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Madison Open
2017
20-23 Apr, Madison, Usa, $10k |
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23-Apr, Final:
Jesus Camacho
(Mex) 3-2 [1] Piedro Schweertman
(Ned)
11/4,
11/7, 10/12, 8/11, 13/11
Camacho claims the Madison title
Damon Bourne reports, photos by Tom
Mcinvaille
A PACKED house of Madison squash fans were treated to an
excellent match today between a young up-and-comer and a
battle-tested veteran.
Our top seed Piedro Schweertman survived two tough, five-gamers
in the past two days, and many of us were wondering if he was
going to have the legs and mental stamina to take on the
youngster from Mexico, Jesus Camacho, who hadn’t lost a set all
weekend.
The first game was no indication how this match was going to go.
It started even for a few points when Camacho ran off 4 in row
to go up 5-3. Schweertman steadied the ship and brought one
back, but then Camacho ran off 6 in a row to take the game in 10
minutes.
Second game started the same. Back and forth for a bit, then
Camacho, using his extraordinary retrieving and deft touch to
the front left, took the game 11-7.
Third game felt a little different. Schweertman, playing
confidently, started moving the Mexican from corner to corner,
before slotting in some lovely winners of his own. It seemed
that Schweertman was back in it at 9-6, but then Camacho ran off
4 points in row to gain his first match ball.
(At this point, the tournament organizer was preparing for the
presentation. Not so fast.)
Schweertman, with his shirt emblazoned with
“Iceman,” showed what he was made of and took control back and
won 12-10.
In the fourth, Camacho clearly kicking himself for not being
able to finish lost a little focus. Piedro started well to go
3-1 up, but Jesus clawed back to 4-3. Then the Iceman rattles of
5 in a row to take control of the game. (“Rattles off” really
isn’t the right phrase. None of these points was easy or short.)
I digress. The crowd is sure that Piedro has this game sewn up.
Not so. Camacho storms back to tie it at 8 all. Un-phased,
Piedro closes it out at 11-8.
On to the fifth. This one was going to be tight the entire game,
and we all knew it. Pretty much back and forth up to 7 all. Long
rallies. Some gamesmanship from Camacho taking way too much time
between points where he was given a conduct warning by Referee
Daniel Greco. 8 all. 9 all.
More gamesmanship. More stalling. More unhappy looks up to the
ref. Schweertman has a few games up his sleeve as well and wipes
his hand on the wall right as Camacho starts to serve. Nasty
look to the ref. Ref is nonplussed. When play resumes, the
Dutchman gets a match ball at 10-9. Camacho brings it back to
tie it at 10, then goes to 11 for his second match ball. Piedro
ties it. Camacho gets another point to get his 3rd match ball.
With the next point, Camacho finally closes it out with a great
win after 90 minutes of exhilarating squash.
Well done to both players for an excellent tournament.
Congratulations to Jesus for the win.
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Madison Open
2017
20-23 Apr, Madison, Usa, $10k |
Round One
20-Apr |
Quarters
21-Apr |
Semis
22-Apr |
Final
23-Apr |
[1] Piedro Schweertman (Ned)
11/0, 11/3, 11/0
Jon Geekie (Sco) |
[1] Piedro Schweertman
7/11, 11/6, 12/14, 11/7, 11/5
[6] Eric Galvez |
[1] Piedro Schweertman 8/11, 11/5,
6/11, 11/7, 11/6
[4] Patrick Rooney |
[1] Piedro Schweertman
11/4, 11/7, 10/12, 8/11, 13/11
Jesus Camacho |
[6] Eric Galvez (Mex)
11/2, 11/2, 11/5
Hojing Kim (Kor) |
[8] Anthony Graham (Eng)
12/10, 11/6, 11/5
Connor Sheen (Eng) |
[8] Anthony Graham
11/9, 9/11, 9/11, 11/5, 11/4
[4] Patrick Rooney |
[4] Patrick Rooney (Eng)
13/11, 11/8, 11/9
Danish Atlas Khan (Pak) |
[wc] Jonas Knigge Laursen (Den)
11/8, 11/5, 11/8
[3] Shahjahan Khan (Pak) |
[3] Shahjahan Khan
11/8, 11/7, 11/6
Jesus Camacho |
Jesus Camacho 11/9, 12/10, 11/4
[2] Chris Hanson |
Jesus Camacho (Mex)
11/8, 8/11, 11/4, 11/5
[5] Chris Fuller (Eng) |
Mark Broekman (Eng)
11/5, 11/8, 11/5
[7] Faraz Khan (Usa) |
[7] Faraz Khan
11/5, 11/4, 11/5
[2] Chris Hanson |
Alex Noakes (Eng)
11/6, 15/13, 11/4
[2] Chris Hanson (Usa) |
22-Apr, Semis:
Top seed Schweertman to face unseeded
Camacho in final
Damon Bourne reports, photos by Tom
Mcinvaille
For the second day in a row top seed Piedro Schweertman
ground out a five game win in a spectacular display of will.
