Miguel Rodriguez keeps home fans happy in Colombia
By NATHAN CLARKE
World No.54 Alfredo Avila, a 24-year-old qualifier, pulled off a second consecutive upset to defeat World No.12 Borja Golan in the quarter-finals of the Abierto Colombiano de Squash Club el Nogal, PSA M50 tournament taking place in Bogota.
The unfancied Mexican completed a straight-games victory over Egypt’s World No.21 Fares Dessouki in the opening round and continued his rich vein of form to come from a game down and see off former World No.5 Golan in a tense 53-minute battle.
Avila utilised his pace and never-say-die attitude to weather an early storm from Golan, and despite dropping the first game 6-11, his unrelenting pressure paid dividends in the second as Golan cracked and Avila levelled by taking the game 11-9.
The third and fourth games followed a similar pattern with the South American making the most of his high-altitude experience to take the crucial points and seal a 6-11, 11-9, 11-9, 11-9 triumph.
He will now face No.2 seed Peter Barker in the semi-finals after the Englishman progressed unchallenged by Cesar Salazar, the Mexican succumbing to injury after the first game. He was clearly still struggling with an injury that affected him during the recent Pan-American Games in Toronto.
Local favourite and tournament top seed Miguel Angel Rodriguez kept alive his hopes of winning back-to-back titles in his home town.
Rodriguez dominated against Egypt’s Zahed Mohamed, winning 3-1, as he asserted his credentials as the man to beat and he will take on India’s Saurav Ghosal in the last four after the 28-year-old from Kolkata ended the hopes of teenage sensation Diego Elias in a hard-fought 3-1 encounter.
Abierto Colombiano de Squash Club el Nogal, PSA M50 tournament, Bogota.
Quarter-finals Results:
[1] Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL) bt [8] Zahed Mohamed (EGY) 3-1: 12-10, 9-11, 11-2, 11-8 (42m)
[6] Saurav Ghosal (IND) bt Diego Elias (PER) 3-1: 8-11,11-9,11-6,11-3 (48m)
[Q] Alfredo Avila (MEX) bt [3] Borja Golan (ESP) 3-1: 6-11, 11-9, 11-9, 11-9 (53m)
[2] Peter Barker (ENG) bt [7] Cesar Salazar (MEX) 11-4, retired
Semi-final Draw:
[1] Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL) v [6] Saurav Ghosal (IND)
[Q] Alfredo Avila (MEX) v [2] Peter Barker (ENG) Â
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