Final: Knight wins a marathon

New Zealand's second seed Martin Knight won a marathon final against Charles Sharpes to claim the inaugural Charlottesville Open title in Virginia.

The win marks Knight's fourth career PSA title, and also a turnaround in fortunes after the 29-year-old world #53 finished runner-up in both the New Zealand International and the Copa Maxxis in Brazil earlier this month.
 

Final:
[2] Martin Knight (Nzl) 3-2[4]  Charles Sharpes (Eng)
        10/12, 11/6, 11/7, 8/11, 11/7 (98m)

Semis: Sharpes and Knight through

England's Charles Sharpes and New Zealander Martin Knight will contest the final of the ilex construction Charlottesville Open after surviving contrasting semi-finals in Virginia.

Fourth seed Sharpes faced Abdulla Al Tamimi, the unseeded Qatari teenager who upset US favourite Julian Illingworth in the first round.

The 18-year-old from Doha took the opening two games before the London-born 21-year-old Sharpes asserted his authority on the encounter to take the next three to secure a hard won victory.

The win moves Sharpes into his second PSA final of the year and the seventh of his career.

Second seed Knight, the New Zealand champion from Auckland, also faced an unseeded opponent. Ireland's Arthur Gaskin earned his surprise place in the last four after upsetting fourth-seeded Canadian Dane Sharp in the previous round.

But the 29-year-old Kiwi, ranked 53 in the world, was too strong for the Irishman, winning in straight games to claim his third successive Tour final appearance this month - and the 11th of his career.
 

Report from the Daily Progress

New $12m Squash Centre for Charlottesville

7/11, 7/11, 11/5, 11/3, 11/8

[4] Charles Sharpes

10/12, 11/6, 11/7, 8/11, 11/7 (98m)

[2] Martin Knight

12/10, 11/7, 11/3

[2] Martin Knight