Egyptian hits back from two down to beat Demont in Finnish final
By SEAN REUTHE
Top seed Shehab Essam secured his first ever PSA World Tour title with a dramatic come-from-behind victory against Geoffrey Demont in the final of the Savcor Finnish Open, PSA M5 event.
The Egyptian dispatched Israel’s Daniel Poleshchuk in impressive style in the previous round to seal his spot in the final, while a fine display from Demont saw him move past number two seed Ashley Davies in four games.
Proceedings started on an even keel with both players trading points in a match that ebbed and flowed. Demont took the opening game and, after some decisions went in his favour in game two, pulled away to open up a seemingly comfortable 2-0 lead over his opponent.
It looked like Demont would wrap up the match in straight games after he surged into a 7-4 lead in the third but a gargantuan effort from Essam saw the World No.89 turn the match on its head to halve the deficit and his fightback continued into the fourth as he levelled the score, setting up a fifth game showdown.
Essam was in command of the tie from that point onwards and powered through to triumph in the final game, completing the win with a 14-16, 3-11, 11-9, 11-9, 11-5 scoreline to win his first PSA World Tour title.
$5,000 Men’s Savcor Finnish Open 2016, Shopping Center Stella, Mikkeli, Finland
Final:
[1] Shehab Essam (EGY) bt [3] Geoffrey Demont (FRA) 14-16, 3-11, 11-9, 11-9, 11-5
Semi-finals:
[1] Shehab Essam (EGY) bt [4] Daniel Poleshchuk (ISR) 11-8, 11-5, 11-4
[3] Geoffrey Demont (FRA) bt [5] Ashley Davies (ENG) 5-11, 11-4, 11-6, 11-4
Quarter-finals:
[1] Shehab Essam (EGY) bt [6] Asim Khan (PAK) 11-9, 11-6, 7-11, 11-13, 12-10
[4] Daniel Poleshchuk (ISR) bt [8] Manuel Wanner (SUI) 11-3, 10-12, 11-4, 11-1
[3] Geoffrey Demont (FRA) bt [WC] Jami Äijänen (FIN) 11-8, 9-11, 11-5, 11-9
[5] Ashley Davies (ENG) bt [Q] Miko Äijänen (FIN) 11-8, 14-12, 11-9
1st round:
[1] Shehab Essam (EGY) bt Tristan Eysele (RSA) 11-2, 11-3, 11-5
[6] Asim Khan (PAK) bt [Q] Bradley Masters (ENG) 11-8, 11-8, 11-7
[8] Manuel Wanner (SUI) bt Kale Wilson (TRI) 11-8, 11-5, 11-8
[4] Daniel Poleshchuk (ISR) bt [LL] Pascal Gomez (ESP) 11-5, 11-0, 11-7
[3] Geoffrey Demont (FRA) bt [Q] Robert Dadds (ENG) 11-7, 10-12, 7-11, 11-8, 11-3
[WC] Jami Äijänen (FIN) bt [7] Baptiste Masotti (FRA) 11-3, 11-7, 11-2
[5] Ashley Davies (ENG) bt [Q] Kristian Rautiainen (FIN) 12-14, 11-4, 9-11, 11-7, 17-15
[Q] Miko Äijänen (FIN) bt [2] Aqeel Rehman (AUT) 11-6, 6-11, 11-5, 5-11, 12-10
Qualifying finals:
Bradley Masters (ENG) bt Roshan Bharos (NED) 12-10, 5-1 ret.
Robert Dadds (ENG) bt Tatu Knuutila (FIN) 11-7, 11-5, 8-11, 5-11, 11-8
Kristian Rautiainen (FIN) bt Pascal Gomez (ESP) 13-15, 11-5, 7-11, 11-7, 11-9
Miko Äijänen (FIN) bt Ville Karsikas (FIN) 11-2, 11-9, 11-5
1st qualifying round:
Roshan Bharos (NED) bt Tuomas Hakkinen (FIN) 11-4, 11-8, 11-8
Bradley Masters (ENG) bt Joonas Karhu (FIN) 11-2, 11-7, 11-9
Tatu Knuutila (FIN) bt Mirko Muukkonen (FIN) 11-8, 11-5, 11-9
Robert Dadds (ENG) bt Hendrik Vossing (GER) 6-11, 11-7, 11-5, 12-10
Kristian Rautiainen (FIN) bt Viktor Hogberg (SWE) 11-6, 11-3, 11-3
Pascal Gomez (ESP) bt Erno Teitti (FIN) 11-5, 11-5, 13-11
Ville Karsikas (FIN) bt Markus Vanhanen (FIN) 11-2, 8-11, 14-12, 11-6
Miko Äijänen (FIN) bt Oskari Valtola (FIN) 11-8, 11-2, 11-5
