Gillams (R) and Graham in the Madison Open final. (image: Tom McInvaille)
Twenty-year-old Angus Gillams earned his first PSA Tour title Sunday, defeating fellow Englishman Anthony Graham in the final of the $5,000 U.S. Pro Series Madison Open Sunday at Madison Squash Workshop in Wisconsin.
Gilllams, world No. 103, entered the young draw seeded first, which he fulfilled by reaching the final only dropping one game along the way.
Graham, who played in his first PSA in Madison three years ago, was seeded fifth and upset second-seeded Reuben Phillips in the quarterfinals. Graham, world No. 201, then defeated eighteen-year-old Welshman Emyr Evans to reach his fourth career final.
Gillams commanded the final, taking the first two games 11-5, 11-8 before shutting out Graham 11-0 to win the title.
The 2015 Madison Open was the sixth edition of the tournament, and was organized by Damon Bourne and Jonas Laursen.
While the world’s eyes turn to Seattle, Washington, this weekend for the 2015 Men’s World Championship, a group of upcoming professionals are in Madison, Wisconsin, to contest the $5,000 U.S. Pro Series Madison Open in search of valuable rankings points at Madison Squash Workshop to propel them to the world’s top stage.
An all-English final is predicted between top-seeded Angus Gillams, twenty years old and world No. 103, and two seed Rueben Phillips, twenty-three years old and world No. 124.
Gillams is seeded to meet another twenty-year-old Englishman, Alex Noakes, in the draw’s top half semifinal. Phillips is seeded to meet Cayman Islander Cameron Stafford, twenty-three years old, in the draw’s bottom half semifinal.
2014 Madison Open champion Todd Harrity does not to return to defend his title as the American world No. 61 enters World Championship qualifying in Seattle.
All matches are streaming and scoring live on U.S. Pro Series Live powered by 5 Nines and www.clublocker.com. Matches begin Thursday afternoon at 5:30pm local time, 6:30pm ET.
Team USA’s Chris Hanson is set to contest the first of two PSA tournament’s this week Wednesday afternoon in St. Louis, Missouri, where the twenty-four-year-old is seeded fourth in the $15,000 U.S. Pro Series RC Pro Series Tournament at the Racquet Club of St. Louis.
Since competing in the 2014 RC Pro Series when he lost to Canadian Mike McCue, his first-round opponent Wednesday afternoon, the Dartmouth graduate has risen in the world rankings from world No. 175 to world No. 84.
McCue, world No. 117, holds a 2-0 record against Hanson, most recently defeating the American in the quarterfinals of the NSA Open this August.
Hanson is joined by American wild card Dylan Cunningham who takes on second-seeded Eddie Charlton Wednesday evening.
Scotland’s world No. 34 Alan Clyne leads the draw as the top seed, and is one of a number of players, including Hanson, who will make the trek to Seattle this weekend for the 2015 Men’s World Championship following the RC Pro Series.
Two recent U.S. Pro Series champions will face off in the first round in the bottom half of the draw. Mexico’s Arturo Salazar, who won the Life Time Fitness Minneapolis Open last weekend, and Jamaica’s Chris Binnie, who won the Securian Open last month.
L-R: Danielle Maur (Director of Racquet Sports life Time Fitness), Arturo Salazar 2015 Minneapolis Open winner, Tedd Hoyt (Investco) and Tournament Directors Mubashir Gul and John Wilinski.
Mexico’s Arturo Salazar won his first U.S. Pro Series title and first PSA World Tour title since 2011 this weekend in the form of the Life Time Fitness Minneapolis Open, PSA M10.
The 27-year-old came through a mammoth five-game-thriller against Clinton Leeuw, who upset top seed Declan James in the quarterfinals, in his semifinal, while Wales’ two seed Peter Creed saw off Sebastiaan Weenink to book his place in the final.
It was Creed who started the better of the two edging the opener 11-9. Salazar, former world No. 36 and current world No. 116, fought back to level the score at 1-1, and continued his momentum into the third, taking the game 11-4. Salazar continued to press in the fourth and final game to wrap up a 9-11, 11-5, 11-4, 11-2 victory to capture his seventh career PSA World Tour title.
The Minneapolis Open is part of the Life Time Fitness Grand Prix, which has seven touranments on the U.S. Pro Series calendar over the year. The final Life Time Fitness event of the year, the Betty Griffin Memorial Florida Open, takes place December 1-6 in Boca Raton.
