Illingworth Triumphs In Northern Ontario Championship
22 April 2012
RESULTS: PSA Challenger 15 Northern Ontario Championship, Sudbury, Ontario, Canada
Final:
[1] Julian Illingworth (USA) bt [4] Shawn Delierre (CAN) 11-7, 11-9, 11-6 (63m)
Less than 24 hours after surviving the longest match of his professional career, US number one Julian Illingworth dashed home hopes of success in the Northern Ontario Championship in Canada when he beat Shawn Delierre in the final of the PSA World Tour Challenger 15 squash event in its third year at the Sudbury YMCA in Sudbury, Ontario.
“Julian had a mammoth 123-minute battle with Chris Simpson in the semis and there were questions as to how well he would recover before the final,” explained tournament spokesman Michael McCue. “Delierre was also stretched to five games but did not have his fitness sternly tested.
“The theme of the week – long rallies interspersed with explosions of offense – won out again today. Canadian Delierre is known for his lengthy matches, but Illingworth has a more attacking reputation. The American was hitting the ball cleaner than his previous match, especially to the front, which forced Shawn into outstretched lobs.”
After surviving a crucial second game, coming back from 8-9 down, top seed Illingworth went on to close out the match 11-7, 11-9, 11-6 in 63 minutes.
“Illingworth sensed the importance of the moment and strung together three excellent rallies,” added McCue. “He remarked afterward that this was the key point of the match.”
It was the ninth Tour clash between the pair – all of which had been on North American soil – with Illingworth easing ahead 5/4 in their head-to-head tally.
The win also marks Illingworth’s sixth PSA World Tour title – and comes just a month after the 28-year-old from New York won a record eighth US national crown.
Delierre Raises Home Hopes In Ontario
21 April 2012
RESULTS: PSA Challenger 15 Northern Ontario Championship, Sudbury, Ontario, Canada
Semi-finals:
[1] Julian Illingworth (USA) bt [3] Chris Simpson (ENG) 8-11, 13-11, 9-11, 11-8, 11-8 (123m)
[4] Shawn Delierre (CAN) bt Charles Sharpes (ENG) 11-9, 6-11, 11-5, 8-11, 11-5 (88m)
Shawn Delierre raised hopes of keeping the Northern Ontario Championship trophy in home hands when the fourth seed from Canada ended the giant-killing run of England’s Charles Sharpes to reach the final of the PSA World Tour Challenger 15 squash event in its third year at the Sudbury YMCA in Sudbury, Ontario.
Unseeded Sharpes, who ousted Canada’s defending champion Shahier Razik in a career-best win 24 hours earlier, continued his determined play in the first game against the experienced Delierre.
“Played at a considerably higher pace than the previous match, Charles was hitting hard and low straight lines, while Shawn randomized the play with working boasts and crosscourt holds from the back,” said tournament spokesman Michael McCue. “The Canadian was managing to dictate play despite usually being pinned deep in the court.”
Sharpes, the world No88 ranked more than 30 places below the Canadian, twice clawed back Delierre leads – but the 29-year-old from Montreal maintained the upper hand in the decider to close out the match 11-9, 6-11, 11-5, 8-11, 11-5 after 88 minutes.
“I’m obviously disappointed to lose but feel there were a lot of positives to take from the performance and feel like things are definitely heading in the right direction for me,” said Sharpes after the end of his impressive Canadian run.
“Yesterday against Razik was one of the biggest wins of my career and hopefully I can gain a lot of confidence from that performance I produced to get Shahier off in straight games – it was a huge win for me,” continued the London-born 20-year-old.
“This has been a great tournament for me and after a patchy start to the season I feel like I’ve really kicked on in the last couple of months and have been looking at my game in great depth to see what I need to work on to push me onto that next level and I’m starting to see the benefits pay off.”
Delierre will face US champion Julian Illingworth in the event’s first all North American final.
But the top-seeded 28-year-old from New York had to battle for 123 minutes to overcome determined Englishman Chris Simpson before beating the No3 seed 8-11, 13-11, 9-11, 11-8, 11-8.
“This was definitely one of the most physically demanding matches I have ever seen,” exclaimed McCue afterwards. “Both players were struggling to move in the fifth but still produced a 20-minute game.
“Proof that anyone who suggests 11 scoring has marginalized the fitness aspect of pro squash is sorely mistaken!”
Both players are celebrating their first PSA World Tour final appearances of the year – Illingworth the 16th of his career and Delierre the 15th.
Sharpes Shifts Shahier In Sudbury Shake Up
20 April 2012
RESULTS: PSA Challenger 15 Northern Ontario Championship, Sudbury, Ontario, Canada
Quarter-finals:
[1] Julian Illingworth (USA) bt [Q] Clinton Leeuw (RSA) 5-11, 11-7, 11-4, 11-9 (50m)
[3] Chris Simpson (ENG) bt Peter Creed (WAL) 6-11, 11-6, 11-6, 12-10 (72m)
[4] Shawn Delierre (CAN) bt [Q] Ben Coleman (ENG) 12-10, 11-9, 11-6 (45m)
Charles Sharpes (ENG) bt [2] Shahier Razik (CAN) 11-4, 11-8, 11-7 (42m)
Unseeded Englishman Charles Sharpes produced the best win of his career in the Northern Ontario Championship in Canada when he upset second seed Shahier Razik, the title-holder, to reach the last four of the PSA World Tour Challenger 15 squash event in its third year at the Sudbury YMCA in Sudbury, Ontario.
