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Koukal continues Canadian success
Jan Koukal of the Czech Republic showed
he is ready for success on the Canadian squash circuit once again
this season as he defeated Aldredo Avila of Mexico in the
championship match this weekend at the $6,500 Nash Cup men’s
professional squash tournament.
The competition was the first stop for the men on the 2010-11
Canadian Circuit.
Koukal, a two-time winner on the circuit last season and the
tournament’s top-seed, won the final 10-12, 11-9, 11-8, 13-11 in 72
minutes. Avila needed to go through qualifying to get to the main
draw but upset the number-two and number-six seeds en route to the
final.
“Rallies were often over 30 shots or more it was one of the best
matches ever in the history of this tournament,” said Jay Nash, the
tournament chair and president of the host London Squash Racquets
Club.
The top Canadian was Dane Sharp of Ajax, Ont., who lost to Avila in
the semifinals in 77-minute five-game marathon. Avila also knocked
out Thomas Brinkman of Winnipeg, the sixth-seed in the quarterfinal.
Canadian junior champion Andrew Schnell of Calgary lost to Sharp in
the quarterfinals and Maxyme Leclair of Montreal was ousted in the
first round.
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 Nash
Cup 2010
28-Sep to 02-Oct, Ontario, $6k |
Round One
29 Sep |
Quarters
30 Sep |
Semis
01 Oct |
Final
02 Oct |
[1] Jan Koukal (Cze)
11-4, 11-6, 11-7 (39m)
[Q] Nathan Lake (Eng) |
[1] Jan Koukal
7-11, 11-4, 11-2, 8-11, 11-5 (70m)
[5] Johan Bouquet |
[1] Jan Koukal
14-12, 11-8, 6-11, 14-12 (58m)
[3] Dylan Bennett |
[1] Jan Koukal
10-12, 11-9, 11-8, 13-11 (72m)
[Q] Alfredo Avila |
[5] Johan Bouquet (Fra)
12-10, 11-7, 9-11, 11-6 (61m)
Rory Pennell (Eng) |
[3] Dylan Bennett (Ned)
11-7, 11-5, 3-11, 11-7 (37m)
[Q] Rodrigo Torres (Mex) |
[3] Dylan Bennett
11-7, 12-10, 3-11, 11-7 (51m)
Phil Nightingale |
[7] Maxym Leclair (Can)
11-3, 11-2, 6-11, 11-9 (56m)
Phil Nightingale (Eng) |
Andrew Schnell (Can)
11-8, 11-13, 15-13, 12-10 (72m)
[8] Ben Coleman (Eng) |
Andrew Schnell
11-5, 11-2, 6-11, 11-6 (53m)
Dane Sharp |
Dane Sharp
11-7, 6-11, 7-11, 11-5, 11-3 (77m)
[Q] Alfredo Avila |
Dane Sharp (Can)
8-11, 11-6, 11-5, 3-11, 11-2 (68m)
[4] Neil Hitchens (Eng) |
[Q] Anthony Graham (Eng)
15-13, 3-11, 6-11, 11-8, 11-8 (71m)
[6] Thomas Brinkman (Can) |
[6] Thomas Brinkman
11-9, 11-3, 10-12, 11-4 (44m)
[Q] Alfredo Avila |
[Q] Alfredo Avila (Mex)
11-8, 11-3, 15-13 (50m)
[2] Scott Arnold (Aus) |
Round One in Ontario
The London Squash Racquets Club was buzzing as we entered the
main draw of the 2010 NASH Cup. There was a feeling that we would
see many tight matches on Wednesday and the players did not
disappoint. The night began with only four Canadians in the draw and
there was certainly fear that the number would be much lower by the
time things ended.
The Canucks came through with surprising strength and three remain
in the draw of eight. Andrew Schnell will play Dane Sharpe
Thursday night at 8pm – both of Toronto – guaranteeing a Canadian
will remain in the semi-finals, matching the best finish for a
Canadian in the Nash Cup history (Robin Clarke – 2008)
The story of the night was match number four as Alfredo Avila
(Mexico - ranked 169th) took down the number two seed Scott Arnold
(Australia – ranked 63rd) in straight matches.
Avila will be one to watch and has the potential to continue a trend
that is forming in the NASH cup where one finalist rises from the
ranks of the qualification round or players (in 2008 the lowest seed
– Farzan Rasheed – won 6 straight matches to capture his first PSA
win)More
reports on the LRSC site
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