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 XI
Abierto Colombiano
2008
Club El Nogal,
Bogota, 12-17 Aug, $30k |
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18-Aug, Final:
[2] Miguel Angel Rodríguez (Col) bt Jorge Baltazar (Mex)
11/6, 9/11, 11/5, 11/5 (48m) |
17-Aug, Final:
Rodriguez claims
Colombian title ...
Juan Carlos Santacruz reports
Miguel Angel Rodriguez claimed his 9th PSA crown when he claimed
victory in the the Colombian open to win his biggest title yet.
Up against unseeded Jorge Baltazar, the Mexican who had already
produced three upset results, the Colombian number one had the bulk
of the large crowd behind him.
In the first game Rodriguez's speed and trickery gave him the
advantage, but in the second game Baltazar changed his game, moving
his rival, forcing him to make mistakes, and winning rallies with
his favourite shots, reverse drops and boasts to the nick.
 The
match was level, but in the third game, the Colombian came out with
a conviction that made possible a dazzling array of winning shots to
take the lead.
The advantage was clear. But he had to finish. Rodriguez did it in
the best way; he came out for the fourth game decisively,
aggressive, and taking risks that paid off.
The end came with the applause of close to 500 spectators, who gave
their appreciation to this exceptional athlete, who gave back, to
the audience and his club, a PSA title, that barely five years ago,
was a dream that seemed unreachable.
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Official site from Bogota
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XI
Abierto Colombiano
2008
Bogota, 12-17 Aug, $30k |
Round One
14-Aug |
Quarters
15-Aug |
Semis
16-Aug |
Final
17-Aug |
[1] Adrian Grant (Eng)
10/12, 11/6, 11/2, 11/2 (47m)
[Q] Andrew McDougal (Can) |
[1] Adrian Grant
11/9, 11/5, 11/9 (39m)
Jorge Baltazar |
Jorge Baltazar
11/8, 3/11, 11/9, 14/12 (84m)
[3] Eric Galvez |
Jorge Baltazar
11/6, 9/11, 11/5, 11/5 (48m)
[2] Miguel Angel Rodriguez |
[5] Rafael Alarcon
(Bra)
13/11, 11/9, 11/3 (49m)
Jorge Baltazar (Mex) |
[3] Eric Galvez (Mex)
11/5, 11/7, 13/11 (47m)
[Q] Cesar Salazar (Mex) |
[3] Eric Galvez
11/5,12/10, 11/3 (32m)
[8] Bernardo Samper |
[8] Bernardo Samper
(Col)
7/11, 11/3, 11/3, 11/8 (40m)
Chris Gordon (Usa) |
Mauricio Salinas (Col)
11/9, 11/5, 11/2 (22m)
[7] Arturo Salazar (Mex) |
[7] Arturo Salazar
12/10, 6/11, 11/8,11/3 (87m)
[4] Julian Illingworth |
[7] Arturo Salazar
9/11, 11/0, 16/18, 11/5, 11/4 (99m)
[2] Miguel Angel Rodriguez |
[Q] Salvador Martinez
(Mex)
11/7, 11/6, 11/6 (34m)
[4] Julian Illingworth (Usa) |
Jethro Binns (Wal)
11/7, 11/6, 12/14, 11/9 (64m)
[6] Liam Kenny (Irl) |
[6] Liam Kenny
11/7, 11/6, 8/11, 11/3 (52m)
[2] Miguel Angel Rodriguez |
[Q] Regardt Schonborn
(Rsa)
11/9, 11/4, 11/9 (36m)
[2] Miguel Angel Rodriguez (Col) |
13-Aug, Qualifying Finals:
Regardt Schonborn (Rsa) bt Rodrigo Torres (Col)
11/13, 11/8, 11/5, 11/6
Andrew Mcdougall (Can) bt Nelsón Amaya (Col)
11/7, 11/6, 11/3 (21m)
Salvador Martínez (Mex) bt Tyler Hamilton (Can)
11/8, 11/1, 11/7 (22m)
César Salazar (Mex) bt Manuel Caro (Col)
11/2, 11/7, 11/5 (19m)
12-Aug, Qualifying Round One:
Regardt Schonborn (Rsa) bt Juan Diego
López (Col) 11/2, 11/7, 11/3 (21m)
Rodrigo Torres (Col) bt Eder Castrillón (Col)
10/12, 11/4, 11/6, 11/9 (30m)
Andrew Mcdougall (Can) bt Jonatan Veloza (Col)
11/4, 11/2, 11/5 (23m)
Nelsón Amaya (Col) bt Armando Olguín (Mex)
11/8, 11/8, 11/5 (22m)
Salvador Martínez (Mex) bt Andres Gonzalez (Col)
11/5, 7/11, 11/2, 11/4 (26m)
Tyler Hamilton (Can) bt Alfonso Marroquín (Col)
11/8, 11/3, 11/9 (21m)
Manuel Caro (Col) bt Colin Ramasra (Tri)
11/4, 11/4, 11/4 (21m)
César Salazar (Mex) bt Juan Pablo Gaviria (Col)
11/6, 11/6, 11/3 (20m)
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16-Aug, Semis:
Baltazar marches on ...
