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05-Nov, Final:
Barker bags Vancouver title
Shauna Flath reports

Top seed Peter Barker won the all-English final of the Coastal Contacts Open at the Jericho Club in Vancouver ...
 

[2] Peter Barker (Eng) bt [8] Bradley Ball (Eng)
       11/10(2-0), 6-11, 11-10(2-0), 11/8

Great match - Peter ended up the champion but Bradley gave it his all. The games were very close and entertaining. It was very evident that there was a lot of respect for one another and that they both enjoyed the match. In his speech Peter acknowledged Bradley's comeback on the tour and was a true sportsman.

04-Nov, Semi-Finals:

[2] Peter Barker (Eng) bt [4] Matthew Giuffre (Can)
         11/4, 11/7, 11/5 (28m) 
[8] Bradley Ball (Eng) bt [1] Graham Ryding (Can)
          11/4, 9/11, 11/10(2-0), 2/11, 11/4 (79m)

Barker bursts into final

The first semi-final between Matthew Giuffre and Peter Barker went as expected with Peter dominating from start to finish and Matt never got the opportunity to get into the match at all. Peter made fast work and will be ready for the final tomorrow.

Ball bounces back

The next match-up featured #1 seed and favourite of the crowd Graham Ryding against Bradley Ball. Bradley started off strong and won the first game convincingly then Graham started to get into his groove and take control of the match winning the next game.

The third was a battle with Graham getting up to 11-10, was denied what the crowd thought was an obvious stroke before  Bradley jumped on the opportunity and took the game 13-11. Ryding took the fourth easily but Bradley came out in the fifth going all out and Graham appeared tired as Bradley cruised to a 11-4 win and a ticket to the final.

"I felt good, it was a different sort of match as I've been off the tour with an injury for 10 months and this is his first tour away.

"I felt pressure in the  two previous PSA events but here I felt comfortable, and playing Simon in the quarters felt good because it was Simon, and against Graham it was a different feel on the court.

"I'm relaxed, confident and feel I'm playing really good squash."

 
Chris' Canadian Communiqué  #2
 
It's another rainy day here in Vancouver and I think many of the club members, and maybe a few of the PSA players, will probably be feeling a little under the weather after the tournament party last night! A professional hypnotist started the evening off in style, and when I saw Simon Parke approaching the stage to be hypnotized, I though we were going to be in for quite a show, however not even a hypnotist can break down Parkie's mental toughness!

Back to squash though, and the first of the semi-finals saw a very sharp looking Pete Barker win through against Matt Giuffre, a relatively quick 3/0 so Pete should be fresh for today's final. The other semi was another five game marathon for Bradley Ball and Graham Ryding, with the big hitting Bradley Ball taking the fifth 11/4. It will be interesting to see how much gas Bradders has left in the tank for today's final.

03-Nov, Quarter-Finals:

[2] Peter Barker (Eng) bt [7] Eric Galvez (Mex)
      11/5, 11/4, 11/5 (32m)

Eric was definitely tired from his last tournament, made a lot of unforced errors and just didn't have it tonight as Peter kept up the pace and didn't give him any chances.

[4] Matthew Giuffre (Can) bt [6] Saurav Ghosal (Ind)
     10/12, 11/4, 6/11, 11/9, 13/11 (72m)

This match was back and forth with Ghosal appearing to be in control and ready to take the match, but Matt managed to keep retrieving and seized the opportunity to apply pressure when he got the chance. Ghosal chased down everything and just fell short with Matt closing it out at the end by the narrowest margin.

[8] Bradley Ball (Eng) bt [3] Simon Parke (Eng)
    11/5, 6/11, 11/4, 8/11, 11/8 (80m)

What a match! Back and forth, and Simon had the crowd on his side as younger sister Emma lives and plays at Jericho and good ol' Mum was here as well to cheer him on. Bradley didn't let up and both worked extremely hard but Bradley pulled it out in the end to upset the favoured Parke.

[1] Graham Ryding (Can) bt [5] Shawn DeLierre (Can)
      12/14, 11/5, 11/8, 10/12, 11/5 (88m)

This was a battle to the end. Close calls, tough calls and a lot of physical play was happening in this match. It went back and forth with frustration showing from both of the players. Graham prevailed and still maintained his upper hand over Shawn who is climbing up the PSA ranks.

Tomorrow's semis should be fantastic.

PARKY FROM POURING VANCOUVER

It's pouring with rain here in Vancouver, shame really as it's such a beautiful city.

The squash is going well at the posh Jericho Club. I'm playing Bradley Ball tonight and it's a family affair as both my mum and sister will be watching.

