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Rashid takes surprise title
SHOBHITA SHARMA
reports
in the London Free Press
London witnessed 56 minutes of world-class squash yesterday as
Farzan Rasheed of Pakistan beat world No. 68 David Phillips of
Montreal to win the inaugural $6,000 Nash Cup.
The London Squash Racquets Club, located at the corner of Albert and
Ridout streets, played host to the Professional Squash Association
tournament.
Twenty-eight players from around the globe flew in to be part of the
event.
Unseeded heading into the tournament, Rashid smashed and sweated his
way up to the finals, eliminating last year's British Junior Open
semi-finalist Robin Clarke of Ottawa and Tom Pashley of England.
A packed house at the club watched, gasped and clapped as Rasheed
and Phillips duked it out for hardwood supremacy. In the end, Rashid
emerged victorious.
Rasheed, 19, raised his hands and fell to the ground as he defeated
top seeded Phillips 11-8, 9-11,11-9, 11-5.
After losing the second game Rasheed pushed harder, serving his
opponent a medley of fast, yet calculated lob shots and cross-shots.
Rasheed said he walked on to the court yesterday afternoon with
confidence from his previous wins. Despite playing more than six
games in the past week, he said fatigue was the last thing on his
mind.
"In the fourth set when I was winning 10-5, I knew he would make
mistake and that I was very close to winning," Rashid said.
Phillips attested to Rasheed's abilities with the racquet and
commended his game.
"He is very fast and I knew it was going to be a tough game,"
Phillips said.
The Montreal native pinned the third set as the turning point of the
match.
"I was leading 9-7 and I just didn't close it out. That was the
point that made the difference," Phillips said.
Both players are now on their way to playing more squash
tournaments. Rashid will participate in another PSA event in Ottawa
later this month, while Phillips is heading overseas to play in the
world championships in Manchester, England.
"Later I'll be playing some more PSA games,'' Phillips said. The PSA
schedule is getting massive. The game is definitely growing."
Phillips said it was encouraging to see smaller cities such as
London play host to PSA tournaments. The Nash Cup was the first PSA
event to be held in London. In the past, the city has hosted
professional leagues, but this was the first tournament of this
calibre here.
"Such a standard of squash is great for the community of London,''
said Fio Marin, the club's head pro. "The club has been entertaining
squash games at an exhibition level. Events like this promote
squash."
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 Nash
Cup 2008
Ontario, Canada,
01-05 Oct, $6k |
Round One
02-Oct |
Quarters
03-Oct |
Semis
04-Oct |
Final
05-Oct |
[1] David Phillips
(Can)
11/5, 1/11, 11/3, 8/11, 11/3 (51m)
[Q] Rudi Willemse (Rsa) |
[1] David Phillips
11/3, 11/6, 11/4 (29m)
Dave Glass |
[1] David Phillips
6/11, 5/11, 14/12, 11/5, 11/4 (67m)
[3] Gilly Lane |
[1] David
Phillips11/8, 9/11,11/9, 11/5
(56m)
[Q] Farzan Rasheed |
[7] Michal Reid (Can)
7/11, 4/11, 11/6, 11/1, 11/8 (62m)
Dave Glass (Can) |
[3] Gilly Lane (Usa)
11/3, 11/3, 3/11, 7/11, 11/3 (59m)
Dane Sharp (Can) |
[3] Gilly Lane
11/6, 11/7, 11/6 (31)
[5] Ian Power |
[5] Ian Power (Can)
11/1, 11/5, 11/5 (21m)
Bernard Reid (Can) |
Matt Serediak (Can)
11/1, 11/7, 11/4 (21m)
[6] Keith Pritchard (Can) |
Matt Serediak
11/6, 11/8, 11/5 (28)
[4] Tom Pashley |
[4] Tom Pashley
11/6, 11/5, 11/1 (26m)
[Q] Farzan Rasheed |
[Q] TG Raubenheimer
(Rsa)
11/8, 12/10, 6/11, 11/5 (57m)
[4] Tom Pashley (Eng) |
[Q] Farzan Rasheed (Pak)
11/5, 11/3, 11/6 (22m)
[8] Tyler Hamilton (Can) |
[Q] Farzan Rasheed
11/6, 12/10, 11/4 (45m)
[2] Robin Clarke |
[Q] Chris Hanebury
(Can)
11/3, 11/5, 11/8 (27m)
[2] Robin Clarke (Can) |
01-Oct,
Qualifying Finals:
T.G. Raubenheimer bt Dan Sibley
10-12, 9-11, 11-7, 11-2, 11-7 (80m)
Rudi Willemse bt Ben Oliner
11-8, 11-2, 11-9 (37)
Farzan Rashed bt Jason Delierre
11-3, 11-9, 11-7 (31)
Chris Hanebury bt Peter Kviecinsky
11-5, 11-9, 11-6 (37)
30-Sep, Qualifying
Round One:
Dan Sibley (CAN) bt. Fred Reid (CAN)
11-9, 11-3, 11-7 (32m)
T.G. Raubenheimer (RSA) bt. Maxym Leclair (CAN)
11-5, 11-3, 11-6 (24m)
Rudi Willemse (RSA) bt. Strachan Jarvis (CAN)
11-4, 11-3,11-8 (24m)
Ben Oliner (USA) bt. Rafik Bahloo (CAN)
11-4, 11-3, 11-3 (25m)
Chris Hanebury (CAN) bt. Jay Fleishman (CAN)
11-5, 11-4, 11-6 (19m)
Peter Kviecinsky (SVK) bt. Iain Crozier (CAN)
8-11, 11-2, 11-9, 11-5 (32m)
Farzan Rasheed (PAK) bt. Kimesh Chetty (CAN)
11-6, 11-7, 11-5 (24m)
Jason Delierre (CAN) bt. Adrian Dudzicki (CAN) 7-11, 11-9,
10-12, 11-7 (34m)
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Top seed & Qualifier in Final
Richard Yendell reports
A packed house, an enthusiastic crowd and when it was all said and
done there are two men standing.
