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Golden Open 2010
04-07 June, Kalgoorlie, Australia |
07-Jun, Final:
Corren equals winning record
South Australian Mike Corren won a record equalling
26th PSA title when he cruised to a straight games win over
Queensland’s Nathan Stevenson in the final of the Golden
Open in Kalgoorlie on Monday.
Corren downed second seeded Stevenson 11-9, 11-2, 11-4 to
move alongside fellow Australian David Palmer and Egypt’s
Amr Shabana on the highest number of PSA titles won by
current players.
Stevenson was taken the distance in all his earlier rounds
while Corren had an easier run to the final, and this became
obvious when after a tight first game the top seed raced
away with the second and third to clinch his second
consecutive Golden Open.
The 36-year-old Corren has the chance to move ahead of
Palmer and Shabana at this week’s South Australian Open,
where he has been named as the second seed behind New South
Welshman Matthew Karwalski.
While former top 40 player Corren is somewhat embarrassed
when he is compared with his colleagues, both ex-world
number ones, his achievement cannot be underestimated.
Corren won his first title in Hong Kong in 1996 and has been
collecting them all over the world ever since, despite
missing significant parts of his career through a series of
injuries.
The colourful Corren, currently ranked 87th in the world,
shows no signs of slowing down at a time when most of his
earlier opponents have retired from the tour.
He claimed six titles in 2009 including the Golden Open, has
already won two this year and been in the final of two
others.
He has given himself a gruelling schedule this winter and
has entered every tournament on the Australian Squash Tour.
His next target on the all-time winners’ list is Canadian
Jonathan Power’s total of 37 PSA titles.
Final:
1-Mike Corren (SA) bt 2-Nathan Stevenson (Qld) 11-9, 11-2,
11-4 |
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Stevenson last hurdle facing Corren
Second seeded Queenslander Nathan Stevenson is the last
remaining hurdle for Mike Corren as the South Australian
bids to win his 26th PSA title at the Golden Open in the
West Australian gold mining city of Kalgoorlie.
Corren downed New Zealand’s Alex Grayson in straight games
11-8, 11-4, 11-9 in the semi-finals on Sunday to move into
Monday’s final. He earlier thrashed New Zealand junior
Edward Dromgool 11-2, 11-2, 11-4 in the quarter-finals.
If Corren beats Stevenson he will move equal with fellow
Australian David Palmer and Egypt’s Amr Shabana on 26 PSA
titles, the most won by any current player.
Stevenson got to the decider by beating fourth seeded
Victorian Rex Hedrick in five tough games 6-11, 11-4, 11-9,
6-11, 11-9.
The 36-year-old Corren will go into the final, a repeat of
last year’s decider, the fresher of the two after winning
all his matches in straight games.
By contrast Stevenson, 22, has been taken the distance in
all his matches and was kept on court for 80 minutes in his
quarter-final against Jake Alexander and just under an hour
by Hedrick.
Quarter-finals
1-Mike Corren (SA) bt Edward Dromgool (NZL) 11-2, 11-2, 11-4
7-Alex Grayson (NZL) bt 3-Justin Beard (SA) 5-11, 6-11,
14-12, 11-8, 11-7
4-Rex Hedrick (Vic) bt 6-Peter Taylor (Qld) 11-7, 11-8,
12-10
2-Nathan Stevenson (Qld) bt 5-Jacob Alexander (Qld) 11-6,
11-7, 5-11, 9-11, 11-7
Semi-finals
1-Mike Corren (SA) bt 7-Alex Grayson (NZL) 11-8, 11-4, 11-9
2-Nathan Stevenson (Qld) bt 4-Rex Hedrick (Vic) 6-11, 11-4,
11-9, 6-11, 11-9 |
Corren’s record bid
starts well
Andrew Dent reports
Mike Corren’s bid for a record-equaling 26th PSA
title began well on Saturday when he downed young
Queenslander Jamie Mcervale in the first round of the Golden
Open in Kalgoorlie, Western Australia.
Corren, the 36-year-old South Australian, beat Mcervale in
straight games 11-5, 11-4, 11-9 and looks in fine touch as
he bids to win back to back tournaments following his
triumph at last week’s City of Perth International.
He will now play New Zealand’s Edward Dromgool after the
young Kiwi upset eighth seeded South Australian Ben Werchon
11-7, 11-7, 11-6.
Dromgool produced the only upset in the first round although
second seed Nathan Stevenson was made to fight after fellow
Queenslander Sunil Seth took a two games to one lead, the
second seeded Stevenson fighting back to win 12-10, 8-11,
11-13, 11-4, 11-7.
Round One:
1-Mike Corren (SA) bt Jamie Mcervale (Qld) 11-5, 11-4, 11-9
Edward Dromgool (NZL) bt 8-Ben Werchon (SA) 11-7, 11-7, 11-6
3-Justin Beard (SA) bt James Skiffington (NZL) 11-4, 11-2,
11-6
7-Alex Grayson (NZL) bt Walter Koteka (WA) 11-7, 11-1, 11-8
6-Peter Taylor (Qld) bt Jack Molloy (WA) 11-8, 11-6, 11-9
4-Rex Hedrick (Vic) bt Tim Cowell (WA) 11-4, 11-5, 11-5
5-Jake Alexander (Qld) bt Jake Davidson (WA) 11-2, 11-5,
11-4
2-Nathan Stevenson (Qld) bt Sunil Seth (Qld) 12-10, 8-11,
11-13, 11-4, 11-7 |
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