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NY Metro Open 2013
15-18 Apr, New York, Usa, $15k |
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18-Apr, Final:
GORDON GRABS NY METRO TITLE
In a rare final between two unseeded players, it was local favourite
Chris Gordon, the recently crowned US national champion, who
prevailed with a four-game victory over South African Shaun Le
Roux to claim the title in the inaugural NY Metro Open.
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  NY
Metro Open 2013
15-18 Apr, New York, Usa, $15k |
Round One
15-Apr |
Quarters
16-Apr |
Semis
17-Apr |
Final
18-Apr |
[1] Ryan Cuskelly (Aus)
11-8, 11-3, 11-4 (47m)
Scott Arnold (Aus) |
[1] Ryan Cuskelly
11-7, 11-8, 11-6 (45m)
Zac Alexander |
[1] Ryan Cuskelly
6-11, 7-11, 11-2, 11-7, 11-7 (73m)
Chris Gordon |
Chris Gordon
10-12, 11-9, 11-3, 10-6 (ret.) 78m
Shaun Le Roux |
Jaymie Haycocks (Eng)
11/9, 9/11, 11/6, 11/6 (43m)
Zac Alexander (Aus) |
Chris Gordon (Usa)
11-8, 11-3, 11-2 (38m)
David Letourneau (Can) |
Chris Gordon
11-8, 11-3, 11-7
[3] Shawn Delierre |
Ramit Tandon (Ind)
12-10, 7-11, 12-10, 11-9 (97m)
[3] Shawn Delierre (Can) |
[4] Shahier Razik (Can)
11-7, 7-11, 8-11, 11-6, 11-8
Campbell Grayson (Nzl) |
Campbell Grayson
11-7, 11-6, 11-5
Matthew Karwalski |
Matthew Karwalski
11-9, 10-12, 5-11, 11-7, 11-6 (71m)
Shaun Le Roux |
Matthew Karwalski (Aus)
11-4, 9-11, 7-11, 11-4, 12-10
Eric Galvez (Mex) |
Shaun Le Roux (Rsa)
11-6, 7-11, 11-6, 8-11, 11-9
Yasir Butt (Pak) |
Shaun Le Roux
12-14, 11-3, 11-8, 11-7 (80m)
[2] Julian Illingworth |
Jens Schoor (Ger)
17-15, 12-10, 8-11, 11-7
[2] Julian Illingworth (Usa) |
Venues:
CC - Chatham Club, NJ, CP - Chelsea Piers, CT,
NC - New York Sports Clubs (86th st), NY, SS - Street
Squash, NY
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17-Apr, Semis:
HOMETOWN BOY MAKES
THE FINAL OF NY METRO OPEN
After losing the first two games 6/11 and 7/11 New York's Chris
Gordon rebounded to take the following three games 11/2, 11/7,
11/7, beating Ryan Cuskelly 3-2 in a hard fought semi-final.
Gordon seemed out out sorts in the opening games. He played well but
was not able to cause much discomfort to his opponent who played a
masterful front game forcing Gordon to put lots of miles on his
shoes. At the end of game two it seemed that it was going to be a
straight games win for Cuskelly.
However, the hard grinding opening games also took it's toll on
Cuskelly who was only able to garner two points in the third. There
was a marked difference in Cuskelly's movement and shot selection.
After the opening serve, he was only able to win back his serve on
two occasions as Gordon unleashed a four point streak to move from
2/1 to 6/1.
Cuskelly then survived a punishing rally to move the score to 2/6
but that was all she wrote as Gordon reeled off five points on the
trot to close out the game at 11/2. The remaining two games were
hard fought with Gordon emerging the victor over a progressively
slower and impatient Cuskelly who made too many mistakes to threaten
Gordon.
Credit must be given to Gordon who seemed to be in for the long haul
and appeared quite calm despite losing the first two games. He
seemed to have a plan to drag out the match and take the sting out
of Cuskelly's forehand front court game. Gordon also consistently
kept the ball on the left hander's backhand and was successfully
able to shut down the Cuskelly forehand shot making in the latter
three games.
