RESULTS: Torneo Internacional Sporta Open, Guatemala City, Guatemal
Men’s Final:
[4] Arturo Salazar (MEX) bt Eric Galvez (MEX) 14-12, 11-8, 11-2Women’s Final:
[5] Samantha Cornett (CAN) bt Graciela Lopez Perez (MEX) 7-11, 11-6, 10-12, 11-3, 11-3
Cornett & Salazar Secure Sporta Spoils
Mexican Arturo Salazar successfully retained his Torneo Internacional Sporta Open title at Sporta Guatemalain the Guatemala capital Guatemala City after beating compatriot Eric Galvez in the final of the men’s PSA World Tour Challenger 15 squash event for the second year in a row.
Fourth seed Salazar reached the final after upsetting top-seeded Colombian Miguel Angel Rodriguez in a five-game semi-final battle.
But the 23-year-old Mexican number one, ranked 44 in the world, showed no signs of his toils 24 hours earlier when he despatched former top-ranked Mexican Galvez 14-12, 11-8, 11-2.
The triumph marked Salazar’s sixth title win in seven Tour finals.
But the final was a major disappointment for former world No33 Galvez, who has now finished as runner-up in the Guatemala event for the third year in a row.
Canada’s Samantha Cornett prevented a Mexican double when she beat Graciela Lopez Perez in the final of the women’s WISPA World Tour 4 championship.
But the fifth seed from Ottawa had to battle for five games – and twice come from behind – before beating unseeded teenager Perez, ranked 153 in the world, 7-11, 11-6, 10-12, 11-3, 11-3.
The victory marks 20-year-old world No68 Cornett’s maiden WISPA title.
Men’s semi-finals:
[4] Arturo Salazar (MEX) bt [1] Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL) 11-7, 11-9, 6-11, 3-11, 11-9Eric Galvez (MEX) bt Cesar Salazar (MEX) 11-7, 11-9, 1-11, 5-11, 11-8
Women’s semi-finals:
[5] Samantha Cornett (CAN) bt [3] Ivonne Diaz (MEX) 11-5, 11-6, 11-6Graciela Lopez Perez (MEX) bt [7] Imelda Salazar Martinez (MEX) 8-11, 11-2, 11-3, 11-8
Salazar Sets Up All-Mexican Sporta Final
Defending champion Arturo Salazar battled to a five-game upset over top seed Miguel Angel Rodriguez in theTorneo Internacional Sporta Open to set up a surprise all-Mexican final of the men’s PSA World Tour Challenger 15 squash event at Sporta Guatemala in the Guatemala capital Guatemala City.
Fourth seed Salazar stemmed a fightback by Angel Rodriguez to beat the world No23 from Colombia 11-7, 11-9, 6-11, 3-11, 11-9.
In a repeat of last year’s final, Salazar will face Eric Galvez, the former Mexican number one.
But Galvez denied Arturo the chance to play his twin brother Cesar Salazar by beating the unseeded 23-year-old from San Luis Potosi 11-7, 11-9, 1-11, 5-11, 11-8.
While Arturo Salazar is celebrating his seventh PSA Tour final, it is the 20th for Galvez – and the 27-year-old from Puebla will be hoping for ‘third time lucky’ after finishing as runner-up in the Guatemala City event for the past two years.
Unseeded Graciela Lopez Perez takes Mexican interest into the final of the women’s WISPA World Tour 4championship after defeating seventh seed Imelda Salazar Martinez 8-11, 11-2, 11-3, 11-8.
The Toluca-born 19-year-old, celebrating her maiden WISPA Tour final, will face Canadian Samantha Cornett.
The 20-year-old fifth seed from Ottawa upset third-seeded Mexican Ivonne Diaz 11-5, 11-6, 11-6 to reach the second Tour final of her career.
Men’s quarter-finals:
[1] Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL) bt Jorge Isaac Baltazar Ferreira (MEX) 7-11, 11-6, 5-11, 11-5, 11-4 [4] Arturo Salazar (MEX) bt [Q] Clinton Leeuw (RSA) 11-7, 11-4, 5-11, 4-11, 11-7Eric Galvez (MEX) bt Yann Perrin (FRA) 4-11, 11-8, 11-8, 11-8
Cesar Salazar (MEX) bt Campbell Grayson (NZL) 11-6, 11-7, 11-9
Women’s quarter-finals:
[5] Samantha Cornett (CAN) bt Kristen Lange (USA) 11-8, 11-6, 11-8 [3] Ivonne Diaz (MEX) bt [8] Elpiniki Clement (USA) 11-6, 7-11, 11-8, 12-14, 11-9Graciela Lopez Perez (MEX) bt [4] Nayelly Hernandez (MEX) 12-10, 11-9, 11-7
[7] Imelda Salazar Martinez (MEX) bt [2] Thaisa Serafini (BRA) 11-13, 11-3, 8-11, 11-5, 11-6
Salazars Score In Santa Catarina Pinula
Mexican twins Arturo Salazar and Cesar Salazar are on course to meet in a surprise final of the Torneo Internacional Sporta Open after battling through the quarter-finals of the men’s PSA World Tour Challenger 15squash event at Sporta in Santa Catarina Pinula in Guatemala.
After upsetting second seed Ryan Cuskelly in the opening round, Cesar continued his impressive run by overcoming New Zealand’s higher-ranked Campbell Grayson 11-6, 11-7, 11-9.
The 23-year-old from San Luis Potosi will now meet fellow countryman Eric Galvez, the world No90 from Puebla who defeated Frenchman Yann Perrin, ranked almost 30 places higher, 4-11, 11-8, 11-8, 11-8.
Arturo Salazar will be hoping to make it an all-Mexican final when he lines up against top-seeded ColombianMiguel Angel Rodriguez in the other men’s semi.