Juan Carlos Santacruz reports
Colombia's second seed Miguel Angel Rodriguez will lead local
interest in the final of the XI Abierto Colombian Open as expected -
but his surprise opponent final will be Jorge Baltazar after
the unseeded Mexican staged his third upset in a row at Club El
Nogal in the country's capital Bogotá.
 After
toppling top seed Adrian Grant in the quarters, the semis provided
yet another upset as the 25-year-old battled for 84 minutes to earn
his first win over Eric Galvez, his third-seeded fellow countryman.
After losing the first game, world No36 Galvez changed his tactics
in the second to draw level. But a series of unforced errors by the
higher-ranked Mexican in the next two games led Baltazar to secure a
place in his ninth PSA final.
 The
other semi was also a marathon affair, in which Rodriguez twice had
to come from behind before beating surprise opponent Arturo Salazar,
the No7 seed from Mexico.
Indeed the third game alone lasted 44 minutes. "It featured a
vibrating tie break that seemed eternal at times," commented event
spokesman Juan Carlos Santacruz. "Just when all the public thought
the game was going to be won by the Colombian, the Mexican displayed
his utmost level and courage to win the game!"
But 22-year-old Rodriguez struck back to take the next two games to
claim his dramatic victory after 99 minutes - to earn a place in the
16th Tour final of his career, and a second time in the Bogotá
event's final in three years.
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Official site from Bogota
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15-Aug, Quarters:
No stopping Baltazar ...
Juan Carlos Santacruz reports
Unseeded Mexican Jorge Baltazar produced a second successive
upset in the XI Abierto Colombian Open when he beat top seed Adrian
Grant to reach the semi-finals at Club El Nogal in Bogotá.
 It
was the exhibition of two very serious players on court. The
Englishman moves around the court with enormous agility, great
level, category and exquisite technique. Despite this, he couldn’t
define a strategy to defeat the Mexican's winning attitude who
showed his excellent condition and his strategy that was based on
constant pressure. The best quality of Baltazar is that he never
gives up.
Baltazar meets third seed Eric Galvez, one of three Mexicans who
made the semi-finals.
Galvez and Bernardo Samper have always had close matches, yet the
Mexican has won most of their clashes. Samper played a good game
with constant rhythm changes and precise drop shots, yet his
unforced errors became his frustration which was defeated by the
constant speed responses and precision imposed by the Mexican.
Teenager Arturo Salazar scored one of the best wins of his young
career as he beat fourth-seeded Julian Illingworth in a marathon
match.
Both the Mexican and American played an exceptional quarterfinal.
Illingworth, No.1 player in his country entered the match with
confidence and with a clear strategy and minimal unforced errors.
However, the remarkable speed and power to surprise by the Mexican
caused him incredible difficulty. Salazar won the first game after a
vibrant tie break, yet the American took control over the second
game and tied up the match. However, in the third game the Mexican
played a variety of shots and long rallies and won. By the final
game the American couldn’t find a way to undermine the Mexican's
strategy and lost.
Completing an all-Central/South American semi-final lineup is
home favourite Miguel Angel Rodriguez, who beat Liam Kenny in four
games.
Their final match generated great frustration to the Colombian
Rodriguez when he got injured nine weeks ago. However, Rodriguez
played with great precision and imposed the rhythm that eventually
wore out the Irish and allowed him to continue to the semi-finals.
