|
|
 |
10-apr-06:
Jorge Qualifies for
Success in Quebec
A first PSA title in only his second event for
Mexican qualifier Jorge Baltazar Ferreira ...
Steve Wren reports
Had local hope and non-ranked Dane Sharp from Toronto
hit one more dead nick on late in the evening in Thursday’s
Qualifying round, this year’s Pro-Am would have turned out
entirely different. But it wasn’t the case.
Similarly to the 2005 event when we witnessed Colombia’s
Miguel Angel Rodriguez coming through from Qualifying to his
first PSA final, this year everyone got to know another new
comer very well, Jorge Baltazar Ferreira, by winning
his first title, in only his second PSA event. For it was
Dane Sharp who in 2nd round Qualifying was up 2-0 in games
and held match point in the third against Jorge, only to see
the match slip away to Jorge’s relentless retrieving and
safety game plan.
From that point, the “2006 Championnat de Squash Pro-Am
de la Banque Nationale du Canada” was Jorge’s to win. He
rolled through Main Draw dropping just one game to Egypt’s
Ahmed Hamza and one other game in the Final to another
Mexican star, Jose Becceril.
Elsewhere in the Main Draw were some outstanding contests.
The fact that all 4 Qualifiers advanced past the first
round, and just 4 of the top 8 seeds survived the first
round is a testament to the danger that the Qualifying
presents. 3 matches of note were firstly a first round clash
between Josh McDonald and Lafika Ragonste. Josh who is
making a comeback to softball from a successful stint on the
Doubles tour, took the game way from smooth mover Ragonste
only after being down 1-2. Michal Reid fell prey to another
Mexican Qualifier Fernando Lopez, in 5 tight sets, and Pat
Bedore came back from 0-2 against Yasunori Ishiwata from
Japan, only to lose in the fifth. He deserved more from an
emotional effort and great retrieving. One rally stood out
where Pat’s racquet was knocked into the back corner by Yasu
who was standing on the T hitting a drop. Pat somehow
managed to leap to the back, pick up his racquet, and then
dive to the front to scrape up the fading drop. It was a
spectacular sequence only to end later on in a let.
Australian and top seed, Luke Margan, knew he had a tough
sector of the draw. In the ¼’s he faced Ricky Davies from
Wales who had spent just 36 minutes on court in 2 matches to
get there, and was playing sharp. This match perhaps was the
best entertainment of the event. The scores delicately swung
in each players favour regularly. There was contact, there
were arguments, there were full body dives, there were nicks
pulled out of the air at crucial moments, and finally there
was a 5th set tie breaker. Both players fought for their
advantage with spectacular squash, then gave away the lead
with nervous mistakes. After 75 minutes, Luke slotted the
final nick to move to the Semi.
In Jorge’s Semi, Ahmed Hamza was surprised with the package
he got in the slight Mexican unknown. Down 2-0, Ahmed found
his rhythm, but some would say Jorge simply offered up the
3rd game after the lead stretched too far away. The 4th was
a huge game, as Ahmed expected the push this match to 5. He
couldn’t find the same attack that won him the 3rd as Jorge
always kept the slim lead to nudge him to matchpoint, and
into then Final.
By now it was clear that this Jorge had the patience,
fitness, and talent to be a real contender for the title.
His only test left was against Jose Becceril who also ground
out a 4 set win over the Luke Margan. It was always going to
be tough for Luke after a demanding win in the morning. It
showed too as Jose’s persistency worked Luke all over the
front of the court. They slugged out a 4th set to extra
points, with superb attack and counter attack, but Luke
couldn’t reign in Jose this time.
All Mexican Final
So the Final between two Mexicans was set. Jose, was
personally surprised to be there. He had had major mouth
surgery just a week earlier which had kept him off the court
in his lead up. Jorge on the other hand had plenty of
confidence building after his Qualifying hiccup. At 1 set
all, again Jorge was managing to hold the slim lead all the
time on Jose. Rallies were being counted in the 80
hit-range. Jorge’s clinical retrieving just didn’t let Jose
play his attacking game with the same level of risk we saw
earlier in the tournament. At 2-1, Jose was against the
wall, and Jorge put the foot on the throat. In perhaps the
cleanest match of the tournament, Jorge calmly won every
important point he could. He required just one match point
to push Jose all over the place, and finally tuck away a
neat volley to claim his first PSA victory.