The other semifinal match resulted in another five game grinder with
Shaun Le Roux prevailing 3-2 over Matthew Karwalski.
The players were closely matched in the first game with long rallies
and exceptional retrieving. Karwalski forged a 9/7 lead but Le Roux
reeled off four straight points to win 11/9. The second game
followed a similar pattern with Karwalski again getting to 9/7.
At this stage each player decided that this was the game to win as
the rallies were painfully long. After jockeying back and forth
Karwalski raced to 10/8. However, Le Roux was not about to concede
and tied the game at 10 all. However, that was it for Le Roux as
Karwalski put the hammer down and closed out the game 12/10.
The second game seemed to have taken it's toll on Le Roux as he lost
his momentum in the third and saw Karwalski move from 5 all to win
the third 11/5. However, Le Roux was not to be denied as he changed
his pattern of play causing much discomfort for Karwalski who had
previously figured out Le Roux's stock responses to specific plays.
When Le Roux masterfully started showing his opponent different
options from the same positions, Karwalski was forced to slow up at
the tee and wait for the response. This new strategy of Le Roux
caused Karwalski to spend most of his time retrieving, thus reducing
his offensive opportunities.
The fourth game was evenly contested to seven all before Le Roux ran
off a four point streak to win 11/7. At two games all the match
could have gone to either player as there was not much separating
them standard wise.
However, a pattern was established early in the fifth as Le Roux got
off to a 2/0 lead and never lost the lead for the remainder of the
match. Karwalski hung in to 6/7 but Le Roux did the same as in games
one and four by reeling off four point straight points to win the
game and match.
So, Thursday's final will see USA's newly crowned National Champ
Chris Gordon doing battle against South Africa's Shaun LeRoux.
Alwyn Callender
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16-Apr, Quarters:
Gordon keeps home hopes alive
US national champion Chris Gordon kept home hopes alive in
the Oliver NY Metro Open after upsetting third seed Shawn Delierre
to reach the semi-finals of the inaugural event being staged across
four venues in Metropolitan New York.
The unseeded New York-born 26-year-old, who won the country's
national title for the first time last month, despatched Canadian
Delierre, ranked 37 in the world, 11-8, 11-3, 11-7 in 50 minutes at
Street Squash in New York.
But there was domestic disappointment at Pyramid Squash in Tuckahoe
where No2 seed Julian Illingworth crashed out of the tournament. The
eight-time US champion survived a tie-break opening game against
Shaun le Roux before going down 12-14, 11-3, 11-8, 11-7 to the
unseeded South African in 80 minutes.
UK-based Le Roux, ranked 59 in the world, now faces Australian
Matthew Karwalski, the world No60 who defeated fellow non-seed
Campbell Grayson 11-7, 11-6, 11-5. New Zealander Grayson had reached
the quarter-finals after upsetting event promoter Shahier Razik, the
No4 seed, in the first round.
There will also be Australian interest in the top half of the draw
where Ryan Cuskelly became the only seed to make the semis
after beating fellow countryman Zac Alexander 11-7, 11-8, 11-6 in 45
minutes.
The New York-based top seed from New South Wales will face local
hero Gordon for a place in the final.THE
FAST AND THE FURIOUS
Alwyn Callender reports
Matthew Karwalski defeated Campbell Grayson three love in a fast
paced and entertaining match. However, the 3-0 score does not
reflect the intensity of the match nor the amount of work put in by
the two players.
The rallies were long and hard fought with Karwalski playing like a
man on fire. He hunted volley opportunities with devastating
consistency and accuracy. Grayson was under constant pressure having
to traverse the entire court several times during most rallies and
as such could not play enough attacking squash to be a real threat
to the winner.
He put up a good fight but the relentless volleying took its toll
and he progressively faded during the match.
