Webcam chat at Ustream

Photo Galleries
by Laura Ainamo and Jill Perry

Mike Corren (AUS) bt Peter Creed (WAL)
      11/8, 13/11, 11/8 (47m)

Mike Corren showed the clinical precision of a true student of the game as he kept the ball far away from Peter Creed in the Goshen Open final.

Mike got himself out of trouble again and again, and used more pace tonight compared to last night's slowing down. Especially effective were his deep cross-courts and low kill drives. Peter fought hard, but found himself retrieving more than controlling, the opposite of the previous three nights.

Peter said he felt as though he had a "glass arm" due to nerves, which made his accurate short game difficult to execute. Mike, on the other hand, used his great depth and width to keep Peter back, and was then able to bring about short shots that ended rallies. It was a great tournament and performance for both.



Semi-Finals
Jim Wellington reports

Mike Corren (AUS) bt Matthew Serediak (CAN)
        11/6, 11/2, 11/8 (26m)

Serediak came out firing with a plan to keep the pace high and make Mike move, but Mike's intelligence and talent showed as he was able to slow the pace down to a crawl.

Matt was able to use some effective cross-courts and drops to twist and turn Mike, but Mike's use of lobs, drops, soft straight, all mixed with occasional, surprising pace, applied more pressure to Matt than it might have seemed, ultimately giving him little to work with.

The squash was very clean (8 decisions in 3 games), especially when compared to Corren's last match with El Kashef (43 decisions in 3 games).

Peter Creed (WAL) bt. Tyler Hamilton (CAN)
     11/6, 11/2, 11/7 (28 min.)

Peter has yet to lose a game here, and once again played too early, tight, and smart for his opponent to get into any rhythm at all.

Peter's shots always seemed to stretch Tyler a step too far, preventing Tyler from getting any real control.

Another dive and rally won was a real crowd pleaser, and adversary deflator on Creed's way to the final.

Photo Galleries

11/6, 11/2, 11/8 (26m)

[3] Matthew Serediak

11/8, 13/11, 11/8 (47m)

[5] Peter Creed

11/6, 11/2, 11/7 (28m)

[2] Tyler Hamilton

Mike Corren (AUS) bt Omar El Kashef (EGY)
   11/8, 11/8, 11/9 (48m)

"Old age and treachery will overcome youth and skill..." so the saying goes, although there was definitely a lot of skill on both sides here. The treachery lay in the fact that Mike gave Omar very little to work with, and this frustrates a pure shot-maker. All the games were close, but Mike's deliberate pace seemed to always lend him the upper hand. In the third, Omar changed his tactics and tried to slow it down on the left wall, but this also played into Mike's hand. It was a great performance by both players, and the match every one had been waiting for.

Matthew Serediak (CAN) bt Lekgotla Mosope (BOT)
   11/8, 7/11, 11/9, 6/11, 11/3 (52m)

There really was nothing in this match, both players talented and quick, trading games as the score-line shows. It was fitness in the end that left Mosope unable to contest the fifth game against Serediak, who was not going to let this opportunity pass by.

Peter Creed (WAL) bt Jonathan Ramos (MEX)
   11/4, 14/12, 11/3 (36)

Peter showed incredible quickness and razor sharp lengths and drops as he wasted no time taking it to Ramos. In the second Ramos adjusted to the pace and raised his level of play for the third day in a row, and held three game balls, but Peter's concentration proved to be the difference. Peter kept up the momentum in the third and Jonathan finally gave up the ghost, but he did have a great tournament.

Tyler Hamilton (CAN) bt Fernando Lopez (MEX)
     12/10, 6/11, 5/11, 11/7, 11/7 (49m)

Fernando must not have not wanted to stay on court another 80 minutes tonight because he finally decided to bring out his short game. It didn't prevent him from going five games, but it did reduce his match time by 31 minutes. He said he didn't feel confident going short last night because he had just played several matches on a seventeen inch tin. Tonight he hit very effective boasts and straight drops from the front and back, and won most of the front court gambits, many through Hamilton tins. Tyler also played well, most of his trouble seeming mental, but in the middle of the fourth it was evident that Fernando's legs were gone and Tyler was able to gain complete control.

Photo Galleries

... and yes, he won the rally !

Round One, bottom half

Photo Galleries

26-Oct, Qualifying:             Qualifying photo gallery

Tiago Cabral (Bbr) bye

Jonathan Ramos (Mex) bt Maxym Leclair (Can) 11/7, 7/11, 11/3, 12/10 (45 min.),  After some first game jitters, Maxym controlled more of this match than not, but had trouble ending rallies. Jonathan's quickness kept him in it, and as both players fatigued Maxym was unable to close out the fourth even though he led 5/2, 7/5, and 10/9.

Omar El Kashef (Egy) bt Fred Reid (Can) 11/3, 11/9, 12/10 (31 min.)
 When shotmakers collide there are a lot of exciting exchanges. Omar had a slight edge throughout, but had to really play well to beat a his very quick and deceptive Canadian opponent.

Ehimen Ehalen (Ngr) bt Ned Marks (Usa) 11/7, 8/11, 10/12, 11/3, 11/7 (54 min.), Ehimen always looked as though he would come out on top of this one, but Ned kept fighting and fighting, and came up with many great shots on his way to a 2/1 lead. But he had paid to great a price on the way, and Ned was unable to keep up the same level for game 4 and 5.