David Phillips turned in an unbelievable performance tonight.
Two games down, two matches balls and 30mins later he walks off the
court with a place in Sunday's finals. Gilly Lane came out smoking.
His tempo was very high and he ran down everything Phillips could
shoot at him. Some untimely errors didn't help David's cause either.
Two games down and 3-7 in the third Phillips went dug deep and found
his rhythm.
The fourth game was over before it started. Gilly seemed to have
decided that the crucial points in the third would force a fifth
game and he conceded with little resistance to Philips growing
confidence.
At 4-2 in the fifth Philips was in front for the first time and it
just seemed that he wasn't going to give it up after being so close
to the death. A great match, the crowd loved every moment of it.
Hats off to a very classy Gilly Lane who will be remembered in
London for his grit and determination.
What is there to say about Farzan Rasheed. This kid is simply
amazing. Undoubtedly on the rise, he is definitely world class.
Through the qualifiers he has played five matches in five days and
not dropped a game. So cool and calm on the court and able to react
instantly to anything and everything that his opponents can throw at
him. Tom Pashley said afterwards that he felt he was up against a
brick wall there was just nothing he could do.
So we are down to the finals; top seed David Phillips and unseeded
Farzan Rasheed. The London Squash Racquets Club has been indulged
with top class squash and now has one more day to get its fix before
its gone!
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"It feels
great to make the final and I’ll keep following my strategy right
through to the finish.
"Gilly came out really strong and had me running around early on. I
took the wind out of his sails by winning that third game, I was
able to keep pace with him point for point."
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Rasheed races into Ontario semis
Richard Yendell reports
Farzan Rasheed continued to impress the London crowds with his
steady powerful play on Friday evening at the Nash Cup. This time it
was second seed Robin Clarke who went don't in straight games to the
young man from Pakistan. Fast and patient he hammered away and wore
down Clarke in three thrilling games.
Clarke fought back from 8-4 down in the second and had a game ball
before Rasheed regained his composure and closed out the crucial
second game 12-10. In the third there was never any doubt as Rasheed
cruised to a straight game victory.
Rasheed meets England's Tom Pashley for a place in the final.
Elsewhere Gilly Lane set up what may prove to be a classic
semi-final encounter with top seed David Phillips. His relentless
movement was just too much for veteran Ian Power.
So the stage is set for Saturday's semi-finals. The club will be
flooded again with 101 amateurs who are competing in 10 divisions
throughout the day at both London Squash and Goodlife Galleria. If
you get a chance to come down we welcome you to join in the action
only two more days and then it will all be gone!!!
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Qualifying complete in Ontario
Richard Yendell reports
Another great night of squash in London. The club was closed today
for final preparations for this evening's opening main round
matches. You could feel the anticipation in the air as the
membership and local squash fans began to filter in before the 6pm
start.
The quality and pace definitely reached another level tonight as
three of the first four matches went the distance. Gilly Lane
battled through an ankle injury to hold off Dane Sharp in five
games; Rudi Willemse almost provided the first upset of the evening
when he pushed top seed David Phillips to the limit; And
David Glass came back from two games down to beat countryman
Michal Reid.
T.G. Raubenheimer has won many new fans in London with his friendly
persona but the crowd support was not enough to push him past a very
tough Tom Pashley. Perhaps the man to watch now is Farzan
Rasheed from Pakistan, he easily defeated either seed Tyler
Hamilton and now sets up what should be THE match of the quarter
finals with second seed Robin Clarke.
Friday looks be a busy day in London as 101 amateurs arrive to
compete in the annual NASHionals softball classic.
This event is running at two clubs and should produce some great
squash!!! Its going to be a great weekend, stay tuned!!!!
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Nash Cup attracts
Canada's best
London
Free Press - Canada
By MORRIS DALLA COSTA Some of the top squash players in
Canada are in London this week for the Nash Cup ... |
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