PSA: Kandra claims NSW title

Kandra Crowned NSW Open Champion

2 August 2011

RESULTS: PSA Challenger 5 New South Wales Open, Sydney, Australia

1st round:
[2] Rex Hedrick (AUS) bt [Q] Norman Junge (GER) 11-2, 11-13, 15-13, 11-9 (82m)
Joseph Watts (NZL) bt Ben Takamizawa Harris (JPN) 11-7, 8-11, 11-8, 5-11, 11-8 (43m)
Paul Coll (NZL) bt James Skiffington (NZL) 11-4, 11-9, 11-7 (25m)
Rory Pennell (ENG) bt [6] Josh Cardwell (AUS) 11-13, 11-9, 11-9, 11-6 (68m)
[8] Raphael Kandra (GER) bt Sunil Seth (AUS) 11-7, 11-9, 11-5 (19m)
Owais Khan (PAK) bt [Q] Joshua Southwell-Nobbs (AUS) 11-9, 11-7, 11-2 (23m)
Kevin Moran (SCO) bt Jonas Daehler (SUI) 11-8, 11-8, 11-6 (26m)
[3] Lewis Walters (ENG) bt [Q] Alex Phillips (ENG) 6-11, 11-1, 8-11, 11-6, 11-5 (43m)
[4] Justin Beard (AUS) bt Courtney West (AUS) 11-5, 11-7, 11-7 (25m)
[Q] Tsukue Shinnosuke (JPN) bt [Q] Jason Pike (ENG) 11-5, 11-7, 11-5 (25m)
Roman Svec (CZE) bt [Q] Bryce Redman (NZL) 11-8, 11-5, 11-9 (33m)
[5] Aqeel Rehman (AUT) bt Ondrej Ertl (CZE) 15-13, 11-5, 11-6 (42m)
Lukas Burkhart (SUI) bt [7] Jamie Mcervale (AUS) 11-6, 11-8, 4-11, 11-8 (46m)
[Q] Evan Williams (NZL) bt Chris Lloyd (NZL) 11-8, 11-7, 11-5 (20m)
[Q] Lance Beddoes (NZL) bt Luke Sims (AUS) 13-15, 5-11, 11-7, 11-6, 12-10 (55m)
[1] Scott Arnold (AUS) bt Chris Ferguson (SCO) 11-9, 10-12, 13-11, 11-6 (41m)
2nd round:
[2] Rex Hedrick (AUS) bt Joseph Watts (NZL) 11-3, 11-2, 11-5 (23m)
Paul Coll (NZL) bt Rory Pennell (ENG) 12-10, 11-1, 11-5 (26m)
[8] Raphael Kandra (GER) bt Owais Khan (PAK) 11-3, 11-13, 8-11, 11-2, 11-7 (42m)
[3] Lewis Walters (ENG) bt Kevin Moran (SCO) 8-11, 11-8, 11-4, 14-12 (52m)
[Q] Tsukue Shinnosuke (JPN) bt [4] Justin Beard (AUS) 11-5, 11-7, 11-6 (24m)
[5] Aqeel Rehman (AUT) bt Roman Svec (CZE) 11-7, 11-9, 8-11, 11-8 (46m)
[Q] Evan Williams (NZL) bt Lukas Burkhart (SUI) 11-8, 11-2, 11-1 (22m)
[1] Scott Arnold (AUS) bt [Q] Lance Beddoes (NZL) 11-6, 11-6, 11-9 (23m)
Quarter-finals:
[2] Rex Hedrick (AUS) bt Paul Coll (NZL) 11-7, 8-11, 13-11, 11-6 (49m)
[8] Raphael Kandra (GER) bt [3] Lewis Walters (ENG) 11-9, 12-10, 11-6 (42m)
[5] Aqeel Rehman (AUT) bt [Q] Tsukue Shinnosuke (JPN) 11-7, 11-5, 7-11, 11-3 (53m)
[1] Scott Arnold (AUS) bt [Q] Evan Williams (NZL) 11-5, 17-15, 11-2 (41m)
Semi-finals:
[8] Raphael Kandra (GER) bt [2] Rex Hedrick (AUS) 11-6, 7-11, 9-11, 11-4, 11-5 (80m)
[5] Aqeel Rehman (AUT) bt [1] Scott Arnold (AUS) 8-11, 14-12, 11-5, 11-6 (47m)
Final:
[8] Raphael Kandra (GER) bt [5] Aqeel Rehman (AUT) 6-11, 13-11, 11-9, 8-11, 11-9 (62m)

Germany’s Raphael Kandra celebrated title success in the New South Wales Open after beating Aqeel Rehman in a shock all-European final of the PSA World Tour Challenger 5 squash event at Willoughby Squash Centre in Sydney, Australia.

It was after beating England’s third seed Lewis Walters in the quarter-finals that Kandra, the No8 seed, produced a major upset by ousting second-seeded Australian Rex Hedrick in a five-game semi-final marathon.

And in the other semi, Austrian Rehman denied the hosts the predicted all-Australian final when he despatched Sydney-born favourite Scott Arnold.

But Kandra, celebrating his second unexpected Tour final appearance in Australia in a row, was now on a roll.

After dropping the first game, the 20-year-old from Erlangen battled for 62 minutes to overcome fifth seed Rehman – winning 6-11, 13-11, 11-9, 8-11, 11-9 to claim the first PSA World Tour title of his career.