19-Feb-06, FINAL:
DELIERRE TAKES BLUENOSE TITLE
Patrick Kelly reports from Nova Scotia

The PSA rankings have them at 64 and 65 in the world but the crowd at the final of the Bluenose Squash Classic would maintain, after the final today, that they're more closely matched than that. Shawn DeLierre, of Montreal, Canada and Bernardo Samper of Bogota, Colombia put on a brilliant show for the masses.

The first game took half an hour and went to a tie break. The second game took almost as long and went to a tie break. The third game was an anomaly. The fourth game took 19 minutes and went to a tie break. All three tie breakers went DeLierre's way for the 3-1 win.

The first game started well in Samper's favour, 4-0 inside of 5 minutes, before DeLierre settled and recovered to get even the hard way; drops and drives traded for 40-50 shots. Even rallies and even effort gave away points grudgingly but somehow Samper took the next five to get to 9-4. Game ball came his way at 10-6 and the 90 second break awaited. DeLierre differed and promptly saved three game balls in a row, then was awarded two lets and a stroke to even it up at 10 all. A full sprawl by DeLierre into the back right corner to save the next point led to a let and then another stroke, which Samper did not like, putting DeLierre in the driver's seat. A final connection with the tin by Samper completed the DeLierre comeback.

The second game again saw Samper up quickly, 3-0 before DeLierre found his stride. Perpetual rallies exchanged favour up to 5-5 until the longest of the day went Samper's way on a stroke call against DeLierre. That separation lasted about 3 seconds as DeLierre took the ensuing serve on a backhand floating cross court into the front right nick. With Samper pulling ahead again to 9-7 the next rally featured two incredible gets each, ending in a stroke to DeLierre. The next exchanges landed DeLierre at game ball, 10-9, then the customary trip through a tie break; 10-10, 11-10 Samper, 11-11, 12-11 DeLierre, 13-11 DeLierre.

The afore-mentioned anomaly was a direct result of Samper's now traditional fast start. He was up by 5 in a couple of minutes, even after he started down 1-0 on a conduct stroke (for launching his racquet to express his disagreement with a call at the end of the second). DeLierre quickly elected not to pursue a distant possibility, chased nothing and purposely sent a couple of serves out of court for a total game time of 4 minutes.

For the fourth consecutive time Samper went up right away, 4-0 on a "no let" and a few errors to DeLierre. Samper looked to be evening the games when he got to 9-4, more so at 10-7 before DeLierre climbed back again – tie breaker. Down one in the tie break DeLierre pulled out four huge gets to earn a let and save the game. It still felt like it was Samper's for the asking and those outside the glass were anticipating a decisive fifth. If not for the same missing half inch of vertical on three successive rally-ending, heart-breaking drops by Samper, that might have been the case. Instead, game and match to DeLierre.



A very successful week for the inaugural competition ended in a thrilling final, thanks to all who contributed. The organizing committee looks forward to doing it all again next year.
 

Official Site from Cole Harbour

For information or interview on the organization of the event or the sport of squash in Nova Scotia please call Matt Bishop, the province's #1 ranked player and Co-Event Organizer for the Bluenose Squash Classic - (902) 209-5866, or contact us through bluenosesquashclassic@gmail.com 

18-Feb-06, SEMIS:
TOP SEEDS IN BLUENOSE FINAL
Patrick Kelly reports from Nova Scotia

The first match up of the night put Bernardo Samper of Colombia, second seed for the tournament, in against the surprising Martin Knight of New Zealand. Knight had played two mammoth matches to get to this point but needed all the pieces to fall kindly for the upset result he was after.

The shots were precise right off the top, both looking for a rhythm and to get into the match. All but three rallies were 40 hits or more in the first game, no corner of the court neglected, final score 11-9. This would be the closest Knight would come to taking one and he did save a couple of game balls before succumbing.

The feature shot for both in the second game was the backhand volley drop. Some incredible reads on Knight's drives from the front court saved Samper on at least three occasions when he lost the upper hand. Usually he had it though, more than enough to take a comfortable 2-0 lead in games.