The U.S. Pro Series resumes this weekend with two events, the RC Pro Series in St. Louis, Missouri, and the Madison Open in Wisconsin.
Result – Final: Life Time Fitness Minneapolis Open 2015 [5] Arturo Salazar (MEX) bt [2] Peter Creed (WAL) 3-1: 9-11, 11-5, 11-4, 11-2
England’s Declan James is aiming for his fifth consecutive PSA title, and second U.S. Pro Series title, as the top seed in the Life Time Fitness Minneapolis Open in Minnesota this weekend.
The world No. 43 is seeded to meet New Zealand’s Evan Williams, who recently reached the U.S. Pro Series Cleveland Skating Club Open semis, in the semifinals. Welsh two seed Peter Creed is predicted to meet James in the final.
James won his first U.S. Pro Series title in September, the Champion Fiberglass Open in Houston, Texas, and won the NASH Cup in Canada the following weekend. Minneapolis is James’ first PSA event since winning the Steel City Open title in England last month.
Faraz Khan is the sole American representation in Minneapolis, and will face third-seeded Williams in the first round.
Main draw play begins Thursday afternoon at Life Time Fitness Minneapolis at 5pm local time. All matches are scoring live on U.S. Pro Series Live powered by www.clublocker.com.
Egyptian world No. 72 Andrew Wagih Shoukry overcame Ireland’s Arthur Gaskin in the final of the Cleveland Skating Club Open, U.S. Pro Series M5 event to lift his first PSA World Tour title of 2015 in Ohio this weekend.
The number one seed came through a thrilling five-game semifinal with Sebastiaan Weenink in the previous round, despite trailing the Dutchman 2-1 at one point. Gaskin on the other hand had swept to the final without dropping a single game and looked full of confidence heading into the showpiece finale.
Indeed, it appeared as if the previous day’s exploits had taken a toll on Shoukry who, after a slow start, found himself a game behind after Gaskin won the first game 11-9. The momentum changed in the second, however, as Shoukry found his range with some fine winners to level proceedings at the Cleveland Skating Club.
Both players traded blows back and forth in the third before an awkward fall from Shoukry led to an injury break. Once back on court however, the injury seemed to be a distant memory as Shoukry surged to an 11-9 triumph to take the lead for the first time.
Gaskin mounted a superb fightback in the fourth game and put himself in the ascendancy with a 7-5 lead. Unforced errors crept into his game though and Shoukry took full advantage, earning a 9-11, 11-6, 11-9, 11-7 victory to bring an end to the 85 minute contest and claim his eighth career PSA World Tour title.
Result – Final: Cleveland Skating Club Open 2015
[1] Andrew Wagih Shoukry (EGY) bt [2] Arthur Gaskin (IRL) 3-1: 9-11, 11-6, 11-9, 11-7 (85m)
For the first time in eleven years, Cleveland, Ohio, will host a men’s professional event in the form of the inaugural Cleveland Skating Club Open—a $6,000 U.S. Pro Series event.
Fifteen professionals comprise the main draw, which begins match play Friday afternoon at 4pm local time. Follow live scores on U.S. Pro Series Live powered by www.clublocker.com.
“This tournament was entirely funded by club members, so all credit to them for making this happen,” said Ray Lindsay, Tournament Director and Cleveland Skating Club squash professional.
“It’s exciting to have such a young and up and coming group of professionals who all train hard and are trying to prove themselves. It looks to be a really even field. There could be some really long games, and everyone is really jazzed up to watch them. There’s great camaraderie among the players and club members, so we hope they have a great experience in Cleveland.”
Andrew Wagih Shoukry is the top seed and title favorite, but is still on the hunt for his first PSA World Tour title of the year.
The 25-year-old Egyptian claimed back-to-back titles at the London Open and Valencia Open at the tail end of 2014 but his best finish this year has been the semi-final place he achieved at the recent Life Time Fitness Chicago Open.
World No.73 Shoukry received a bye in the first round and will set his sights on the quarter-final where he will face either Cameron Stafford or Thoboki Mohohlo.
Ireland’s Arthur Gaskin is also vying for the crown in Cleveland and, unlike Shoukry, has tasted success in 2015 with a title at the Christchurch Vets Ipswich Open coming in May.
