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 Emerson Racquet Club
15-18 Jan, St Louis, Usa, $10k |
18-Jan, Final, Tim Kelley
reports:
Iqbal takes St Louis title
[1] Nasir Iqbal (Pak) bt [2]
Raphael Kandra (Ger)
11/9, 14/16, 11/7, 11/2
 Game
#1 went to Iqbal 11-9. The Pakistani's reaction time was simply
amazing. Kandra had dug himself a hole of 7-1 and fought back
staying in point for quite a long time. Earlier on the only points
he got were on unforced errors by Iqbal. Game point was an outright
winner for Iqbal dead right left corner from deep with a blazing
forehand kill.
Game #2 was won by Kandra 16-14. The German hit a reverse drop from
his forehand side for the match winner. The winner in the rally
before was straight and had Iqbal on his heels so he did well to mix
it up. Both varied their shot selections and the pace which just
added to the delight of the Racquet Club crowd who were also hosts
to members of a couple Louisville clubs who were in town for an
annual grudge match with them coinciding with the pros' tournament.
 Game
#3 saw Iqbal come back to his winning ways with a 11-7 outcome. This
game was just as exciting as the other two. The difference seemed to
be that the Top Seed Iqbal cut down on his unforced errors. The two
have been thrilling the huge throng with their physicality and
accuracy.
The match was won by Iqbal in the end with an 11-2 Game 4 thrashing.
Kandra, who had endeared himself to the Racquet Club throughout the
tournament and was a model of one with temperament, had trouble
regaining his composure after a couple stroke calls that did not go
his way. He even received a warning from the referee as he
confronted him civilly, but did mention something about rubbish.
Again, it was an excellent match overall and both left It all on the
floor . The Emerson Racquet Club Pro Series Winner, Nasir Iqbal,
kneeled down and kissed the hardwood after his victory.
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  Emerson
RCP 2014
15-18 Jan, St Louis, Usa, $10k |
Round One
15 Jan |
Quarters
16 Jan |
Semis
17 Jan |
Final
18 Jan |
[2] Raphael Kandra (Ger)
115, 11/7, 11/5 (25m)
Fred Reid (Can) |
[2] Raphael Kandra
12/10, 12/10, 12/10 (70m)
[7]
Syed Bukhari |
[2] Raphael Kandra
11/7, 12/10, 6/11, 11/9 (58m)
[4] Abdullah Al Tamimi |
[2] Raphael Kandra
11/9, 14/16, 11/7, 11/2
[1] Nasir Iqbal |
[7]
Syed Bukhari (Pak)
9/11, 11/5, 11/7, 11/7 (51m)
Baba Tunde Ajaqbe (Ngr) |
[8] Geoffrey Demont (Fra)
11/4, 11/5, 11/8
Alejandro Garbi (Esp) |
Alejandro Garbi
12/10, 11/4, 11/7 (47m)
[4] Abdullah Al Tamimi |
[4] Abdullah Al Tamimi (Qat)
11/4, 11/7, 12/14, 11/5 (41m)
Mike Puertas (Usa) |
James Huang (Tpe)
11/5, 3/11, 2/11, 11/9, 11/1 (46m)
[3] Arturo Salazar (Mex) |
[3] Arturo Salazar
11/4, 11/9, 11/5 (31m)Reiko Peter |
[3] Arturo Salazar
11/7, 11/9, 11/5 (30m)
[1] Nasir Iqbal |
Reiko Peter (Sui)
9-11, 11-7, 13-11, 11-8 (58m)
[5] Lewis Walters (Eng) |
Matthew Serediak (Can)
11/1, 11/4, 11/3 (30m)
[6] Sebastiaan Weenink (Ned) |
[6] Sebastiaan Weenink
11/9, 11/7, 12/10 (45m)
[1] Nasir Iqbal |
Karamatullah Khan (Pas)
11/7, 11/3, 11/1 (24m)
[1] Nasir Iqbal (Pak) |
16-Jan, Quarters, Tim Kelley
reports:
Top four through to St Louis semis
A crowd predominantly made up of Racquet Club members saw a very
good and entertaining opening quarterfinal match as the Number 2
Seed Raphael Kandra swept by Syed Hamzah Bukhari from Pakistan 12-10, 12-10, 12-10.
The southpaw Kandra forced a critical stroke that was a framer by
Bukhari before a long-taxing rally's end and more importantly on
game point.