Knight resolved to up the pace and width to start the third. Samper absorbed it, taking the lead up to 7-2 before a stretch of lets slowed things down. A couple of points later and a cross court backhand nick winner put Samper up 9-3. A sportsmanlike moment by Knight to call his own ball down after mounting a mini comeback took Samper to match ball, final score 11-5 in 41 minutes.

The second semi was a completely different version of the sport. Within about two minutes it was 3-3 in the first game between Canada's Shawn DeLierre, tournament number one seed, and Hungary's Andras Torok. Torok's attempt at a boast winner off DeLierre's first serve was an indicator of the aggressive creativity that would mark the rest of the match, both players seeming to be in a hurry to create points, using the boast seemingly every third hit. There would be a number of lets throughout the match but the humour on the court kept things positive. The crowd loved it, final score 11-9 DeLierre.

In the second game Torok continued to look for nick winners, often straight off the serve. This aggression was balanced by a patience on the ball and it paid off when Delierre hit a serve return into the tin for game ball to Torok which he followed with a return of serve winner one point later.

Evened up at 1-1 DeLierre started the third with two errors on drops before both players started getting caught up in each other in the front corners, sometimes asking for lets, Torok sometimes determined to push through to the ball. The gets and misdirects kept coming though. A grin from both players after Torok missed a freebie when he asked for a let on the serve, as both had done a couple of times, just as DeLierre served it out.

With DeLierre up 2 games to 1 the fourth began with Torok showing signs of fatigue. Errors started to creep in and the end was in sight. Torok managed to take it to 11-5 and almost landed a perfect between the legs drop from the backcourt, the trick shot of the tournament so far.
 

Official Site from Cole Harbour

For information or interview on the organization of the event or the sport of squash in Nova Scotia please call Matt Bishop, the province's #1 ranked player and Co-Event Organizer for the Bluenose Squash Classic - (902) 209-5866, or contact us through bluenosesquashclassic@gmail.com 

16-Feb-06, Quarters:
TOP SEEDS IN BLUENOSE SEMIS
Patrick Kelly reports from Noca Scotia

The higher ranked players found their way to the semis this evening, each match an entirely different route than the next. Players from Wales, Scotland, Canada and Mexico were shown the door with Colombia, New Zealand, Hungary and the top seed from Canada remaining for tomorrow's two matches.

The night began with a punishing contest put on by qualifier Kristen Johnson and Martin Knight. Both had played exceptionally well to advance through tough opening round draws and picked up where they left off tonight. Extra points in the fifth game is always a good sign for the crowd and it only got better from 10-6 match ball for Knight. Johnson went for a backhand cross court nick at the start of that rally and played through three more to begin the come back to 10-10. What had looked inevitable was now back even on a Knight error.

Needing to win by two, both players took time out, almost by unspoken agreement, to do the equivalent of a backhand drill down the wall for about 30 hits. It was the calm before the storm when Knight took advantage to 11-10 before Johnson sent him the wrong way and leveled it again at 11-11. An unlucky front wall nick popped the ball out to the middle, a stroke was awarded to Knight and he finally finished it in style 13-11.

Second seed Bernardo Samper, after a relatively relaxed first round match, then met hard hitting Jose Angel Becerill. A low and heavy slug fest for the first few points of the first eventually evolved a front court component with the percentage of drops per hit tripling over the mid and latter part of the game. Five unanswered points by Becerill put him on match ball, 10-8, before Samper rallied and the two traded advantage through a tie break to 17-15 for Samper. A couple of nick winners off the serve, one for each player in the tie break, coaxed more oohs and aahs out of the gallery.

The tone was set for the second but Becerill found too many errors, primarily via the drops that had been working in the first game but deserted him here. At 9-2 Samper it was obvious something was wrong and after two more points for each to end the match Becerill shook hands and headed for the ice machine unable to finish with a muscle pull in the upper leg. Despite the shortened contest the fans could still talk about the first game and, in particular, a lightning 180 degree spin by Samper for perfect contact on a ball Becerill had every right to believe was a winner.

Top seed Shawn DeLierre and the last remaining qualifier to make it through, Keith Pritchard, both Canadian, entered the court to the familiar strains of the Hockey Night In Canada theme, a hilarious/nice touch. After two days of consistency though, Pritchard started with two quick errors and never really got a rhythm going throughout the match. As Pritchard watched a DeLierre serve nick off the back wall for game ball it was obvious it wasn't to be his night. Surrendering that game on a stroke confirmed it. The second game had a better flow and closer score, 11-8, but even when DeLierre's length wasn't at its best, which it often was, errors left Pritchard staring at his racquet. The match ended with an 11-4 final game.

