Winning British and European junior titles has been great but this tops everything say jubilant Richie
By LEE HORTON – Squash Mad Chief Reporter
TOP England junior Richie Fallows has won his first PSA world tour event…17 days before his 19th birthday.
Richie, from East London, overcame world ranked number 53 Zahed Mohamed from Egypt in the final of the $5k Pilatus Cup in Kriens, Switzerland to lift his maiden title.
“This is such a big win for me, I can’t tell you how happy I am,” said Richie minutes after collecting his trophy, and winnings earlier today. “I believed in myself before the game with Zahed and knew if I kept my head I was in with a chance of winning.”
And that’s exactly what England’s number one ranked junior did as he upset the tournament’s number one seed 3-1. “I won the first game and was moving and hitting the ball well,” added Richie. “He came back at me in the second but I never panicked. I remained incredibly calm, which surprised me a little. Maybe it’s because I had already made the final and the real pressure was off that helped me stay cool.”
Whatever the formula, Richie commanded games three and four keeping the Egyptian at bay to secure his maiden PSA title.
“This was the big one for me, “he added. “I’ve dreamed of the win for so many years. Winning England, British and European titles as a junior has been wonderful but this is so thrilling. With luck and hard work in the future I will be able to win others, but I will never forget my first PSA victory.”
Richie’s route to the final also included a semi-final victory over another top 100 player, Swiss Reiko Peter, currently ranked 96.”It has been a great week, that’s for sure,” he added. “I’m now heading straight to the airport to be home to celebrate with my family. When I phoned my dad with the news he went ballistic. I better get back and calm him down.”
Fallows hopes to take this form into next week’s Select Gaming Kent Open, where he is top seed in the qualifying competition and aiming to make the main draw at The Mote Squash Club.