Additionally to the Pro Event, were Men’s and Women’s
amateur events, providing a festival of squash action for
all levels.
 |
 |
|
|
Round One
Apr 07 |
Quarters
Apr 08 |
Semis
Apr 08 |
Final
Apr 09 |
[1] Luke Margan (Aus)
11/9, 11/5, 11/8 (36m)
Neil Hitchins (Eng) |
Luke Margan
3/11, 14/12, 11/9, 9/11, 12/10 (75m)
Ricky Davies |
Luke Margan
7/11, 11/2, 11/8, 12/10
Jose Angel Becceril |
Jose Angel Becceril
11/7, 3/11, 11/9, 11/6 (45m)
Jorge Ferreira |
[7]
Armando Olguin (Mex)
11/3, 11/1, 11/1 (17m)
[Q] Ricky Davies (Wal) |
[4] Jose
Angel Becceril (Mex)
11/7, 11/4, 11/5 (20m)
[LL] Jeff Evans (Can) |
Jose Angel Becceril
11/5, 11/8, 11/8 (23m)
Josh McDonald |
[8] Lafika
Ragonste (Bot)
10/12, 11/6, 9/11, 11/2, 11/9 (46m)
[Q] Josh McDonald (Can) |
[Q] Fernando Lopez (Mex)
5/11, 11/7, 11/8, 7/11, 11/7 (72m)
[6] Michael Reid (Can) |
Fernando Lopez
11/5, 11/8, 11/4 (25m)
Ahmed Maged Hamza |
Ahmed Maged Hamza
11/7, 11/5, 1/11, 11/9 (57m)
Jorge Ferreira |
[9] Daniel
Sibley (Can)
12/10, 11/5, 12/10 (39m)
[3] Ahmed Maged Hamza (Egy) |
[Q] Jorge Ferreira (Mex)
11/8, 11/8, 13/11 (47m)
[5] Scott Arnold (Aus) |
Jorge Ferreira
11/3, 11/7, 13/11 (22m)
Yasunori Ishiwata |
Yasunori Ishiwata (Jpn)
11/9, 11/9, 8/11, 11/13, 11/6 (65m)
[2] Patrick Bedore (Can) |
Qualifying Round 2:
Fernando Lopez (Mex) bt Jeff Evans (Can)
8/11, 13/11, 11/9, 11/7 53m
Jorge Ferreria (Mex) bt Dane Sharp (Can)
9/11, 8/11, 13/11, 11/7, 11/7 71m
Josh McDonald (Can) bt Frederico Torres (Col) 11/8,
11/7, 7/11, 11/6 50m
Ricky Davies (Wal) bt Maxym Leclair
11/1, 11/2, 11/2 20m
Qualifying Round 1:
Fernando Lopez (Mex) bt Mario Cerilli
11/1, 11/2, 11/2 14m
Dane Sharp (Can) bt Dan Denis
11/7, 11/8, 11/2 20m
Josh McDonald (Can) bt Johnny Wilson
11/3, 11/5, 11/5 19m
Maxym Leclair bt Marco Olguin
11/9, 15/13, 11/2 27m
|
 |
Four up in Quebec
Steve Wren reports
For the 4th year, La Sporthèque in
Gatineau, Quebec, is hosting a professional and amateur
squash tournament that will create significant local and
provincial interest. The “2006 Championnat de Squash
Pro-Am de la Banque Nationale du Canada” will both
showcase an extremely exciting level of international
squash, and draw interested fans wishing to participate in
the A, B, C, D amateur grades, providing a showcase of some
of the highest level of squash to ever be played in the
region.
This year’s Pro event has once again attracted an
international group of 24 professional players from 12
countries including Australia, Mexico, Egypt, Great Britain,
Japan, and Canada, vying for a share of the $4500 USD purse.
The Pro-Am is a “Satellite” circuit event on the prestigious
“Professional Squash Players Association” World Tour,
allowing pro-players competing on the tour to gain valuable
world ranking points. Additionally, the event is the 12th
and final tour stop of the “2005/2006 Tempur Canadian Squash
Circuit”
( http://www.squash.ca/e/can_circuit/ ), a circuit of
international level squash tournaments staged throughout the
country, which culminates in a Grand Final Playoff in May
2006, in Toronto.
The top seed leading the pack in his first visit to the
Gatineau tour stop is Australian player Luke Margan ranked
#110 in the world. Canadian Pat Bedore (# 117) is seeded
2nd, with stiff competition expected another newcomer, Ahmed
Magda Hamza (#124) from Egypt, seeded 3rd and last weeks
losing finalist in the Saskatchewan Open Tour stop, plus
last year’s Pro-Am semi finalist, Jose Becceril (#124) from
Mexico, seeded 4th.
Of local interest, the Qualifying Draw hosts several other
Canadian players, in particular, Ottawa natives, Josh
McDonald (formerly ranked # 114 in the world, and #2 at
doubles squash in the world), Johnny Wilson (Ottawa Athletic
Club Pro), Sportheque’s top players Steve Wren and Maxym
Leclair (Quebec’s top junior player).
|
 |
|