Last game of the night was Hungary's Andras Torok and Wales' Rob Sutherland. Opposing views on each other's style of court movement lead to more than a couple discussions with the ref. Sutherland felt the ref reluctant to say "no let" to Torok's requests and Torok felt he was being blocked. More often than not the ref favoured Torok's view. Outside the discussions and exasperations the squash was corner to corner, both players producing great gets and some inventive responses to overturn the other's advantage in a rally. The games came away  3-1 in Torok's favour, great squash through to the end. The crowd left happy and expecting even better tomorrow.
 

Johnson & Knight

Becerril & Samper

DeLierre & Pritchard

Official Site from Cole Harbour

For information or interview on the organization of the event or the sport of squash in Nova Scotia please call Matt Bishop, the province's #1 ranked player and Co-Event Organizer for the Bluenose Squash Classic - (902) 209-5866, or contact us through bluenosesquashclassic@gmail.com 

16-Feb-06, Round One:
Bluenose Classic First Day of the Main Round Brings Upsets
Patrick Kelly reports from Noca Scotia

The first two matches of the evening, played side by side, produced two upsets and spoiled the capacity crowd with squash of late round quality. By the end of the night four of the top eight had tumbled out and two qualifiers are into the quarters.

To start, third seed David Phillips of Montreal, Canada, ran into a four game loss at the hands of qualifier Kristen Johnson of Scotland, persistence built onto a lanky frame.

Martin Knight of New Zealand and fifth seeded Tony James of Australia, meanwhile, put on a display of "four walled chess" that kept an appreciative house on edge throughout. Four games of tactical patience ended with a drop from the back court by James that caught the top of the tin.

Bernardo Samper, second seed, didn't allow qualifier David Glass to hope for a similar upset result giving up just seven points in 17 minutes. Glass had played his way through two qualifying matches in the previous 24 hours but Samper showed that extra level which has brought him to 65th in the world.

In the fourth match Jose Angel Becerill pounded everything he met cross court and the pace kept Ryan Thompson doing a lot of retrieving, but unforced errors accompanied the power and width of Becerill's attack and the result was only certain with the final point.

Another qualifier pushed through in the fifth match of the night, Keith Pritchard over Marton Szaboky in three. Szaboky's energy throughout, and between games coaching from countryman Andres Torok, couldn't stem Pritchard's consistency.

Game six on the evening was an amazing display of effort from the second New Zealander in the field, Campbell Grayson.

Up against first seed Shawn Delierre in a match with a number of differing opinions between ref and players, Grayson gave away no easy points across 55 minutes and three games. Delierre's ball placement set Grayson to doing most of the running and some brilliant retrieving to turn the tide in a number of rallies.

In the final two matches of the night Andres Torok's reach and volley gave U.S. qualifier Ryan Donegan a tour of all four corners of the court and Rob Sutherland of Wales put out Canadian eighth seed Robin Clarke in three steady and even games.

Jose Angel Becerril

Official Site from Cole Harbour

For information or interview on the organization of the event or the sport of squash in Nova Scotia please call Matt Bishop, the province's #1 ranked player and Co-Event Organizer for the Bluenose Squash Classic - (902) 209-5866, or contact us through bluenosesquashclassic@gmail.com 

16-Feb-06, Qualifying:
Bluenose Squash Classic Qualifying


The first and only day of qualifying at the inaugural Bluenose Squash Classic went by in a blur. Two afternoon matches saw local favourite Matt Bishop (Nova Scotia provincial #1) defeat Joey Millman of England as well as an all Canadian match up with David Glass taking down Jeff Evans.

A few hours break for Bishop and Glass before the final qualifying round put them up against the higher seeds. In two let free contests Glass continued the trend with an upset over number one ranked qualifier Patrick Bedore while Bishop took the loss to Ryan Donegan of the U.S.

Bishop's loss was confirmed in three games but the third was moving his way at 5-1 before he grudgingly conceded to Donegan's pace.