After losing the first, he refocused to win the second. In the
third game, the very athletic Patrick Rooney ran down more balls
the Piedro could hit and took it 11-6. The fourth and fifth, the
big Dutchman changed the tempo and held the ball enough to force
Rooney into some errors and just wore him down. It was a great
effort by Rooney.
Afterwards, Pierdro said that he wished that he was playing that
well at 19 years old and that Patrick has a great future ahead
of him.
On Thursday, Jesus Camacho beat Chris Fuller, the #5
seed. On Friday he beat the 3 seed. Today, he beat the 2 seed,
Chris Hanson, in a fantastic match.
The general feeling in the crowd was how very intense it was.
Hanson’s accuracy and pressure is exceptionally relentless, and
he’d been going through his matches with precision shot-making
and intelligent use of weight and variety. The young Mexican
though is an exceptional athlete and was able to absorb the
pressure until it finally cracked Hanson’s resolve in the 3rd
game.
The first two games could have gone either way, with Camacho
eking out the first at 11-9, and the second 12-10. At that
point, knowing the hill he had to climb, weakened the US
National Champion’s resolve enough that Camacho was able to
finish out the match in without losing at set.
In fact, Camacho hasn’t lost a single set all weekend. What do
we have in store for tomorrow?
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Live Streaming
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20-Apr, Round One:
Jonas Laursen reports, photos by Tom
Mcinvaille
 The
Madison Open 2017 began with what promised to be a long match,
the steady Chris Fuller from England against the speedy
Mexican Jesus Camacho. Jesus has had a few good results
lately and taken out some players ranked higher than him, and
tonight he did it again. The matches started out with some
grueling points, many lasting well over 50 hits, Jesus seems to
have the upper hand with some very nice drop shots to finish of
the points.
 Jesus
takes the first game after 18-minutes of play. Second game Jesus
has a bit of a dip in concentration, with too many mistakes and
way to much talking with the referee, Chris takes the game, but
again after 18min of play. The third game begins with a few too
many let's, due to some traffic issues on Jesus' clearing, but
he still young so he'll get over that one day- I hope!
After a few points he seems to regroup and again finds some
beautiful winners in the front. Fourth game is a copy of the
third game and after well over an hour play, Jesus takes another
scalp and books his place in the quarters.
 On
center court, played with live streaming and commentating all
weekend, first seed Dutchman Piedro Schweertman took on
the Scott, Jon Geekie. Piedro has been looking strong in
practice all week and was not up for any fooling around- 11-0
11-3 11-0 to Piedro. To Jon's defense, coaching tons and not
playing much, doesn't make it easier. Piedro is looking real
solid and in my books is looking like he might live up to his 1
seed position this week.
 Patrick
Rooney and Danish Khan was up next, and the crowd was
treated to some nice squash. Danish has been to Madison a few
times now, and the crowd has come to like his beautiful hits and
smooth movement. But today Patrick was too strong and took the
match 3-0, Patrick will play Anthony Graham who beat Conner
Sheen in 3. Anthony is looking like he is really enjoying his
squash at the moment and it'll be interesting to see how he'll
do against the 4th seed in the quarter.
 Next
up on center court was Madison Squash Workshop's own Head Pro
Jonas Knigge Laursen, who after a few years (5) off the
tour, has decided to give it a last go at playing some
tournaments again. He was up against the always quick and
dangerous Shahjahan Khan.
The match started out with a some close rallies and the two
followed each point for point until around 5 all, Shah then took
a little lead and Jonas wasn't able to catch up- a well played
first game 11-8 to Shah. 2nd game Jonas was getting frustrated
with the clearing of Shah, who seems to get in the way a little
too often when Jonas moved in to his forehand side (Jonas is a
lefty) and it was causing all sorts of troubles. Anyways, Shah
takes the second 11-5.
 Third
game was the best played game from both players. Again following
each other point by point to around mid-game, Jonas with winners
from his trademark hold cross court and aggressive volley drops
and Shah taking a good portion of his points on some beautiful
counter drops. Shah gets ahead at the end, but Jonas is giving
it a big push to get back and takes a few points in a row, only
to see the ball pass him on a well struck crosscourt from Shah.
The crowd was really into this match and especially our always
loud club member and tournament patron Mike Ryan, was doing his
best to cheer Jonas on the whole way. Shah takes on Jesus
Camacho tomorrow, in what I predict to be a long match, but
possible with yet another upset from the Mexican.
 The
next two matches saw two Americans against two Englishman, with
both US boys coming out on top.
I didn't get to watch the Faraz Khan vs Mark Broekman
match, but the crowd seemed to like it, and I'm sure it was
played in fair style, with two really nice boys on court.
 Chris
Hanson took on Alex Noakes, and won 3-0, but it
wasn't all just smooth wind in the sails for the American, who
had to save several game balls in the second before winning it
15-13.
Noakes has been to Madison now a few times, and it's been great
to see how he has improved each time. A very fair-played match.
The two American friends will now meet in the quarters.
 Last
match was Mexican veteran Eric Gálvez vs Koreas Hojung
Kim, the veteran proved too strong for the rookie, but
Hojung put up a good fight and can be happy with some good
points that will see him shoot up the rankings next month.
Eric takes on Piedro, in a match that I do not want to miss.
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