Second PSA title for Delasaux…
Alan Steptoe reports from Hithercroft

Worries regarding a slight ankle injury preceded the match but proved unfounded in the end as Delasaux started with two forehand drop shot winners and three boasts into the tin going for winners. However he soon settled into his rhythm and began to chop in his trademark tight drives dying into the wall at three-quarter length. Both players were trying to impose their game on the match but it was Delasaux who held control of the centre court just a little better taking the first 11/6.

Both players knew that the second game was critical, Krajcsak was now even more dangerous as he was really hunting for openings to put away his stunning smashes into the nicks. Delasaux kept calm and kept the ball tight to minimize his opponents options. Krajcsak forged a lead at 7/4 but Delasaux dug deep to even the scores.

At 9/9 the pressure was now on Krajcsak. Superb drops into the nick, first from Delasaux, then from Krajcsak. It was nail biting stuff with the crowd unusually silent. Delasaux seemed to decide that it was now or never, two more brilliant shots from Delasaux including an inspired back hand drop volley took the crucial second game. Krajcsak had used up a huge amount of energy trying to prise the second game from Delasaux but now he was in real trouble and they both knew it.

The third saw a shaky start for both players, but it was Delasaux again who found a way to stop the power and speed of Krajcsak, with beautifully timed counter punching and taking the pace off the ball completely at the front.

Delasaux could sense victory and the tiredness of his opponent as he worked Krajcsak all over the court. Delasaux hadn’t run out of ideas yet either, he now started to use more and more deception in his cross courts and drives, often resulting in outright winners. Furthermore he skilfully held each shot longer and longer to allow his opponent long enough to settle before changing direction completely.

Delasaux now chased down every ball no matter how impossible it seemed, trying and succeeding to get it back onto the wall at any cost. At 7/4 up, Delasaux held on to match Krajcsak point for point, the calmness finally deserting Delasaux has he gave it his all with one last desperate push and the title was his.
 

"It was a hard match, the second game was massive. Credit to Mark he made it very hard. Just a little bit of extra control in the front maybe made the difference. "This is the reward for all the hard work that we have put in. There were very few errors made considering the amount of attacking shots that were played. Mark is very good around the middle of the court, so I just tried to keep an even pace and a good length, it's no good just smashing the ball around because he just feeds off of it. "With a fast player like Mark I decided to put a lot of hold on it to give him enough time to stop on his heels. I also used a bit of deception, especially in the third when we were both getting tired. "I would like to thank my coach David Campion who did a lot of work with me before Christmas." Laurence Delasaux

DRAW & RESULTS

Wallingford

"I had a bad start and lost focus at 5/2. I pushed hard to get to game point, but didn’t put it away and Laurence took his chance and the first game. "He played excellent shots, hitting 3, 4 or 5 nicks every game. I was a little bit slower than yesterday which seemed to make a big difference. "It was my first PSA final, so maybe I need to get used to playing four games in a row, perhaps save some energy for later. Squash is my life, so I need to get better; I just need to get some more experience like this. "The crowd support was really great, almost like playing in Hungary back in front of my own crowd. I would like to thank my coaches Colin White and Csaba Altavater who helped me to prepare for a month before coming here. "My aim now is to reach top 50 in the world, this will make a difference of 10 or 15 places so I am getting closer. Being well looked after here made a big difference, there were no distractions, just relaxing, eating and playing squash allowed me to focus. "I like the courts and will be back next year." Mark Krajcsak

The Hithercroft Open 2006 Naturally the organizers would like to thank the players, sponsors, the squash site for covering our event and of course the crowd for their enthusiastic support. This is our first attempt at an international squash event and initial feedback has been very positive from all concerned, we look forward to the exciting possibility of the Hithercroft squash Open 2007. See you there … Thank you and goodbye from Wallingford, Oxfordshire. Richard Knight Club Chairman

Match Highlights from Alan Steptoe ...
 

DRAW & RESULTS

Wallingford

"I felt good tonight and I even surprised myself in the second game. "If I play like that tomorrow then I can win it, but well have to wait and see." Mark Krajcsak

Stacey Ross
 

"The racquet has been feeling good all week and when it feels like that I just tend to go for the shots. "Alex controlled the front of the court in the first game, running me all over the court and into the corners, so I planned to go out in the second and take control of the front of the court myself. "Alex didn't seem his usual self though. I settled into the second game much better and it just got better from there really." Laurence Delasaux

Ross falls to Cracking Krajcsak …

This time there was no fast start, both players measuring each other up carefully. Scoring was level until 4/4 when Krajcsak pushed away, but Ross went with him and a tie break was inevitable. Until now there were zero errors, then sensationally and inexplicably the usually ice cool Ross put two shots into the tin to hand the game to Krajcsak.

The second began with a superb flicked winner at the front with  Krajcsak under pressure which brought enthusiastic appreciation from the packed Hithercroft crowd. Then a rocket low cross court, hard drive, now bursting with confidence Krajcsak had clearly decided there was no more measuring up required as he continued to take every ball extremely early and volleyed at the slightest opportunity. It seemed as though every rally ended with one smashed nick winner after another, each one more amazing than the last. Game to Krajcsak 11/3.

