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 18-Jan,
Final:
Selby sizzles in Comfort Inn
final ...
Paul Marley reports
England's Daryl Selby clinched his seventh PSA tour title with
victory over the fast rising Egyptian star, Tarek Momen, in the
final of the 2009 Comfort Inn Open, presented by Odlum Brown Limited
that was played at the Evergreen Squash Club on Vancouver’s North
Shore.
 Both
had victories yesterday over the top two seeds in the semis and this
final was eagerly anticipated due to their contrasting styles. Selby
seems to be a “meat and potatoes” player who retrieves extremely
well, constantly plays penetrating length and takes few chances.
Momen, on the other hand, is also an outstanding retriever but is
much more offensively minded and much more inclined to play the
risky shot.
The first game was very entertaining and it showcased Momen’s
offensive talent. He showed off an array of precise volley drops to
each corner from high on his backhand and volley boasts off his
forehand that frequently had Selby taking a step in the wrong
direction before recovering. Momen’s shots were on the money for the
most part and he closed the first game 11-4.
 Then
both players seemed to get caught up challenging some refereeing
decisions to the point where they appeared to lose their focus.
Selby seemed to do a better job managing this mental challenge and
evened the match with an 11-3 game.
The disagreements with the officiating continued and Selby seemed to
better regain his focus.
He settled into a nice rhythm and continued his steady, retrieving,
length oriented game. Momen, on the other hand, seemed to have lost
his way with many unforced errors creeping into his game which
proved fatal. As a result, Selby cruised to an 11-2, 11-3 last two
games for the 3-1 win and the title.
So, a tip of the hat to a pair of squash players who endeared
themselves to the galleries all throughout the tournament – and, who
are a real credit to the game. Selby was full value for the win and
should feel proud of his accomplishment. As for Momen, the first PSA
victory cannot be far away and when that comes one might see an
avalanche of victories thereafter.
Looking forward to next year!!!!
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 Comfort
Inn Open 2009
13-18 Jan, North Vancouver, Canada, $20k |
Round One
15 Jan |
Quarters
16 Jan |
Semis
17 Jan |
Final
18 Jan |
[1]
Shahier Razik (Can)
11/6, 4/0 rtd
[Q] Adil Maqbool (Pak) |
[1] Shahier Razik
3/11, 11/5, 11/4, 11/2 (48m)
[Q] Campbell Grayson |
[1] Shahier Razik
11/5, 6/11, 15/13, 11/3 (63m)
[3] Tarek Momen |
[3] Tarek Momen
4/11, 11/3, 11/2, 11/3 (63m)
[4] Daryl Selby |
[7]
Jorge Ferreira (Mex)
11/4, 12/10, 11/4 (40m)
[Q] Campbell Grayson (Nzl) |
[3]
Tarek Momen (Egy)
11/9, 11/6, 11/3 (22m)
Shawn Delierre (Can) |
[3] Tarek Momen
11/7, 11/4, 15/13 (51m)
[8] Arturo Salazar |
[8]
Arturo Salazar (Mex)
11/9, 9/11, 11/7, 11/6 (50m)
Liam Kenny (Irl) |
[Q] Martin Knight (Nzl)
11/6, 11/2, 12/14, 10/12, 11/3 (75m)
[6] Kashif Shuja (Nzl) |
[Q] Martin Knight
7/11, 11/7, 11/0, 11/3 (80m)
[4] Daryl Selby |
[4] Daryl Selby 3/0 rtd
[2] Mohammed Abbas |
[LL]
Daniel Sibley (Can))
11/3, 11/7, 11/2 (37m)
[4] Daryl Selby (Eng) |
[Q] Gilly Lane (Usa)
6/11, 11/6, 12/10, 11/6 (48m)
[5] Julian Illingworth (Usa) |
[5] Julian Illingworth
4/11, 15/13, 11/2, 11/7 (77m)
[2] Mohammed Abbas |
Robin Clarke (Can)
11/6, 11/9, 14/12 (50m)
[2] Mohammed Abbas (Egy) |
14 Jan, Qualifying Finals:
Campbell Grayson (Nzl) bt Tyler Hamilton (Can)
11/6, 11/5, 11/3 (34m)
Adil Maqbool (Pak) bt David Glass (Can)
11/7, 6/11, 11/6, 11/5 (33m)
Gilly Lane (Usa) bt Chris Gordon (Usa)
11/6, 11/7, 14/12 (48m)
Martin Knight (Nzl) bt Daniel Sibley (Can)
11/5, 11/3, 11/8 (45m)
13 Jan, Qualifying First Round:
Tyler Hamilton (Can) bt Justin Todd (Can)
8/11, 11/9, 11/5, 11/7 (30m)
Daniel Sibley (Can) bt Colin Ramasra (Tri)
11/8, 11/5, 11/3 (24m)
David Glass (Can) bt Andrew McDougall (Can)
11/8, 10/12, 11/2, 8/11, 13/11 (70m)
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2008
Event
2007 Event
2006 Event
2005 Event |
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17-Jan,
Semis:
Top two crash out in semis ...
