Jan Koukal (CZE) beat Julien Balbo (FRA) 11-7, 6-11, 12-10, 11-4 in the final of the Avrupa Konutlari International 2012 to take his 20th title (photo: screen-shot PSA). Czech Jan Koukal notched up the 20th PSA World Tour title of his career when he beat Julien Balbo in the final of the Avrupa Konutlari International in its 2nd year in the Turkish city of Istanbul.
Czech Jan Koukal notched up the 20th PSA World Tour title of his career when he beat Julien Balbo in the final of the Avrupa Konutlari International in its 2nd year in the Turkish city of Istanbul.
A seeding collapse early in the event meant that favourite Koukal won the title without facing another seed – reaching the final after fighting back from a game down to beat German outsider Raphael Kandra 7-11, 11-4, 12-10, 11-8.
Frenchman Balbo made his breakthrough in the opening round, where he ousted 2nd – seeded compatriot Yann Perrin. The 32-year-old made the final – the 14th of his career – after dismissing Kuwaiti Bader Al Hussaini in straight games.
Balbo stretched Czech number one Koukal to 4 games – but the 28-year-old from Prague maintained the upper hand to win 11-7, 6-11, 12-10, 11-4.
Final:
[1] Jan Koukal (CZE) bt Julien Balbo (FRA) 11-7, 6-11, 12-10, 11-4
Semi-finals:
[1] Jan Koukal (CZE) bt Raphael Kandra (GER) 7-11, 11-4, 12-10, 11-8
Julien Balbo (FRA) bt Bader Al Hussaini (KUW) 11-8, 11-6, 11-7
Quarter-finals:
[1] Jan Koukal (CZE) bt [Q] Bart Ravelli (NED) 11-7, 11-6, 11-9
Raphael Kandra (GER) bt [4] Jens Schoor (GER) 11-6, 11-6, 11-8
Bader Al Hussaini (KUW) bt Joan Lezaud (FRA) 9-11, 11-8, 14-12, 11-5
Julien Balbo (FRA) bt Geoffrey Demont (FRA) 13-11, 11-8, 11-9
1st round:
[1] Jan Koukal (CZE) bt [Q] Patrick Miescher (SUI) 11-7, 11-6, 11-8
[Q] Bart Ravelli (NED) bt Fabien Verseille (FRA) 11-7, 9-11, 11-3, 11-6
Raphael Kandra (GER) bt [Q] Osama Khaled Khalifa (EGY) 11-6, 11-7, 11-7
[4] Jens Schoor (GER) bt Alejandro Garbi Caro (ESP) 6-11, 5-11, 11-9, 11-9, 11-5
Bader Al Hussaini (KUW) bt [3] Kashif Shuja (NZL) 7-11, 13-11, 8-11, 11-7, 11-9
Joan Lezaud (FRA) bt [Q] Frank Hartkoren (NED) 13-11, 11-5, 11-6
Geoffrey Demont (FRA) bt Huseyin Gumus (TUR) 11-4, 11-1, 11-3
Julien Balbo (FRA) bt [2] Yann Perrin (FRA) 11-3, 11-8, 11-9