My sister Emma has lived here for two years, and my mum is on holiday.

Emma is also playing in the women's open, so we're hoping for a double win !

Speak soon ...

Bradley Ball

Peter Barker

Qualifying:

Qualifying finals, 1-Nov:
Jesse Engelbrecht (ZIM) bt David Barnett (ENG)    11/8, 6/11, 11/6, 9/11, 11/8 (60m)
David Phillips (CAN) bt Keith Pritchard (CAN)        11/3, 11/9, 11/2 (30m)
Steve Finitsis (AUS) bt Darren Lewis (ENG)           11/10(2-0), 5/11, 11/9, 11/7 (41m)
Chris Simpson (ENG) bt Tony James (AUS)           11/8, 9/11, 11/7, 7/11, 11/8 (57m)

First Round, 31-Oct:
David Barnett (ENG) bt Andrew McDougall (CAN)   11/7, 11/7, 10/11(0-2), 11/6 (33m)
David Phillips (CAN) bt Daniel Sibley (CAN)           11/4, 11/10(2-0), 11/6 (37m)
Keith Pritchard (CAN) bt Jason Giuffre (CAN)         11/10(3-1), 11/3, 5/11, 11/8 (26m)
Darren Lewis (ENG) bt Winston Cabell (USA)         11/3, 11/9, 11/1 (18m)
Steve Finitsis (AUS) bt Tom Pashley (ENG)            11/5, 11/6, 7/11, 11/7 (38m)
Tony James (AUS) bt Jeff Robert Evans (CAN)       11/7, 11/1, 11/7 (22m)
Chris Simpson (ENG) bt David Letourneau (CAN)   11/1, 11/1, 11/6

01-Nov, Qualifying Finals:

Qualifying Complete in Vancouver
 
Final qualifying for the Coastal Contacts Open saw one further Canadian reach the main draw, as David Phillips repeated his qualifying success from last week's Saskatoon Boast, beating compatriot Keith Pritchard in straight games at the Jericho Club.

Phillips' reward is to face Mexico's Eric Galvez, the winner last week in Saskatoon who is seeded seven for this event.

Australia's Steve Finitsis overcame Darren Lewis in four games to set up a meeting with sixth seed Saurav Ghosal, while Chris Simpson and Jesse Engelbrecht were both taken the full distance, by Tony James and David Barnett respectively, with Englebrecht up against Simon Parke in the first round while Simpson faces second seed Peter Barker, the second-seeded Englishman celebrating his first appearance in the world's top twenty in the latest PSA rankings.

13-Oct:   

FOUR TOP 30 SET
FOR VANCOUVER
 
Former top 10 and as high as number 3 in the world England’s Simon Parke of Leeds joined Canada’s Matthew Giuffre and England’s Peter Barker as entries confirmed today for the $20,000 USD Coastal Contacts Open presented by Patch International, a professional squash tournament to be staged November 1-5 at the Jericho Tennis Club.

The trio brings to four the entries announced for the tournament that will feature a main draw of 16 (November 2-5) and a qualifying event Oct.31-Nov. 1. Last week, top-ranked Canadian Graham Ryding – the world’s No. 21-ranked player -- became the first entry confirmed for the Coastal Contacts Open.

A 5’11” 34-year-old residing in Leeds, Parke has captured the prestigious British Open title in 1998 and also the US Open title in 1999. He has represented England for 10 years on their National team and is formally No.3 in the World. Parke is now ranked in his country’s top-10 squash players and is No. 37 in the world.

Sanctioned by the PSA, Squash Canada and Squash BC, the Coastal Contacts Open presented by Patch International will also feature Ryding, top-ranked Canadian national team player Giuffre and No.23 in the World Barker. Giuffre was born in Edmonton, Alberta. The 24-year-old represented Canada most recently at the Commonwealth Games and World Team Championships. He has won every junior national category and his best ranking this year was cracking the top 40 in the world this past August. Twenty-three-year-old Barker, coached by Paul Carter, most recently won the 2006 Colombian Open and has previously captured 3 other PSA titles since 2003.

Tournament co-chairs Winston Cabell and Shauna Flath pointed to the corporate support that has made possible the biggest squash event to hit Vancouver in years, acknowledging the personal leadership of Roger Hardy, Chair and Chief Executive Officer of Coastal Contacts, one of the world’s largest internet suppliers of contact lenses, and David Stadnyk, Chief Executive Officer of Patch International, a Canadian junior oil and gas producer based in Vancouver and Calgary.

Information on tickets and hospitality packages for the $20,000 USD Coastal Contacts Open presented by Patch International is available by contacting the Jericho Tennis Club at (604) 221-2830.

Tournament website