Pett puts out Bengy and Delierre Downs Razik in Chicago shakers
10 February 2012
RESULTS: PSA International 25 METROsquash Windy City Open, Chicago, USA
1st round:
[1] Saurav Ghosal (IND) bt Cesar Salazar (MEX) 6-11, 8-11, 11-2, 11-6, 11-6 (76m)
[Q] Olivier Pett (ENG) bt Ong Beng Hee (MAS) 11-8, 11-6, 11-7 (39m) Ryan Cuskelly (AUS) bt [Q] Christopher Gordon (USA) 11-6, 11-7, 11-8 (37m)
[4] Alan Clyne (SCO) bt [Q] Matthew Karwalski (AUS) 11-13, 11-4, 13-11, 11-6 (52m)
[3] Mohd Ali Anwar Reda (EGY) bt Shahjahan Khan (PAK) 11-9, 11-3, 12-10 (34m) Arturo Salazar (MEX) bt Martin Knight (NZL) 6-11, 11-9, 11-3, 11-4 (44m)
[Q] Yasir Butt (PAK) bt Marwan El Shorbagy (EGY) 11-9, 11-9, 5-11, 11-5 (42m) Shawn Delierre (CAN) bt [2] Shahier Razik (CAN) 7-11, 11-8, 11-8, 11-7 (93m)
Shawn Delierre overcame second seed and fellow Canadian Shahier Razik in a 93-minute marathon to record the biggest upset on the opening day of the METROsquash Windy City Open, the PSA World Tour International 25squash event at the University Club of Chicago in Chicago, USA.
In the longest match of the day, the world No56 recovered from a game down to topple Torontonian Razik, ranked 24 places higher, 7-11, 11-8, 11-8, 11-7.
The 29-year-old from Montreal will now face Yasir Butt after the Pakistan qualifier sprung a surprise by beating fast-rising Egyptian Marwan El Shorbagy 11-9, 11-9, 5-11, 11-5 in a fast attacking game.
Olivier Pett, the Englishman who progressed through the 2011 event to win the title as a qualifier, has continued his Chicago form this week.
The 23-year-old from Sussex again had to battle through the qualifiers – then faced higher-ranked Ong Beng Hee, the rejuvenated Malaysian who last month won the Motor City Open in Detroit.
Pett pulled out all the stops and put Beng Hee away, winning 11-8, 11-6, 11-7 in 39 minutes to secure a place in the last eight.
Another upset seemed on the cards when unseeded Mexican Cesar Salazar took a two-game lead over top seed Saurav Ghosal in a bid to join his twin brother Arturo Salazar in the quarter-finals.
But Indian star Ghosal, the world No27 from Kolkata, reclaimed the advantage to close out the match 6-11, 8-11, 11-2, 11-6, 11-6 after 76 minutes.
“Won 3-2 after being 2-0 down!!! Really glad to win that match,” tweeted the UK-based 25-year-old. “Hopefully body will recover for my match tomorrow!”
Quarter-final line-up:
[1] Saurav Ghosal (IND) v [Q] Olivier Pett (ENG)
[4] Alan Clyne (SCO) v Ryan Cuskelly (AUS)
[3] Mohd Ali Anwar Reda (EGY) v Arturo Salazar (MEX) Shawn Delierre (CAN) v [Q] Yasir Butt (PAK)
