, if Ramy Ashour will be able to retain his 2010-title?
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May 18, 2011 •
Tags: England, Manchester, Nick Matthew, PSA, ROWE British Grand Prix • Categories: all posts, players, tournaments
England’s World No1 Nick Matthew (pic ri) has confirmed his entry to September’s (19th to 25th) ROWE British Grand Prix in Manchester, one of the year’s nine PSA World Series championships and the biggest event to be staged in Europe. Matthew, the 1st Englishman to top the rankings for 6 years, is delighted to be returning to the National Squash Centre. “It’s my favourite venue and I am really looking forward to playing there again,” said the illustrious Englishman. The venue has been the scene of numerous Matthew triumphs. But it was at the 2010 ROWE British Grand Prix that Matthew was struck down by food-poisoning on the eve of the event’s 1st round. “My experience last year will make my return to Manchester this year even more fulfilling – particularly with the fantastic crowds which events there always attract. And to play on that court as the World No1 will be extra special,” added Matthew. “I can’t wait!”
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May 17, 2011 •
Tags: Greg Gaultier, Hurghada, Hurghada International, Omar Mosaad, PSA, Ramy Ashour • Categories: all posts, tournaments
Egypt’s top-ranked player Ramy Ashour (pic le) remains on course to win his 4th successive Hurghada International title – but the world No2 was stretched for 78 minutes (17-15, 11-4, 8-11, 11-6) before overcoming fellow countryman Omar Mosaad (pic ri) in the quarter-finals in Hurghada. Ashour’s next opponent will be career-long French rival Greg Gaultier, also a former world No1. The 3rd seed, ranked 6 in the world, brushed aside Egyptian opponent Mohd Ali Anwar Reda, beating the world No27 11-5, 11-4, 11-1 in 38 minutes. Men’s quarter-finals line-up(bottom half of draw): Olli Tuominen (FIN) v [Q] Mohammed Abbas (EGY); [2] Karim Darwish (EGY) v Tarek Momen (EGY).
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May 16, 2011 •
Tags: Hurghada, Hurghada International, Olli Tuominen, PSA, Tarek Momen, Thierry Lincou • Categories: all posts, tournaments
Finland’s Olli Tuominen (pic) recorded his 1st ever win over France’s former World Champion Thierry Lincou when he beat the 4th seed in the Hurghada International (11-8, 15-13, 11-5) to claim the biggest upset in the 1st round. Tuominen, the world No22, will now face Egyptian Mohammed Abbas for a place in the semi-finals. Abbas is also celebrating an unexpected quarter-final berth after 1st battling through the qualifiers – then upsetting Pakistan’s world No29 Aamir Atlas Khan 11-9, 13-15, 11-3, 11-3. Egyptian interest is already guaranteed in both men’s semi-finals after rising star Tarek Momen, the 23-year-old World No26, beat experienced Malaysian Ong Beng Hee 11-13, 13-11, 11-7, 11-4. Momen will face 2nd seed Karim Darwish, the World No3 who defeated Swiss qualifier Nicolas Mueller 11-8, 11-5, 11-1. Further men’s 1st round results: [1] Ramy Ashour (EGY) bt [Q] Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY) 11-4, 13-11, 11-8; Omar Mosaad (EGY) bt [Q] Simon Rosner (GER) 6-11, 11-6, 11-9, 11-8; Mohd Ali Anwar Reda (EGY) bt Mohamed Abouelghar (EGY) 11-9, 11-8, 11-4; [3] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) bt Tom Richards (ENG) 14-12, 11-8, 11-5.
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