Thursday, March 28, 2024

History as Mike Corren captures Top End title in Darwin

Aussie veteran is the first 40-year-old to win a PSA tournament
By Squash Mad Correspondent

Mike Corren looking confident in Darwin
Mike Corren looking confident in Darwin

Australian veteran Mike Corren made squash history at the Top End Open in Darwin on home soil when he became the first 40-year-old ever to win a PSA World Tour title.

It was after notching up his 70th appearance in a Tour final since 1996 – 10 more than his nearest rival on today’s PSA Tour – that the second-seeded South Australian defeated Hong Kong’s No.4 seed Tsz Fung Yip 11-7, 9-11, 11-8, 11-8 in the climax of the PSA Challenger 5 event at Darwin Squash Centre to register his historic achievement.

Tsz, a 20-year-old ranked outside the world top 130, made his breakthrough in the semi-finals when he upset top-seeded Czech Jan Koukal, ranked 67 in the world, to reach a second successive Tour final.

But the day belonged to Corren – the world No.77 from Adelaide who was already far-and-away the oldest player to win Tour events, with four to his name over the previous 12 months.

The latest – his first at the Top End Open after finishing as runner-up in 2012 and 2013 – brings up the 48th Tour title of his career, 14 more than nearest rival Ramy Ashour!

“This win means a lot to me for many reasons,” said Corren later. “Firstly because it has been about seven months since my last success and – let’s be frank – I’m not getting any younger!

“Also, I have never won in Darwin and the conditions here are very challenging: my last four opponents were sensational movers and athletes and, as I am not, it is very satisfying to find the solution to those ‘issues’.

“Lastly, to win an event at 40 I find pleasing – mostly because most folk say it can’t be done!

“That aside, I just aim to continue enjoying every moment whilst it is available to me.”

Click here for a recent Squash Mad exclusive interview with Mike Corren.

PSA Challenger 5 Top End Open, Darwin, Australia

1st round:
[1] Jan Koukal (CZE) bt Tim Cowell (AUS) 11-6, 11-2, 11-7
Darcy Evans (AUS) bt [Q] Guhan Senthilkumar (IND) 11-5, 11-6, 11-7
[Q] Diego Gobbi (BRA) bt Julian Tomlinson (ENG) 11-6, 13-11, 11-3
[5] Cheuk Yan Tang (HKG) bt [Q] Lewis Doughty (ENG) 11-7, 11-6, 11-4
[6] Rhys Dowling (AUS) bt [Q] Sindre Roaldsoy (NOR) 11-5, 11-7, 11-7
Will John (WAL) bt [WC] Joseph White (AUS) 11-5, 11-3, 11-6
[Q] Tsz Hei Ma (HKG) bt Pablo Rawden (ENG) 11-5, 11-8, 9-11, 11-9
[4] Tsz Fung Yip (HKG) bt Chris van der Salm (NZL) 10-12, 11-7, 11-8, 11-7
[3] James Huang (TPE) bt Matthew Hopkin (AUS) 4-11, 8-11, 11-8, 11-7, 11-9
[Q] JaeJin Yoo (KOR) bt Joel Luca (AUS) 11-9, 9-11, 11-1, 11-7
Mohd Syafiq Kamal (MAS) bt [Q] Solayman Nowrozi (AUS) 11-6, 11-5, 11-4
[8] Kwon Hyeon-Jun (KOR) bt Thomas Calvert (AUS) 6-11, 11-1, 11-5, 11-5
Chi Him Wong (HKG) bt [7] Steven Liu (MAC) 11-4, 11-9, 15-13
Sehyun Lee (KOR) bt Ben Grindrod (NZL) 11-4, 2-11, 3-11, 11-7, 11-5
Eain Yow Ng (MAS) bt [LL] Hoi Long Chan (MAC) 11-7, 11-2, 11-8
[2] Mike Corren (AUS) bt TJ French (AUS) 11-1, 11-4, 11-8
2nd round:
[1] Jan Koukal (CZE) bt Darcy Evans (AUS) 11-4, 11-3, 11-8
[5] Cheuk Yan Tang (HKG) bt [Q] Diego Gobbi (BRA) 11-9, 11-5, 8-11, 16-14
[6] Rhys Dowling (AUS) bt Will John (WAL) 11-5, 12-10, 11-3
[4] Tsz Fung Yip (HKG) bt [Q] Tsz Hei Ma (HKG) 11-8, 11-13, 11-6, 7-11, 11-9
[3] James Huang (TPE) bt [Q] JaeJin Yoo (KOR) 11-5, 13-11, 11-3
Mohd Syafiq Kamal (MAS) bt [8] Kwon Hyeon-Jun (KOR) 4-11, 11-8, 11-7, 11-7
Chi Him Wong (HKG) bt Sehyun Lee (KOR) 11-8, 9-11, 11-3, 11-6
[2] Mike Corren (AUS) bt Eain Yow Ng (MAS) 11-6, 11-7, 17-15
Quarter-finals:
[1] Jan Koukal (CZE) bt [5] Cheuk Yan Tang (HKG) 12-10, 11-6, 11-5
[4] Tsz Fung Yip (HKG) bt [6] Rhys Dowling (AUS) 11-5, 11-9, 11-3
[3] James Huang (TPE) bt Mohd Syafiq Kamal (MAS) 11-9, 11-7, 11-3
[2] Mike Corren (AUS) bt Chi Him Wong (HKG) 11-7, 5-11, 11-5, 11-6
Semi-finals:
[4] Tsz Fung Yip (HKG) bt [1] Jan Koukal (CZE) 10-12, 11-5, 11-6, 11-4
[2] Mike Corren (AUS) bt [3] James Huang (TPE) 9-11, 11-4, 11-5, 11-7
Final:
[2] Mike Corren (AUS) bt [4] Tsz Fung Yip (HKG) 11-7, 9-11, 11-8, 11-8 (47m)

For all the latest Tour news: www.psaworldtour.com

Picture courtesy of PSA

 

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