For Glass's part, taking the third game in a tie-breaker put him up 2-1 and effectively sealed the match as Bedore fell in the fourth without ever taking the serve. Apologies to the backhand wall which took the brunt of the punishment throughout.

The third qualifier to progress to the main draw is Kristen Johnston of Scotland after a hard fought straight games win over Canada's Dan Sibley. Fourth and final promotion to Thursday's matches came for Keith Pritchard via an upset over second seeded qualifier Mike Reid in the longest match of the day.

The seesaw five games was a demonstration of sensational pick ups by both and corner to corner cross courts, each attempting to twist the other past recovery.

An exceptional moment of sportsmanship for Pritchard when he conceded game ball in the first on Reid's advice that his opponent's shot, unseen by the ref, had just caught the front wall line.
 

Glass & Bedore

Official Site from Cole Harbour

For information or interview on the organization of the event or the sport of squash in Nova Scotia please call Matt Bishop, the province's #1 ranked player and Co-Event Organizer for the Bluenose Squash Classic - (902) 209-5866, or contact us through bluenosesquashclassic@gmail.com 

Nice socks, ref!

Bluenose Squash Classic Ready to Go

Halifax, NS - February 9, 2006

Patrick Kelly sets the scene ...

It barely feels like winter in this coastal corner of Canada. There are plants sprouting where there should be snow drifts and driving wind. Animals that are supposed to fly south are staying put and you can still go for a run in shorts on some of the more unexpectedly warm evenings that definitely aren't characteristic of this time of year.

Another difference from previous Februarys is the arrival of next week's BSC tournament, the first PSA professional event held in Atlantic Canada. The local squash community has had a year of work and planning that comes to fruition with next Wednesday's qualifying and the beginning of the main draw on Thursday.

World #64 Shawn DeLierre, of Montreal, Quebec, is the top seed. He was just named to the Canadian Commonwealth Games team after Jonathon Power decided not to take part, and so will be looking to this tournament to take him to his peak level. Bernardo Samper, following a one month jump up the rankings to #65, is seeded to lead that the rest of the field in bringing their games up to match.

Already players are arriving, fresh from the Manitoba Open, Martin Knight and Campbell Grayson of New Zealand being the first. Grayson is in the main draw while Knight will join local provincial #1 Matt Bishop in the qualifying round.

Further bulletins as events warrant and we expect, come the 15th, they will warrant…
   

Official Site from Cole Harbour

For information or interview on the organization of the event or the sport of squash in Nova Scotia please call Matt Bishop, the province's #1 ranked player and Co-Event Organizer for the Bluenose Squash Classic - (902) 209-5866, or contact us through bluenosesquashclassic@gmail.com 

DeLierre Tops Bluenose Seedings

In one month the inaugural Bluenose Squash Classic is coming to Nova Scotia. On February 15-19, 2006, presented by The Golden Clipper and sanctioned by the PSA, the tournament will host a main draw of 16 players vying for $6,000 US in prize money and benefits at this Canadian Squash Circuit Super Satellite Event.

Bringing this level of squash to the region has been a goal of the local squash community for a number of years and organizers are very pleased to be able to boast the attendance of tour competitors from Hungary, Australia, Egypt, Colombia, Mexico, New Zealand and Wales as well as from across Canada. The twelve main draw competitors, to be joined by four qualifiers.

Top seed is Canadian #8 Shawn Delierre, followed by Colombian #12 Bernardo Samper, and Australian #13 Ben Gould. With both prize money and all important ranking points on the line, the characteristic athleticism, skill and determination of the sport will be on full display.

The courts at Cole Harbour Place, Dartmouth, will be witness to the highest level of squash yet staged on Atlantic Canadian soil and, together with the professional game, will host a companion event open to amateurs of all levels, offering the chance to see and meet some of the top pros in the world.

Forbes recently evaluated squash at the top of the ten healthiest sports, ahead of other notables such as running, rowing and cross-country skiing. Come out to "The Boast on the Coast" and see why.
   

Official Site from Cole Harbour

For information or interview on the organization of the event or the sport of squash in Nova Scotia please call Matt Bishop, the province's #1 ranked player and Co-Event Organizer for the Bluenose Squash Classic - (902) 209-5866, or contact us through bluenosesquashclassic@gmail.com