Sweet success as Dutch ace Schweertman sinks Aussies
By Squash Mad Reporter
Dutchman Piedro Schweertman celebrated his fourth appearance in a PSA World Tour final in as many weeks by beating Australian Matthew Hopkin to win the New South Wales Open at Thornleigh Squash Centre in Sydney, Australia.
The seventh seed from Hoofddorp was taken the full distance in the semi-finals of the PSA Challenger 5 event when he edged out the club’s head pro Aaron Frankcomb, the defending champion and former world No38 who retired from the Tour at the beginning of last year, 11-9, 2-11, 11-6, 11-13, 11-6.
Unseeded Hopkin, the 23-year-old from Brisbane who showed his potential by winning last week’s Shepparton International in Victoria, again downed a number of seeds en-route to only the second Tour final of his career – overcoming England’s No6 seed Adam Auckland in a five-game semi.
But after losing to Hopkin in the Shepparton climax, 30-year-old Schweertman was after revenge: The World No.183 duly achieved his goal by seeing off his younger opponent 11-6, 12-10, 11-4.
The win marked Schweertman’s second PSA Tour title of the month – and the fifth of his career.
PSA Challenger 5 New South Wales Open, Sydney, Australia
1st round:
Chris van der Salm (NZL) bt [2] Ben Grindrod (NZL) 11-2, 11-5, 11-6
[Q] Lewis Doughty (ENG) bt Matthew Bridle (AUS) 11-2, 6-11, 11-6, 11-8
Cheuk Yan Tang (HKG) bt Darcy Evans (AUS) 11-6, 15-13, 12-10
[7] Piedro Schweertman (NED) bt David Clegg (AUS) 11-1, 11-2, 11-2
Thomas Calvert (AUS) bt [5] Rhys Dowling (AUS) 11-8, 11-7, 6-11, 7-11, 11-7
[Q] Aaron Frankcomb (AUS) bt Kim Are Killingberg (NOR) 11-6, 11-5, 11-3
Damien Volland (FRA) bt Mike Lewis (USA) w/o
[4] Joshua Larkin (AUS) bt Jerome Dadot (FRA) 11-6, 11-6, 11-13, 11-2
[Q] Baptiste Masotti (FRA) bt [3] Steven Liu (MAC) 11-4, 11-3, 11-5
[Q] Simon Carruthers (AUS) bt Rohan Toole (AUS) 11-9, 7-11, 11-5, 11-4
Matthew Hopkin (AUS) bt Joel Luca (AUS) 11-4, 11-2, 11-9
[8] Chi Him Wong (HKG) bt TJ French (AUS) 11-5, 11-5, 11-6
[6] Adam Auckland (ENG) bt [Q] Adrian Ostbye (CAN) 11-0, 11-2, 11-8
[Q] Jason Garrard (AUS) bt Aidan Parkes (AUS) 13-11, 2-11, 6-11, 11-9, 11-6
[Q] Joeri Hapers (BEL) bt SeungYong Yoo (KOR) 11-7, 11-9, 11-6
[1] Lance Beddoes (NZL) bt [Q] Ben Takamizawa Harris (JPN) 11-9, 11-4, 13-11
2nd round:
Chris van der Salm (NZL) bt [Q] Lewis Doughty (ENG) 7-11, 11-3, 12-10, 11-6
[7] Piedro Schweertman (NED) bt Cheuk Yan Tang (HKG) 11-2, 11-3, 11-8
[Q] Aaron Frankcomb (AUS) bt Thomas Calvert (AUS) 11-1, 11-2, 11-4
[4] Joshua Larkin (AUS) bt Damien Volland (FRA) 9-11, 11-5, 11-3, 11-3
[Q] Simon Carruthers (AUS) bt [Q] Baptiste Masotti (FRA) 11-9, 4-11, 11-6, 7-11, 11-2
Matthew Hopkin (AUS) bt [8] Chi Him Wong (HKG) 11-5, 10-12, 5-11, 11-7, 11-7
[6] Adam Auckland (ENG) bt [Q] Jason Garrard (AUS) 11-2, 11-1, 11-0
[1] Lance Beddoes (NZL) bt [Q] Joeri Hapers (BEL) 11-3, 11-5, 11-8
Quarter-finals:
[7] Piedro Schweertman (NED) bt Chris van der Salm (NZL) 11-6, 11-6, 11-9
[Q] Aaron Frankcomb (AUS) bt [4] Joshua Larkin (AUS) 11-5, 11-4, 11-9
Matthew Hopkin (AUS) bt [Q] Simon Carruthers (AUS) 13-11, 12-10, 11-7
[6] Adam Auckland (ENG) bt [1] Lance Beddoes (NZL) 11-5, 5-11, 13-11, 9-11, 11-6
Semi-finals:
[7] Piedro Schweertman (NED) bt [Q] Aaron Frankcomb (AUS) 11-9, 2-11, 11-6, 11-13, 11-6
Matthew Hopkin (AUS) bt [6] Adam Auckland (ENG) 14-16, 12-10, 8-11, 14-12, 11-6
Final:
[7] Piedro Schweertman (NED) bt Matthew Hopkin (AUS) 11-6, 12-10, 11-4
For all the latest Tour news: www.psaworldtour.com
Picture by Scott Johnson