Rodriguez played a solid backhand drop and played deep cross courts
with great confidence at the right time.
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14-Aug, Round One:
Baltazar axes Alarcon
Juan Carlos Santacruz reports
Unseeded Mexican Jorge Baltazar produced the only upset on the
opening day of the XI Abierto Colombian Open when he defeated fifth
seed Rafael F Alarcon to reach the quarter-finals at Club El Nogal
in Bogotá.
Baltazar, a 25-year-old from Mexico City, despatched the Brazilian
in 47 minutes to set up a meeting with top seed Adrian Grant.
Englishman Grant recovered from a game down to beat Canadian
qualifier Andrew McDonald.
Mexico's Salazar twins had mixed fortunes: Arturo, the No7 seed,
defeated local player Mauricio Salinas in just 22 minutes, while
Cesar - who, unlike his 20-year-old brother, had to qualify - faced
experienced third-seeded compatriot Eric Galvez for the third time
in the last 12 months.
In an emotive game and widely-disputed match, Galvez always imposed
his rhythm. Salazar only threatened his supremacy in the final game,
where he showed his constant improvement and talent - but it was
Galvez again who prevailed, winning in 47 minutes.
Qualifying
complete
in Colombia
Juan Carlos Santacruz reports
Two Mexicans, one South African and one Canadian reached the main
draw of the Colombian Open after winning this afternoon. The
Mexicans Salazar and Martinez, the South-African Schonborn and the
Canadian McDougall all reached the main draw.
The experience of the South African, ranked No. 98 and the third
best player of his country, extinguished the hopes of of Rodrigo
Torres, who exhibited his talent during the match, it wasn’t enough
to defeat the South African who won 3-1.
The 20 year old Canadian Andrew McDougall imposed his trajectory and
experience as a junior and won against the Colombian Nelson Amaya,
3-0.
The 19 year old Canadian Tyler Hamilton couldn’t defeat the
consistency of the Mexican Salvador Martinez, who was rewarded with
an important promotion in the ranking, winning 3-0. This is the
first time the Mexican obtains a spot in the main draw.
Finally the 20 year old Mexican Cesar Salazar defeated the Colombian
Manuel Caro in a comfortable match with a score of 3-0.
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Official site from Bogota
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Classic matches set for
first round in Colombia
Preview from Juan Carlos Santacruz
The draw is made. The top four seeded players Adrian Grant,
Miguel Rodriguez, Eric Galvez and Julian
Illingworth will wait for the four qualifiers, but whoever they
play four excellent classic matches are already guaranteed in the
tournament's first round on Thursday 14th August.
6pm: Rafael Alarcón v Jorge Baltazar
The first of the classic matches will pitch Brazil's No. 1
player Alarcón against the Mexican Baltazar who has escalated in the
PSA rankings in the last months. The 31 year old Alarcon, considered
one of the most consistent player with more than 30 months in the
world's top 50, will play against the Mexican who at age 26 and with
only three years' in the PSA tour reached the top 60 in only 12
months. The players have met three times, two wins for
Baltazar and one for Alarcon.
12pm: Bernardo Samper v Chris Gordon
This match will have the quality and talent of the 26 year old New
York based Colombian, who always surprises in his own country,
against the solid 22 year old American who consistently assists the
PSA tour. They have only played once in a PSA event and Gordon won.
It will be the match of talent and creativity versus solidity and
consistency.
1pm: Arturo Salazar v Mauricia Salinas
Experience against youth. Another classical game between the 30 year
old Colombian Salinas, former No. 1 of his country who was awarded
the wild card due to his performances in the Masters International
Bogota 2008. He will go against the 20 year old Mexican Arturo
Salazar who has also proven his talent rising in the PSA rankings.
He has risen from No.344 in December 2006 to a current ranking of
No. 70. He is one of the youngest promises of continental squash.
5pm : Jethro Binns v Liam Kenny
The Welshman's charisma will come against the coldness and
experience of the Irish. This will be the first visit to Colombia
for the 24 year old Binns who will face the experimented and cold
Irish, Liam Kenny, who at age 30 is the indisputable No.1 player of
his country and has competed for more than nine years in the PSA
tour.
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Official site from Bogota
2007 Event
2006 Event
2005 Event |
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