Karwalski maintained a constant lead by winning blocks of three to
five points throughout the entire match. After losing the first
point in the first game, he went on a five point rampage to set up
the first game. Grayson was only able to win two points in a row on
one occasion during the first game-at 6-10 and 7-10. Game one to
Karwalski 11/7.
The second game had a similar pattern as Karwalski lost the first
point but then went on to win the next four points to run up a 4-1
lead. Grayson then won the next two points (his second two point
streak of the match) before Karwalski stretched the lead to 6-3.
At 8-4, Grayson put together his third and final two point run of
the match to bring the score to 6-8 before Karwalski ran off three
points in a row to end it 11-6.
The third game got off to a familiar start with Grayson winning the
first point and Karwalski winning the second. Grayson won the third
point breaking the pattern of the first two games.
At 2-1 it appeared that Grayson might something left in the tank and
try to turn things around. However, it was not to be as Karwalski
won the next three points to move from 1-2 to 4-2.
Grayson rebounded to 3-4 before Karwalski went on another four point
streak moving the score to 8-3. Grayson made a gallant effort to
close the gap but the hole was too deep and he finally succumbed
5/11.
Grayson was only able to string two points in a row once in the
first game and twice in the second game. He wasn't able to do so in
the third resulting a a more comfortable third game win for his
opponent.
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Cuskelly v Alexander
Geoff Mitchell reports
Ryan played 3 consistent games retrieving anything that wasn't an
outright nick. His shot selection intelligent creating space while
minimizing his vulnerability kept him close to the T.
Zac played some incredibly athletic squash shooting early leaving
himself open when not hitting spectacular nicks and powerful drives.
While both players were unhappy with a few of the calls the match
came down to the consistency and confidence of Cuskelly. |
Split over four clubs in
Metropolitan New York, the first round of the NY Metro Open saw both
home players progress to the quarter-finals amidst some marathon
matches ...
Marathon night at 86st!
The crowd at the New York Sports clubs saw it all tonight.
Everything from mega rallies, come backs, dives, slips, time outs,
and all kinds excitement on display. In the first match, Campbell
Grayson got off to a quick start in the first when he looked to
tire in the 2nd and 3rd. Shahier Razik looked like he an edge when
his pace seemed to slow down, campbell took full advantage to get
himself in back in control and win a close decider.
In match #2 Eric Galvez was going for his 5th match in 5 days
(after making Rochester final). He was up 2-1 when his shoulder
seemed to be bothering him. In the decider Eric with a 7-4 lead
needed a 3min injury time out. He came back to give himself match
ball with a few decisive winners, but Karwaliski tied it up at 10-10
with a spectacular winner to win a thrilling rally and eventually
closes it out 12-10 in fifth.
By Pete AvitableDelierre beats Wild
Card Tandon
Shawn Delierre won a spirited contest against 20-year old Ramit
Tandon in the first round of the Oliver Metro NY Squash open.
In the first game, Delierre started out stronger, racing to a 9-5
lead in before Tandon levelled it out at 10-10 with stroke awarded
against Delierre. Delierre put the first game away with a splendid
backhand volley kill and a Tandon mistake on the backhand drop.
 The
second game started out just as close as the first ended, but Tandon
gradually pulled away from 3-3 to 6-3, and then on to 8-5 with a
series of exquisite boasts. A ferocious forehand winner brought it
to 9-6 before he closed the game out 11-7.
The third game was the longest of the match at 27 mins. Rallies were
long and played many times over (thanks to the contentious lets and
strokes awarded) - each point being keenly contested until 6-6.
Delierre would win the next two points to go up 8-6 before Tandon
rattled off 4 points to get to 10-8. Two no-lets later, the score
was 10-10 and Delierre would go on to close out the game by putting
the young indian under lots of pressure with his quality shotmaking.
The fourth game was just as close as the others and both players
traded points until 7-7. At 9-8, Tandon took a tumble while
scrambling for a ball in the back corner and required an injury time
out. Delierre went on to win the final point on a no-let in the
front right corner to win the match in a grueling 97 minutes.
Andrew Liwen |
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