Injury wrecks Greg Lobban’s bid for victory after two-game lead
By SEEAN REUTHE
New Zealand’s Campbell Grayson battled back from two games down to defeat Scotland’s Greg Lobban in the final of the Life Time Chicago Open, PSA M15 tournament to claim his 11th PSA World Tour crown.
Grayson, the World No.42, was appearing at this tournament for the first time since he lost out to World No.15 Ryan Cuskelly in the final two years ago, and followed up a comfortable opening round victory over Argentina’s Leandro Romiglio with consecutive five-game epics against Finland’s Henrik Mustonen and Germany’s Raphael Kandra to reach the final.
Meanwhile, Lobban’s path to the final was more straightforward as he dispatched Belgian qualifier Jan van den Herrewegen, Canadian Andrew Schnell and Mexico’s Arturo Salazar, dropping just two games in the process.
As such, Lobban was the sharper of the two competitors at the beginning of the final and raced into a two-game lead, before a knee injury at 9-9 in the third after an awkward landing meant that the World No.38 needed a short break.
That injury proved to be a huge turning point in the encounter as Grayson went on to win the third game, and he maintained his composure against a struggling Lobban in the final two games to record a 5-11, 6-11, 11-9, 11-7, 11-4 victory to win his second PSA World Tour title of the year.
PSA M17 Men’s Life Time Chicago Open 2016, Life Time Athletic Vernon Hills, Vernon Hills, Illinois, USA.
Final:
[2] Campbell Grayson (NZL) bt [1] Greg Lobban (SCO) 5-11, 6-11, 11-9, 11-7, 11-4
Semi-finals:
[1] Greg Lobban (SCO) bt [4] Arturo Salazar (MEX) 11-7, 11-5, 7-11, 11-8
[2] Campbell Grayson (NZL) bt [3] Raphael Kandra (GER) 8-11, 11-3, 17-15, 5-11, 11-8
Quarter-finals:
[1] Greg Lobban (SCO) bt [7] Andrew Schnell (CAN) 11-7, 9-11, 11-9, 11-3
[4] Arturo Salazar (MEX) bt [5] Charles Sharpes (ENG) 11-5, 11-4, 11-5
[3] Raphael Kandra (GER) bt [8] Jens Schoor (GER) 11-2, 11-7, 11-4
[2] Campbell Grayson (NZL) bt [6] Henrik Mustonen (FIN) 12-10, 4-11, 7-11, 11-9, 11-4 (100m)
1st round:
[1] Greg Lobban (SCO) bt [Q] Jan van den Herrewegen (BEL) 11-8, 11-6, 11-5
[7] Andrew Schnell (CAN) bt Danish Atlas Khan (PAK) 6-11, 11-7, 11-4, 11-3
[5] Charles Sharpes (ENG) bt [Q] Kush Kumar (IND) 11-6, 11-7, 11-6
[4] Arturo Salazar (MEX) bt [WC] Ashley Davies (ENG) 11-9, 11-9, 11-9
[3] Raphael Kandra (GER) bt Chris Hanson (USA) 11-7, 8-11, 11-6, 11-3
[8] Jens Schoor (GER) bt [Q] Clinton Leeuw (RSA) 12-10, 11-8, 11-9
[6] Henrik Mustonen (FIN) bt Richie Fallows (ENG) 9-11, 11-5, 6-11, 11-5, 14-12
[2] Campbell Grayson (NZL) bt [Q] Leandro Romiglio (ARG) 11-4, 11-6, 11-6
Qualifying finals:
Clinton Leeuw (RSA) bt Matias Tuomi (FIN) 11-9, 11-5, 11-6
Kush Kumar (IND) bt Lewis Walters (JAM) 6-11, 14-12, 11-1, 6-11, 11-7
Jan van den Herrewegen (BEL) bt Jon Geekie (SCO) 11-7, 11-4, 11-2
Leandro Romiglio (ARG) bt Faraz Khan (USA) 11-4, 2-11, 8-11, 11-6, 11-6
1st qualifying round:
Clinton Leeuw (RSA) bt Muhammad Ibrahim Noorani (PAK) 11-1, 11-2, 11-1
Matias Tuomi (FIN) bt Noah Browne (BER) 12-10, 11-9, 11-5
Lewis Walters (JAM) bt Nick Litowitz (USA) 11-5, 11-6, 11-8
Kush Kumar (IND) bt Umair Zaman (QAT) 11-5, 11-6, 11-9
Jan van den Herrewegen (BEL) bt Moses Durosinmi (NGR) 11-7, 11-7, 11-2
Jon Geekie (SCO) bt Jonas Knigge Laursen (DEN) 11-8, 11-7, 11-9
Faraz Khan (USA) bt Timothy Lasusa (USA) 11-9, 11-6, 11-2
Leandro Romiglio (ARG) bye