Canadian number one Razik is a seasoned professional. The 29-year-old from Toronto won his sixth Canadian national title last year, and the 22nd PSA World Tour title of his career – and currently sits at 29 in the world rankings.
But Sharpes is making rapid strides at the beginning of his career. The 20-year-old from Surrey leapt over 100 places in the world rankings since the beginning of last year to a career-high No80 last month.
“Sharpes was on the attack for the whole match, staying in front of Razik and consistently hitting severe low kills,” said tournament spokesman Michael McCue. “Razik does revel in this defensive role, but Sharpes never faltered mentally or physically.
“Charles held leads at 9-4 in both the second and third, and this gap proved too much for Razik to peg back. This was certainly the best win (ranking-wise, at least) of Charles’ young career.”
Sharpes was quick to comment on his 11-4, 11-8, 11-7 victory on Twitter: “Big result for me tonight – got a 3-0 win againstShahier Razik. Thought I played really well and can’t wait for the semis tomorrow.”
The only unseeded player in the semi-finals, Sharpes will now face another Canadian Shawn Delierre, the runner-up in 2010. Fourth seed Delierre, from Montreal, beat English qualifier Ben Coleman 12-10, 11-9, 11-6.
The other semi-finals will also be an Anglo/North American affair – between Julian Illingworth, the top seed from New York, and third-seeded Englishman Chris Simpson.
Both recovered from first-game set-backs – Illingworth overcoming South African qualifier Clinton Leeuw 5-11, 11-7, 11-4, 11-9 and Simpson taking 72 minutes to quash Welsh champion Peter Creed 6-11, 11-6, 11-6, 12-10.
Semi-final line-up:
[1] Julian Illingworth (USA) v [3] Chris Simpson (ENG)
Charles Sharpes (ENG) v [4] Shawn Delierre (CAN)
Qualifiers Excel In Ontario
19 April 2012
RESULTS: PSA Challenger 15 Northern Ontario Championship, Sudbury, Ontario, Canada
1st round:
[1] Julian Illingworth (USA) bt [Q] Aqeel Rehman (AUT) 11-5, 11-7, 11-9 (36m)
[Q] Clinton Leeuw (RSA) bt Dane Sharp (CAN) 11-8, 11-9, 6-11, 11-2 (48m)
Peter Creed (WAL) bt Eddie Charlton (ENG) 11-6, 11-9, 12-10 (40m)
[3] Chris Simpson (ENG) bt Jaymie Haycocks (ENG) 5-2 ret. (13m)
[4] Shawn Delierre (CAN) bt Lewis Walters (ENG) 13-11, 11-5, 11-9 (46m)
[Q] Ben Coleman (ENG) bt Dylan Bennett (NED) 11-5, 11-5, 12-10 (37m)
Charles Sharpes (ENG) bt [Q] Scott Arnold (AUS) 7-11, 11-7, 11-7, 10-12, 11-9 (72m)
[2] Shahier Razik (CAN) bt Michael McCue (CAN) 11-5, 11-3, 11-6 (36m)
Qualifiers Ben Coleman and Clinton Leeuw claimed unexpected places in the quarter-finals of the Northern Ontario Championship in Canada after upsetting higher-ranked opponents in the opening round of the PSA World Tour Challenger 15 squash event in its third year at the Sudbury YMCA in Sudbury, Ontario.
It was only shortly after the day’s play got underway that the club had to be evacuated due to a gas leak in the kitchen. “Play was halted and everyone was herded outside while the fire department did an inspection,” explained tournament spokesman Michael McCue. “The delay was only temporary though, and after 15 minutes players were back on court.”
Englishman Coleman, the lowest-ranked player in the draw, despatched Dutchman Dylan Bennett, the world No93, 11-5, 11-5, 12-10 in 37 minutes.
The 21-year-old world No 136 from Chelmsford will now be the second English opponent for Canadian hope Shawn Delierre. Fourth seed Delierre, from Montreal, recovered from 5-9 down in the first game to defeat Lewis Walters 13-11, 11-5, 11-9.
South African Leeuw dashed local hopes of three players through to the last eight by beating Toronto-based Dane Sharp11-8, 11-9, 6-11, 11-2 – and moves forward to face top seed Julian Illingworth, the record eight-time US national champion.
“Made it a tough game today in Sudbury for myself,” said the Cape Town-born 30-year-old later on Twitter. “Glad to get through US num1 2mro – gota be stronger, faster.”
In the shortest match of the day, England’s third seed Chris Simpson progressed to the next round after fellow countryman Jaymie Haycocks retired with an ankle injury after just 13 minutes and seven points.
An Englishman also survived the longest: Unseeded Charles Sharpes battled for 72 minutes to overcome experienced Australian qualifier Scott Arnold 7-11, 11-7, 11-7, 10-12, 11-9.
“Won a tight 3-2 against Scott Arnold tonight,” tweeted the 20-year-old from Surrey later. “Really happy to get through and looking forward to the quarter finals tomorrow.”
Sharpes will take on second seed Shahier Razik after the defending champion from Toronto beat wild card Michael McCue 11-5, 11-3, 11-6.
Quarter-final line-up:
[1] Julian Illingworth (USA) v [Q] Clinton Leeuw (RSA)
[3] Chris Simpson (ENG) v Peter Creed (WAL)
[4] Shawn Delierre (CAN) v [Q] Ben Coleman (ENG)
[2] Shahier Razik (CAN) v Charles Sharpes (ENG)
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