Twenty-one-year-old Faraz Khan is the sole American representation in Cleveland, and will take on England’s five seed Lyell Fuller in the first round.
Trinity College No. 1 Kanzy Emad El Defrawy stormed to victory over Hollie Naughton in the final of the Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital Open, U.S. Pro Series W10 tournament to capture her first PSA World Tour title of the year.
The Egyptian downed compatriot Amina Yousry to achieve her final appearance while Naughton notably overturned a 2-0 deficit to defeat second seed Deon Saffery in the quarterfinal before blitzing past Mayar Hany in the last four.
El Defrawy was in imperious form throughout the final and hit a number of superb shots as she took an early advantage with an 11-2 triumph in the first.
Naughton was under the cosh in the second as well with El Defrawy refusing to give her any time on the ball as she doubled her lead, dropping just a solitary point in the process.
A comeback appeared to be on the cards in the third as Naughton came out all guns blazing, dipping into her repertoire of shots with a multitude of fine drops and low cross court efforts. However, El Defrawy held her off to see out an 11-2, 11-1, 11-5 victory to win her first ever PSA W10 crown.
“This is the biggest PSA World Tour title I’ve won thus far,” said El Defrawy.
“I’m very pleased with the way I played today. I went out there with a solid focus and the mindset to go out and do my best as well as enjoy the game. The key to my win today was to remain cool, calm and collected on court.
“My performances throughout the tournament weren’t my best so I’m certainly pleased with how today went and that I managed to do it in three. I now have the confidence to continue moving onwards and upwards and I’m looking forward to what lies ahead. These facilities in Charlottesville are incredible, those that get to play here on a regular basis are very lucky.
“The whole atmosphere surrounding the tournament was superb and made playing that much more fun.”
The professional tournament and concurrently-held Squash Cancer amateur tournament benefited free breast cancer screenings for title sponsors Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital.
Result – Final: Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital Open 2015
[1] Kanzy Emad El Defrawy (EGY) bt [5] Hollie Naughton (CAN) 3-0: 11-2, 11-1, 11-5
Number four seed Danish Atlas Khan defeated compatriot Farhan Zaman 3-1 in an all-Pakistani final in the Life Time Fitness Chicago Open, U.S. Pro Series M10 event to lift his first PSA World Tour title of 2015.
The 21-year-old saw off Egypt’s Andrew Wagih Shoukry in the semi-final while Zaman, who was competing for his second successive PSA World Tour title, came through a five-game epic against Abdulla Mohd Al Tamimi, the man he beat in the final of the Any Presence Open three weeks ago.
The first game saw a number of punishing rallies take centre stage as both players attempted to move their opponent off the ‘T’. It was Khan who eventually prevailed in the opener by an 11-7 score line before Zaman battled back to ensure parity in the second.
Khan, the nephew of squash legend Jahangir Khan, was back in front in the third after a number of well-placed drives enabled the World No.68 to rise to an 11-7 triumph.
He dictated the tempo in the fourth and final game to wrap up an 11-7, 9-11, 11-7, 11-5 victory to secure his eighth career PSA World Tour title.
The Chicago Open is the fourth Life Time Fitness Grand Prix event of 2015, with the tour resuming November 3-8 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Result – Final: Life Time Fitness Chicago Open 2015
[4] Danish Atlas Khan (PAK) bt [2] Farhan Zaman (PAK) 3-1: 11-7, 9-11, 11-7, 11-5 (70m)
Top seed Christopher Binnie produced a sterling performance to defeat number two seed and fellow Jamaican Lewis Walters in the final of the Securian Open, PSA M5 event to lift his first PSA World Tour title in over three years.
Binnie dispatched England’s Reuben Phillips in straight games to reach the final while Walters eliminated Ashley Davies in the semi-final to set up an all-Jamaican encounter.
Binnie edged the first game with a 12-10 victory after an exciting tie-break before doubling his advantage in emphatic style in game two.
Walters came out all guns blazing against his compatriot in the third though, mixing up both his length and his short game to take it 11-8.
A highly-competitive fourth game then ensued with Binnie once again prevailing courtesy of a tie-break to run out a 12-10, 11-6, 8-11, 13-11 winner and claim his second ever PSA World Tour crown.
Result – Final: Securian Open 2015
[1] Christopher Binnie (JAM) bt [2] Lewis Walters (ENG) 3-1: 12-10, 11-6, 8-11, 13-11