Ross was now 2/0 down, but continued where he left off in the previous game, making four unforced errors. Nevertheless he seemed to remain as calm as ever, gradually fighting his way back into contention. We were rumbling along nicely in this evenly contested third game when Krajcsak seemed to get stoked up over a refereeing decision in the closing rallies. The game eventually fell to Ross with a sublime boast and superb deception sending Krajcsak totally the wrong way.

Little did we know but the blue touch paper under Krajcsak had been lit. Krajcsak was now chasing down every ball no matter how seemingly impossible the task, and from 2/2 the Hungarian went into overdrive attacking everything and piling the pressure on relentlessly. The score reached 9/2 and Ross has been around long enough to know when enough is enough, going thorough the motions playing the last few balls, and seconds later the Hungarian booked his place in the final.

Delasaux takes control

Early in the first game Stait quickly found his superb touch at the front, regularly finding the nick. Delasaux resisted to 5/5 but Stait took over control of the front of the court, working his opponent into the corners, a mixed bag of well worked winners saw the first game deservedly go to Stait.

Then it all went a bit wrong for Stait as he seemed to dwell on some refereeing decisions and sure enough, the unforced errors followed. As in previous matches at this point, Delasaux started to play the ball tighter and tighter, as the points rolled in and the Delasaux’s confidence rose, so did his game.

Delasaux was now controlling the middle of the court and was placing his shots at will. Stait tried to force his way back into it with deception and squeezing another inch of wall from the tin, but it didn’t work.

Delasaux was was not to be denied his place in the final.
 

13-Jan, Quarter-Finals:
Easy for Ross,
but Disaster for Handley
Match Highlights from Alan Steptoe ...

The quarter-finals of the Hithercroft Open saw top seed Stacey Ross cruise through to the semis, but Wallingford's own Scott Handley, the second seed, crashed out injured in the fifth game of his quarter-final ...

Disaster for local hero Handley …
 

[7] Laurence Delasaux (Eng) bt [2] Scott Handley       11/13, 16/14, 5/11, 11/8, 6/3 rtd (50m)

In the first game the points added up quickly for Delasaux but Handley staged a spirited come back to 5/5, he then calmly put away four awesome backhand drop shots into the nick, and two strokes followed which handed the game and first blood to Handley.

Both players fought for control of the second game, Delasaux covering the court using his height advantage to full effect, whilst Handley matched him with lightning speed and agility. Until midway through the second game, Handley had made only one unforced error whilst Delasaux had made six, but three tins from Handley effectively allowed Delasaux to level the scores at 1/1.

Handley continued to play the more inventive squash, playing winning shots from some excellent attacking boasts, and it was interesting to see him using the lob, not just defensively but also to apply pressure. There was nothing in it until 6/6 then Handley put away three more exquisite drop shots mixed with two strokes. 2/1 to the local favourite.

In the fourth punishing long rallies tested the fitness of both players, but it was Delasaux who pushed through with a number of superb clinging tight drives from the back. The score stood and 2/2 and it was all to play for.

At the beginning of the final game the points were being shared evenly at 3/3, but suddenly Handley appeared unable to move forward, and at 6/3 there was a huge anti-climax felt throughout as Handley retired injured.

Krajcksak recovery beats Richards
 

[4] Mark Krajcsak (Hun) bt [6] Tom Richards (Eng)       9/11, 13/11, 11/3, 11/5 (34m)

Both players came out hard trying desperately to forge a lead, at the same time providing the crowd with an antidote to the previous quick Ross / Nardelli encounter. In the end it was Richards who took the first with some fine attacking boasts.

Richards then treated us all to whole range of unforced errors from every position on the court including four missed service returns, an easy game handed to a grateful Krajcsak.

Recognising his opportunity Krajcsak worked hard and seized the momentum, as Richards tried his best to throw the match away with far to many high risk shots.

Match Highlights from Alan Steptoe ...

The evening commenced with two straight game wins for David Barnett and Mohamed Reda. This, however, was followed by two high octane matches which delighted the Hithercroft crowd.

Jethro Binns came out firing in winners and nicks from all over the court in a clear effort to get a fast start. However shots of genius became mixed with shots of madness and occasional unforced errors.

Darren Lewis kept his cool, found his rhythm and gradually

clawed his way back, eventually taking the game on a tie break. Lewis' concentration seemed to waver as he squandered several chances to take the second game which went to Binns on a tie break.

The long rallies took their toll on Binns as he struggled with his movement and the third consecutive tie break went the way of Lewis. In the fourth game Lewis lost concentration and once again Binns attacked and took the ball much earlier to win.

In the fifth game it came full circle with Binns once again mixing the sublime with the ridiculous. Lewis went back to moving the ball about the court and it is he who will face Scott Handley in the main draw.

There was much anticipation for the Barry v Momen match as the crowd were keen to see if the Egyptian could repeat his first round performance.

Barry knew the importance of a good start and took the first game quickly, not allowing Momen to play his delicate touch shots.

The longer rallies in the second settled the young Egyptian and with a few helpful decisions he took the game.

Barry came out hard again in the third to make in 2/1 but then handed an easy game to Momen to make it 2/2.

At 10/5 up in the fifth Momen must have thought it was over but not so Barry. With the crowd on the edge of their seats Barry saved at least 11 match points before Momen finally sealed it with a good forehand straight drive to a dying length.