05-Mar-15:
ENGLISH HOPEFULS SET FOR WILD-CARD
SHOOT-OUT ON FINALS NIGHT
by ALAN THATCHER
 The
Canary Wharf Squash Classic has added a novel feature to this
year’s final day programme – an on-court shoot-out
between two rising English stars to win a coveted wild card
place into the main draw of the 2016 tournament.
Ben Coleman and Lyell Fuller are the lucky lads
chosen by Tournament Director Tim Garner, who is
expecting fireworks in their best-of-three matchon the glass
court before the main final on Friday, March 27.
Garner said: “Qualifying tournaments are a brutal part of
every major squash event, with young players desperate to reach
the main draw. As well as picking up some extra prize money,
their main focus is on gaining ranking points.
“Climbing through the rankings is a tough process for players,
and every tournament organizer is always inundated with requests
for local spots in qualifying and the wild card in the main
draw.
“The competition for places is so intense that this year we
decided to make a special feature of it and have two very
deserving players fight it out for real on the glass court
before the final.”
Coleman is the more experienced of the two players. The
23-year-old from Chelmsford, Essex, is currently ranked 65 in
the men’s PSA world rankings.
His shoot-out opponent, Fuller, is a 19-year-old from Devon,
ranked 164 in the world, who is now based in London as he bids
to make a major breakthrough in the senior game.
The two players met in the final of the Croydon Open in
December and Coleman won a tough match in straight games.
 He
said: “Lyell had a fantastic run to get through to the final.
He's quickly improving but I managed to stay ahead of him
throughout that match and I was playing well. I never gave him
many chances, which was nice.
“At Canary Wharf, I expect him to try and dictate the game
against me from in front, but my task is to stop that from
happening.”
Coleman added: “The shoot-out is a great idea and Lyell and I
are very grateful to the Canary Wharf organisers for making it
happen.
“Qualifying for big events can be tough because to start with
you usually get drawn against a top-seeded player if you make it
through.”
 Fuller
said:
“I’m looking forward to playing on the glass court in front
of a big crowd at the East Wintergarden.
“I have never been to Canary Wharf before but I have grown up
watching it on SquashTV every year. It looks like a great event
so I'm looking forward to experiencing it.”
As for his tactics against Coleman, he added: “That's a secret,
but I'm going to try my hardest, keep to my processes and enjoy
the experience.”
|
NEXT:
11 points with
Ben and Lyell ... |