Paul Marley reports
Both of the top seeds fell today in semi final action at the 2009
Comfort Inn Open, presented by Odlum Brown Limited and hosted by the
Evergreen Squash Club in North Vancouver.
 The
afternoon started out very badly for the #2 seed Mohammed Abbas
as he had to retire at 3-0 in the first game to the beneficiary,
Daryl Selby. Abbas has been bothered with injuries over the past
year or so and it was apparent from the opening serve that he was
labouring.
This set the stage for a wonderful 63 minute battle featuring the
tournament’s 2007 champion and 2008 finalist, Shahier Razik
and the fast rising 20 year old star from Egypt, Tarek Momen.
As is his history, Razik lost the first game, 11-5, and then, with
the engine warmed up, took the second game 11-6. The pivotal third
game was a barn burner that took twenty-seven minutes and featured
some of the best retrieving we’ve seen for some time.
 The
players each established that they were capable of reaching every
ball that failed to find the nick. The more offensively minded Momen
was successful in stretching Razik with his counter shots and drops
off the backhand. But, he paid the price for implementing this
strategy by making more unforced errors than he was probably
comfortable with and the game was finally decided in overpoints,
15-13, in favour of the young Egyptian.
The engine cooled off for Razik in the fourth game and the game was
settled in a relatively quick seven minutes, 11-3, earning Momen a
3-1 victory and a place in the final tomorrow.
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16-Jan,
Quarters:
Seeds too strong in Quarters ...
Paul Marley reports
The quarter final round of the 2009 Comfort Inn Open, presented by
Odlum Brown Limited, was concluded this evening at the Evergreen
Squash Club in North Vancouver with all four seeds going through to
the semi finals.
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The evening started with #4 seed, and
world ranked #33 Englishman , Daryl Selby dropping the first
game 11-7 to New Zealand's Martin Knight, a successful
qualifier who has had a wonderful tournament thus far.
But this long, length oriented game lasted twenty-one minutes, the
first indication that this was not going to be an easy match.
Sure enough, as the match concluded at the eighty minute mark, the
evening’s longest match, Selby’s game strategy and freshness seemed
to eventually grind down his tired opponent for the 3-1 win. |
The eagerly awaited second match pitted
two of the games young lions who are on the rise in the squash world
if the increase in their respective world rankings over the past
year is any indication.
Vancouver has had a good look at both combatants in the past.
Egyptian Tarek Momen has played this event in the past two
years and Mexico's Arturo Salazar won the Canadian Junior
title in 2006 here on the North Shore.
Although the match concluded with a 3-0 win for the world #29 Momen
it was no easy task as the world #51, Salazar, proved to be a very
worth opponent. The crowd was thrilled with the frequent displays of
quickness, touch and power from both players.
We all agreed that we should keep an eye on both these players as
they surely are on their way to making a major impact in the sport. |
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The third match of the evening featured
Egypt's #2 seed and world #30 Mohammed Abbas against the #5
seed and world #40, Julian Illingworth.
Abbas appeared very tentative in losing the first game 11-4 as
Illingworth seemed to have total control. But the second game seemed
to be the decider as the two big men had a major collision late in
the game which left them both sprawled out on the floor and we were
concerned that one or both might need medical attention.
In due course they gingerly regained their composure and the game
ended with a 15-13 win for Abbas. The control then seem to swing to
Abbas as he finished off the match 11-2 and 11-7 for the 3-1 win in
seventy-seven minutes. |
15-Jan, Round One:
Kiwi Magic in Vancouver ...
Paul Marley reports
TThe first round of the main draw of the 2009 Comfort Inn Open,
presented by Odlum Brown Limited, was concluded this evening at the
Evergreen Squash Club in North Vancouver with seeds prevailing in
all but two matches.
New Zealanders Martin Knight and Campbell Grayson rose
from the ranks of qualifiers this evening to record impressive
victories over their highly favoured rivals.
In what many thought was the match of the night Knight, ranked # 79,
prevailed over his countryman, #41 and the tournament’s #6 seed,
Kashif Shuja, in a thrilling five setter over 75 minutes. Knight
raced out to a two game lead only to see Shuja claw back the next
two games in overpoints. The deciding game was 11-3 and it seemed
that the younger Knight had too much gas in the tank on this day.
Grayson, ranked # 65 in the world, beat #46, and the tournament’s #8
seed, Jorge Ferreira in three straight games. Grayson seemed to be
the more confident player throughout the 40 minute match with
Ferreira looking a little tired in the later stages of the match and
only briefly showing the form his seeding indicated.
