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PSA: Illingworth wins in Salt Lake City

Illingworth Scores Salt Lake City Success

31 July 2011

RESULTS: PSA Challenger 10 Squashworks Salt Lake City Open, Salt Lake City, USA

Final:
[1] Julian Illingworth (USA) bt [2] Shawn Delierre (CAN) 11-9, 10-12, 11-3, 11-9 (65m)

New Yorker Julian Illingworth provide home success in the Squashworks Salt Lake City Open when he beat Canadian rival Shawn Delierre in the final of the PSA World Tour Challenger 10 event at Squashworks in Salt Lake City, USA.

Top seed Illingworth, winner of a record seven US national titles, reached the final without dropping a game – but, after taking the opener, dropped the second as the 29-year-old second seed from Montreal drew level.

A survivor of two successive hour-and-a-half-plus marathon matches, Delierre could be excused for the tiredness that crept into the third game as world No32 Illingworth reclaimed the lead for the loss of just three points.

And the Portland-born 27-year-old went on to extend his lead in the fourth before claiming his title-winning 11-9, 10-12, 11-3, 11-9 triumph after 65 minutes.

The win marks the fifth PSA World Tour title of Illingworth’s career – and his fourth on home soil.

Semi-finals:
[1] Julian Illingworth (USA) bt [Q] Declan James (ENG) 11-4, 11-5, 11-7 (40m)
[2] Shawn Delierre (CAN) bt Erik Tepos Valtierra (MEX) 11-5, 8-11, 11-4, 7-11, 11-9 (105m)

US champion Julian Illingworth stormed into the final of the Squashworks Salt Lake City Open after ending the brave run of English qualifier Declan James in the PSA World Tour Challenger 10 event at Squashworks in Salt Lake City, USA.

Illingworth, winner of a record seven US national titles, reached the semi-finals without dropping a game – and maintained his form against James, defeating the 18-year-old from Nottingham 11-4, 11-5, 11-7.

Now in his third PSA World Tour final of the year – and the 15th of his career – top seed Illingworth, 27, from New York, will face North American rival Shawn Delierre, the No2 seed from Canada.

After surviving a 95-minute quarter-final, Delierre faced unseeded Mexican Erik Tepos Valtierra. (Contrary to reports originally provided by the Salt Lake City event organisers, Valtierra upset third-seeded American Christopher Gordon to reach the last four.

And in yet another marathon encounter in the 29-year-old from Montreal’s career, Delierre overcame the Mexican 11-5, 8-11, 11-4, 7-11, 11-9 in 105 minutes to reach the 13th Tour final of his career, but his first this year.

Quarter-finals:
[1] Julian Illingworth (USA) bt David Letourneau (CAN) 11-3, 11-6, 11-6 (40m)
[Q] Declan James (ENG) bt Matthew Serediak (CAN) 11-7, 11-6, 12-10 (31m)
[3] Christopher Gordon (USA) bt Erik Tepos Valtierra (MEX) 11-8, 3-11, 11-6, 5-11, 11-9 (90m)
[2] Shawn Delierre (CAN) bt Alfredo Avila (MEX) 11-9, 7-11, 11-9, 11-7 (95m)

English teenager Declan James continued his impressive run in the Squashworks Salt Lake City Open when he reached the semi-finals of the PSA World Tour Challenger 10 event at Squashworks in Salt Lake City, USA.

The 18-year-old qualifier from Nottingham, who knocked out fourth seed Andrew McDougall in the first round, went on to defeat a further Canadian in the quarter-finals.

His 11-7, 11-6, 12-10 victory over Matthew Serediak, a 27-year-old from Toronto, takes James to a clash with Julian Illingworth.

Top seed Illingworth, the record seven-time US champion, leads home hopes in the championship – and despatched Canada’sDavid Letourneau 11-3, 11-6, 11-6 to make the last four.

It was marathon day in the other half of the draw where it took more than three hours to decide the second semi-final line-up.

Third seed Christopher Gordon, the US number three from New York, battled for 90 minutes to overcome Mexican Erik Tepos Valtierra, winning 11-8, 3-11, 11-6, 5-11, 11-9.

But second-seeded Canadian Shawn Delierre took 95 minutes to get the better of his opponent, also a Mexican.

In only four games, the 29-year-old from Montreal beat unseeded Avila, ranked almost 40 places lower in the world, 11-9, 7-11, 11-9, 11-7.

Semi-final line-up:
[1] Julian Illingworth (USA) v [Q] Declan James (ENG)
[2] Shawn Delierre (CAN) v [3] Christopher Gordon (USA)

1st round:
[1] Julian Illingworth (USA) bt [Q] Armando Olguin (MEX) 11-4, 11-3, 11-5 (30m)
David Letourneau (CAN) bt Lucas Serme (FRA) 11-3, 11-7, 11-5 (40m)
Matthew Serediak (CAN) bt Adrian Dudzicki (CAN) 7-11, 11-7, 11-5, 11-9 (45m)
[Q] Declan James (ENG) bt [4] Andrew McDougall (CAN) 7-11, 11-7, 11-7, 11-4 (65m)
[3] Christopher Gordon (USA) bt [Q] Cameron Stafford (CAY) 11-7, 11-6, 11-5
Erik Tepos Valtierra (MEX) bt Wade Johnstone (AUS) 11-6, 11-5, 11-3 (35m)
Alfredo Avila (MEX) bt [Q] Lyall Paterson (SCO) 6-11, 8-11, 11-8, 11-5, 11-7 (75m)
[2] Shawn Delierre (CAN) bt Fernando Lopez (MEX) 11-3, 11-6, 11-7 (39m)

English teenager Declan James reached more than 200 places above him in the PSA world squash rankings to overcome fourth seed Andrew McDougall in the first round of the Squashworks Salt Lake City Open, the PSA World Tour Challenger 10 event at Squashworks in Salt Lake City, USA.

It was after despatching two opponents to survive the qualifying competition that James, an 18-year-old from Nottingham ranked outside the world top 300, recovered from a game down to beat Canadian McDougall 7-11, 11-7, 11-7, 11-4 in 65 minutes.

Another Canadian now stands in James’s way of reaching the semi-finals. Matthew Serediak, a 27-year-old from Toronto, beat fellow countryman Adrian Dudzicki 7-11, 11-7, 11-5, 11-9.

Top seed Julian Illingworth single-handedly carries home hopes in the event which is back on the PSA calendar after six years. The record seven-time US champion beat Mexican qualifier Armando Olguin 11-4, 11-3, 11-5 – and will now take on Canadian David Letourneau for a place in the last four.

In a match described by tournament organiser Craig Bennett as the “match of the first round”, Scottish qualifier Lyall Paterson led Alfredo Avila 2/0 and 8-6 in the third game, but was unable to extend his lead as the Mexican – ranked almost 200 places above – battled back to win 6-11, 8-11, 11-8, 11-5, 11-7 in 75 minutes.

 

 

 

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