The 31 year old tried hard to shrug it off but to no avail as a
questionable call (according to him) at 10-10 in the deciding game
just made matters worse for him. In the end Kandra was therefore
more mentally fit.
The second match of the day had some pop, and especially towards the
end as Spaniard Alejandro Garbi was unleashing his thunderous
backhand. Some of it was frustration-induced as fourth seed
Abdullah Al Tamimi (to quote Head RC Pro Mike Puertas) "had too
many tools in his tool box."
He also forced Garbi to speak to himself, and the Spaniard got a
talking to by the referee as he was not too kind to the walls, the
floor, AND his racquet!
The crafty 19 year old from Qatar finished off Garbi in straight
games 12-10, 11-4, 11-7 with his pin-point accuracy. Garbi also had
a stroke called on him to make it 10-7 in the last game and all the
barking in the park or on the court to the ref and himself wouldn't
allow him past the tricky Tamimi, who simply had too many "tools"
and too many tricks up his sleeve.
The Number 3 Seed Arturo Salazar knocked off the colorful and
lanky Reiko Peter from Switzerland in 31 minutes 11-4-,11-9,
11-5.
Peter could not repeat his upset performance from the night before
over Lewis Walters. Salazar went down to his knees late in Game 2
after getting a bit tangled up once again as it seemed that Peter
wrapped around him somewhat as Salazar passed by. I think Peter
questioned his antics as Salazar appeared to have wrenched his back
when the score was 9-8 Salazar. Play was a little chippy, but the
Mexican came through with steadier play sprinkled with some soft,
angular drops as well.
In the final match of the day the No. 1 Seed Nasir Iqbal from
Pakistan held true to his standing as he beat the Netherlander
Sebastian Weenink in 45 minutes in three straight 11-9, 11-7,
12-10. Weenink fought hard, but could not overcome Iqbal's cunning
play. Weenink had a must-make between the legs shot at match ball
and survived to the tie-breaker, but in the end it was the Pakistani
who took three close games.
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Round One in St Louis
Switzerland's Reiko Peter made the perfect start to his New
Year campaign when he upset fifth seed Lewis Walters in the opening
round of the Emerson Racquet Club Pro Series, the first event of the
2014 US Pro Squash Series at The Racquet Club in St Louis, Missouri.
The unseeded 24-year-old from Lucerne recovered from a game down to
beat US-based Englishman Walters 9-11, 11-7, 13-11, 11-8 in 58
minutes to secure his unexpected place in the quarter-finals.
Peter will now take on Arturo Salazar, the No.3 seed from
Mexico. The World No.78 from San Luis Potosi was taken the full
distance by Taiwan's James Huang, ranked almost 50 places lower,
before prevailing 11-5, 3-11, 2-11, 11-9, 11-1.
There was a further upset in the top half of the draw where Spaniard
Alejandro Garbi Caro defeated Geoffrey Demont, the No.8 seed
from France, 11-4, 11-5, 11-8.
Caro progresses to face fourth seed Abdulla Al Tamimi - but
the Qatari teenager needed 41 minutes to see off experienced Mike
Puertas, the 45-year-old event promoter, 11-4, 11-7, 12-14, 11-5.
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Lewis and Peter
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US Pro Series kicks off in St Louis
 The
2014 PSA US Pro Squash Series begins today when the Emerson Racquet Club
Pro Series event gets underway in St Louis.
Sixteen players will compete for the first available points on the
US Pro Series circuit which will see players from across the globe
compete for a bonus prize fund which will be awarded when the series
comes to a conclusion.
American No.1 Julian Illingworth
won the
inaugural PSA US Pro Squash Series in 2013, claiming the $5,000 top
prize in the process and he’ll be looking to retain the title in
what promises to be a hotly contested series from start to finish.
"The 2013 US Pro Squash Series was a great success and were
delighted to see the series return in 2014," said PSA CEO Alex
Gough.
"Squash has enjoyed a recent surge in enthusiasm across the United
States and the continued growth of the US Pro Series gives the sport
a great platform to maximise on the many opportunities associated
with the US market."
US Squash Vice President Conor O’Malley said: “We were
delighted with the response from the players for the 2013, and
first, PSA US Pro Squash Series and we’re pleased to be continuing the
event in 2014 and hope to build on that success.
“With even more tournaments involved this year, we will be taking
world class squash to new markets and engaging new fans to watch the
action unfold throughout the year.”
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Walters aims to avoid
St Louis Blues
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