Englishman Joshua Masters was making his first PSA World Tour finals appearance against 5th seed "LegsOfSteel" Dougie Kempsell in the final of the 2015 Shepparton International.

Kempsell captured the first two games and was showing no ill effects from the previous day’s marathon semi-final.

Experience came through in the end with Kempsell taking the third game and wit it the title 11/7, 11/8, 11/5 in just 34 minutes.

In a marathon 149 minute opening semi-final, fifth seed Dougie Kempsell finally overcame last year’s finalist and fourth seed, Josh Larkin to progress through to tomorrow’s final.

Two blood rule breaks contributed to the lengthy games that saw both players completely sapped of energy at the final point.

In total contrast, unseeded Englishman Joshua Masters easily accounted for compatriot and top seed Jaymie Haycocks in straight games.

This was Masters first PSA semi-final. “I’m really happy with my performance today and tomorrow will be my first Tour final.”

14-Aug, Round Two/Quarters:
Seeds reassert in Shepparton
as Kempsell ousts Aslam ...

The second round of the Shepparton International played Friday morning produced only one surprise with 8th seed Valentino Bon Jovi Bong (MAS) being beaten 3-2 by Korean young gun Ko Youngjo. Fortunes seesawed but in the final game Youngjo prevailed 11-6.

Top seed Jaymie Haycocks, 2nd seed Tayyab Aslam, 4th seed Josh Larkin and 5th seed Doug Kempsell produced solid performances to move through to the quarter-finals along with Jong Myoung Park, Josh Masters and Kush Kumar.


In the quarter finals, local hope Josh Larkin came out of the blocks firing and saw off a spirited Ko Youngjo 3-0. In the second match of the evening, Indian Kush Kumar couldn’t sustain his recent good form going down to Englishman Josh Masters 11-9 11-8 11-5.

In a tough, fiery encounter, Scot Douglas Kempsell overcame second seed Tayyab Aslam in a match lasting 94 minutes. The final match of the evening saw top seed Jaymie Haycocks account for qualifier and the last of the Korean contingent, Jong Myoung Park 11-5 11-9 11-7.


13-Aug, Round One:
Kush continues to shine down under
as qualifiers rule the roost in Melbourne

The first round of the 2015 Shepparton International Squash Championships saw the first upset of the tournament with the unseeded but in form Kush Kumar from India oust seventh seed Englishman Jonathan Maloney 3-0.

Kumar recently won the Tasmanian Open and backed this up with a solid quarterfinal appearance in the Victorian Open.

Jong Myoung Park from Korea - one of seven qualifiers to make the last sixteen - also pulled off a good win disposing of the 6th seed Addeen Idrakie from Malaysia 3-1 in 51 minutes.

Top seeds Jaymie Haycocks  and Tayyab Aslam were untroubled winning their respective matches 3-0 to move into the second round.

Fourth seed and Aussie hope Josh Larkin’s match finished in the first game when Alex Noakes was forced to retire hurt. In the final match of the night, third seed Joel Makin was beaten in 5 by Joshua Masters.
 

11-7, 15-13, 11-5 (35m)

Josh Masters

Josh Masters

 11-7, 11-8, 11-5 (34m)

[5] Dougie Kempsell

6-11, 11-6, 11-6, 9-11, 13-11 (149m)

[5] Dougie Kempsell

13 Aug, Round Round One:

[1] Jaymie Haycocks (Eng) 3-0 [wc] Tyler Hawkins (Aus)            11-6, 11-4, 11-1 (19m)
[Q] Shahzad Khan (Pak) 3-0 Rohan Toole (Aus)                          11-5, 11-4, 11-8 (20m)
[Q] Roeee Avram (Isr) 3-2 Rhys Dowling (Aus)         5-11, 8-11, 11-9, 11-8, 11-8 (61m)
[Q] Jong Myoung Park (Kor) 3-1 [6] Addeen Idrakie (Mas)  7-11, 11-7, 11-6, 11-9 (51m)

Kush Kumar (Ind) 3-0 [7] Jonathan Maloney (Eng)                    11-2, 11-6, 13-11 (27m)
Martin Svec (Cze) 3-0 [Q] Mohammed Abdelkalek (Egy)              11-2, 11-1, 11-3 (24m)
[Q] Omar Baghat (Egy) 3-0 Alex Eustace (Aus)                           11-1, 11-6, 11-7 (25m)
Josh Masters (Eng) 3-2 [3] Joel Makin (Wal)               4-11, 11-5, 7-11, 11-8, 11-5 (60m)

[4] Joshua Larkin (Aus) 3-0 Alex Noakes (Eng)                                           3-1 rtd (5m)
[Q] Jaejiun Yoo (Kor) 3-1 Connor Sheen (Eng)                 11-5, 11-9, 10-12, 11-8 (45m)
Ko Youngjo (Kor) 3-1 Ondrej Uherka (Cze)                     11-3, 12-10, 4-11, 11-6 (35m)
[8] Valentino Bong (Mas) 3-0 Joel Luca (Aus)                              11-5, 11-1, 11-2 (17m)

[5] Dougie Kempsell (Sco) 3-0 David Clegg (Aus)                      11-4, 11-4, 11-3 (30m)
[Q] Khaled Zahran (Egy) 3-0 Lewis Doughty (Eng)                      11-8, 11-5, 11-6 (24m)
[Q] Mithram Selvaratnam (Mas) 3-0 Steven Liu (Mac)                   11-4 11-4 11-6 (17m)
[2] Tayyab Aslam (Pak) 3-0 Ben Coates (Eng)                          11-2, 11-4, 13-11 (25m)

12- Aug, Qualifying:

[1] Jong Myoung Park (Kor) 3-1 Han Seung Cheol (Kor)           9-11, 11-8, 11-3, 11-5
[5] Roee Avraham (Isr) 3-0 Jason Holmes (Aus)                               11-2, 11-3, 11-7
[6] Shahzad Khan (Pak) 3-0 Nathan Linder (Aus)                              11-9, 11-2, 11-9
[3] Jaejin Yoo (KOR) 3-2 Mike Corren (Aus)                   4-11, 11-6, 5-11, 11-8, 18-16
[4] Mithran Selvaratnam (Mas) 3-0 Daehoon Jeong (Kor)                 11-4, 11-6, 17-15
[7] Mohamed Abdelkalek (Egy) 3-2 Caillin Austin (Aus) 13-15, 5-11, 11-5, 11-5, 12-10
Khaled Zahran (Egy) 3-0 [8] Majeed Hussain (Pak)                            11-7, 11-7, 11-2
[2] Omar Bahgat (Egy) 3-1 Mark Kitto (Aus)                          11-3, 11-5, 10-12, 11-9