The fourth seed defeated compatriot Jorge Isaac Baltazar Ferreira 11-7, 11-4, 5-11, 4-11, 11-7, while favourite Angel Rodriguez twice came from behind to beat South African qualifier Clinton Leeuw 7-11, 11-6, 5-11, 11-5, 11-4.
There is a guaranteed Mexican finalist in the women’s WISPA World Tour 4 championship where seventh seedImelda Salazar Martinez upset Thaisa Serafini, the No2 seed from Brazil, 11-13, 11-3, 8-11, 11-5, 11-6.
Martinez, sister of the Salazar twins, will now face compatriot Graciela Lopez Perez for a place in the final. The unseeded 19-year-old upset fourth seed Nayelly Hernandez 12-10, 11-9, 11-7.
Canada’s Samantha Cornett will be hoping to prevent an all-Mexican climax. The fifth seed from Ottawa beat US giant-killer Kristen Lange 11-8, 11-6, 11-8 and will now line up against Mexican Ivonne Diaz in the other semi-final.
Third seed Diaz battled to an 11-6, 7-11, 11-8, 12-14, 11-9 win over Philadelphia-born US opponent Elpiniki Clement, the No8 seed from the USA.
Men’s 1st round:
[1] Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL) bt Kamran Khan (MAS) 11-3, 14-12, 12-10Jorge Isaac Baltazar Ferreira (MEX) bt [Q] Adam Murrills (ENG) 14-12, 11-7, 12-10
[Q] Clinton Leeuw (RSA) bt Jose Mendez (MEX) 14-12, 11-5, 11-5 [4] Arturo Salazar (MEX) bt [Q] Alfredo Avila (MEX) 2-11, 11-8, 5-11, 11-5, 11-9Eric Galvez (MEX) bt [3] Chris Simpson (ENG) 11-5, 13-11, 4-11, 11-3
Yann Perrin (FRA) bt Erik Tepos Valtierra (MEX) 11-2, 11-6, 11-8
Campbell Grayson (NZL) bt [Q] Gerardo de Paul Garcia (MEX) 11-4, 11-6, 11-3
Cesar Salazar (MEX) bt [2] Ryan Cuskelly (AUS) 11-7, 6-11, 6-11, 11-2, 11-6
Women’s 1st round:
Kristen Lange (USA) bt [1] Milou van der Heijden (NED) 9-11, 11-2, 8-11, 11-3, 11-8
[5] Samantha Cornett (CAN) bt [Q] Diana Elisa Garcia Fierro (MEX) 11-8, 14-12, 11-2 [3] Ivonne Diaz (MEX) bt Alex Clark (SCO) 11-9, 8-11, 11-9, 11-9 [8] Elpiniki Clement (USA) bt [Q] Maria Fernanda Rivera (MEX) 11-7, 11-4, 7-11, 12-10Graciela Lopez Perez (MEX) bt [6] Karina Heredia Gonzalez (MEX) 11-7, 11-3, 11-2
[4] Nayelly Hernandez (MEX) bt Nicole Anckermann (GUA) 11-7, 11-6, 11-0 [7] Imelda Salazar Martinez (MEX) bt Pamela Anckermann (GUA) 11-5, 11-9, 11-3 [2] Thaisa Serafini (BRA) bt Genevieve Lessard (CAN) 11-7, 11-6, 11-5Seeds Slump In Santa Catarina Pinula
It was not a good day for many of the top seeds in the Torneo Internacional Sporta Open, the men’s and women’s international squash circuit event at Sporta in Santa Catarina Pinula in Guatemala.
Mexican Cesar Salazar produced the biggest shock in the opening round of the men’s PSA World Tour Challenger 15 event when he removed second seed Ryan Cuskelly.
The Australian led 2/1 – but the unseeded Salazar recovered the advantage to win 11-7, 6-11, 6-11, 11-2, 11-6.
The 23-year-old world No57 will now face Campbell Grayson after the unseeded New Zealander despatched Mexican qualifier Gerardo de Paul Garcia 11-4, 11-6, 11-3.
Cesar will join his twin brother in the last eight after Arturo Salazar, the top-ranked Mexican, beat fellow countryman Alfredo Avila 2-11, 11-8, 5-11, 11-5, 11-9.
England’s third seed Chris Simpson also failed to progress beyond the first round after losing to a Mexican. The Guernsey-born 24-year-old went down 11-5, 13-11, 4-11, 11-3 to Mexican number four Eric Galvez.
The favourite was the biggest casualty in the women’s WISPA World Tour 4 championship. Unseeded Kristen Lange, the world No 158 from the USA, twice came from behind to overcome top seed Milou van der Heijden, the world No58 from the Netherlands, 9-11, 11-2, 8-11, 11-3, 11-8.
The 22-year-old Lange will now face Canadian Samantha Cornett, the fifth seed from Ottawa who defeated Mexican qualifier Diana Elisa Garcia Fierro 11-8, 14-12, 11-2.
Men’s quarter-final line-up:
[1] Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL) v Jorge Isaac Baltazar Ferreira (MEX) [4] Arturo Salazar (MEX) v [Q] Clinton Leeuw (RSA)Eric Galvez (MEX) v Yann Perrin (FRA)
Cesar Salazar (MEX) v Campbell Grayson (NZL)
Women’s quarter-final line-up:
Kristen Lange (USA) v [5] Samantha Cornett (CAN)
[3] Ivonne Diaz (MEX) v [8] Elpiniki Clement (USA) [4] Nayelly Hernandez (MEX) v Graciela Lopez Perez (MEX) [2] Thaisa Serafini (BRA) v [7] Imelda Salazar Martinez (MEX)