A contender for the match of the night pitted the fast rising
Mexican star, and former Canadian Junior Champion, Arturo Salazar,
who just turned 21 earlier this month, against the many times Irish
Champion, Liam Kenny, who is approximately a decade older. On this
day, youth and speed were served as Salazar was full value in a very
impressive 3-1 victory.
Another very entertaining match was an all USA affair. The
tournament’s #5 seed, Julian Illingworth, ranked #40,
received a serious scare this evening as he dropped the first game
to his countryman, Gilly Lane, who is ranked #86 and was a
successful qualifier. Illingworth came back nicely to win the second
game and then survived a very competitive overpoints win in the
third which many thought was the turning point in the match.
Illingworth was outstanding in the fourth to win the match 3-1.
This was also a day in which three of the four Canadians were
eliminated by significantly higher ranked players. Shawn Delierre,
#53, fell in straight sets 3-0 to the number three seed Tarek
Momen who has improved his ranking from #52 in this event last
year to #30 this year.
Robin Clarke, #82, put on a very determined, gritty performance but
fell 3-0 primarily, it seemed, to the shotmaking and court control
of his more seasoned opponent, the number two seed, and #27,
Mohammed Abbas of Egypt.
And # 272 Daniel Sibley saw his luck turn against him this evening
as he was easily beaten 3-0 by #35 Daryl Selby in 37 minutes.
So, the Canadian banner was left to the tournament’s #1 seed,
Shahier Razik, the world ranked #26 player. He won this event in
2007 and was a finalist in 2008 and, as you might imagine, is a
crowd favorite. As expected, he came through with a victory in what
turned out to be an injury shortened match with his opponent, and
successful qualifier, Adil Maqbool. Unfortunately, in the early
stages of the first game, when he was indicating that this could be
a very competitive match, Maqbool strained his ankle and, despite a
gallant effort to continue, he had to retire early in the second
game.
The squash is brilliant and the enthusiasts can hardly wait to see
what gets served up on menu tomorrow ...
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14-Jan, Qualifying Finals:
Canada comes up empty ...
Paul Marley reports
The
qualifying rounds of the 2009 Comfort Inn Open, presented by Odlum
Brown Limited, were concluded this evening at the Evergreen Squash
Club in North Vancouver and Canada, as expected, came up empty.
For the most part, the results reflected the seedings with the
exception of the all-USA match in which world ranked #86, Gilly
Lane, defeated his countryman, #76 Christopher Gordon, 3-0.
Gilly seemed to be the more patient, steadier player and Gordon
obliged by making more than his share of unforced errors.
The remaining three matches featured Canadians competing against far
higher ranked players and the results went true to form. #167 David
Glass, who was probably feeling the effects of a 70 minute match the
night before, did win a game against #69 Adil Maqbool
although the match never seemed to be in doubt.
#79 Martin Knight took #272 Dan Sibley for a grand tour of
the entire court many times over and #65 Campbell Grayson
completed a fine New Zealand evening by dispatching #150 Tyler
Hamilton in 34 minutes.
However, Dan Sibley’s night ended on a positive note as he won the
“Lucky Loser” draw which had to be held due to a late main draw
withdrawal. This means that Sibley is placed in the main draw and
faces the #35 player, and the tournament’s number four seed, Daryl
Selby.
So Canada’s hopes in the main draw matches, which start tomorrow,
Thursday, at 6:00pm, now rest in the hands of three of Canada’s
National Team members, #1 seed, Shahier Razik, #9 seed,
Shawn Delierre, #11 seed, Robin Clarke and the “Lucky
Loser” draw winner, Dan Sibley.
Go, Canada, Go!!!!
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13-Jan, Qualifying Round One:
Canada Day at Comfort Inn
Paul Marley reports
It was “Canada Day” at the opening round of qualifying play at the
2009 Comfort Inn Open, presented by Odlum Brown Limited, with five
Canadians participating in the three matches and three Canadians
moving on to play in the final round of the qualifying matches
tomorrow at the Evergreen Squash Club on the North Shore.
The first match of the evening went according to the player’s world
ranking as #150 Tyler Hamilton beat #208 Justin Todd 3-1
despite Todd winning the first game 11-8 and holding a commanding
7-3 lead in the second game.
The second match pitted #272 Daniel Sibley against # 153
Colin Ramasra with Sibley in control for the entire match in a 3-0
upset win.
And the final match, and easily the match of the day, saw the hard
hitting, offensive minded #167 David Glass edge out the
very determined & steady #120 Andrew McDougall 3-2 in a very
exciting 70 minute match.
The question is – can the Canadian lads make it into the main draw
as their opposition stiffens significantly tomorrow evening. They
all play against opponents whose world rankings are at least fifty
percent lower.
But they know they will have the home crowd on their side ... |
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