Todd Harrity reaches second final on home soil but loses five-game thriller
By NATHAN CLARKE – Squash Mad PSA Correspondent
Germany’s Jens Schoor denied the organisers of the Life Time Minneapolis Open a home winner in the inaugural PSA Challenger 10 squash event when he upset Pennsylvania-based Todd Harrity in the final at Life Time Fitness in Minneapolis, USA.
Top seed Harrity, fresh from his title success in last week’s Madison Open in Wisconsin, claimed his anticipated place in the final after surviving a 93-minute semi-final marathon against South African qualifier Clinton Leeuw which went the full distance.
But the 24-year-old from Wayne showed no signs of his ordeal in the final – his fourth of the year – as he pulled back from two games down to draw level against second seed Schoor.
“Jens played his best squash in the final,” said tournament promoter Andre Maur. “Schoor won the first two games fairly easily and looked on his way winning in three but Harrity came back from 9-6 down to win the third and fourth 11-5.
“The fifth went to eight-all and Schoor hit two great winners when Harrity hit the match ball in the tin on his backhand.”
The 11-5, 11-8, 9-11, 5-11, 11-8 triumph in 74 minutes gives 27-year-old Schoor his third Tour title of the year, and the ninth of his career.
PSA Challenger 10 Life Time Minneapolis Open, Minneapolis, USA.
1st round:
[2] Jens Schoor (GER) bt Nicolas Caballero (PAR) 11-3, 11-4, 11-6
[8] Sunil Seth (GUY) bt [Q] Faraz Khan (USA) 11-7, 11-8, 11-6
[5] Zac Alexander (AUS) bt [Q] Chris Hanson (USA) 6-11, 11-4, 11-8, 11-6
[4] Richie Fallows (ENG) bt Cameron Stafford (CAY) 11-6, 11-5, 11-6
[Q] Clinton Leeuw (RSA) bt [3] Andrew Schnell (CAN) 7-11, 11-5, 11-6, 11-7
[6] Shahjahan Khan (PAK) bt [Q] Charlie Johnson (ENG) 11-9, 9-11, 11-7, 11-8
[7] Alex Ingham (ENG) bt Thoboki Mohohlo (RSA) 11-8, 12-14, 12-10, 11-6
[1] Todd Harrity (USA) bt [WC] Graeme Schnell (CAN) 11-7, 11-4, 11-1
Quarter-finals:
[2] Jens Schoor (GER) bt [8] Sunil Seth (GUY) 11-5, 11-2, 11-8
[4] Richie Fallows (ENG) bt [5] Zac Alexander (AUS) 7-11, 11-4, 11-8, 11-6
[Q] Clinton Leeuw (RSA) bt [6] Shahjahan Khan (PAK) 9-11, 11-1, 11-9, 11-9
[1] Todd Harrity (USA) bt [7] Alex Ingham (ENG) 11-6, 11-6, 11-8
Semi-finals:
[2] Jens Schoor (GER) bt [4] Richie Fallows (ENG) 11-6, 11-6, 11-4
[1] Todd Harrity (USA) bt [Q] Clinton Leeuw (RSA) 10-12, 11-6, 12-14, 14-12, 11-9 (93m)
Final:
[2] Jens Schoor (GER) bt [1] Todd Harrity (USA) 11-5, 11-8, 9-11, 5-11, 11-8 (74m)
Picture courtesy of PSAÂ