German giant-killer beats Eddie Charlton to win Nash Cup
By Squash Mad Correspondent
German giant-killer Jens Schoor scored his third upset in four days at The NASH Cup 2014 – presented by the Roberts Nash Advisory Group in Canada when he beat England’s No.4 seed Eddie Charlton to win the biggest PSA World Tour title of his career at the PSA Challenger 15 squash event at London Squash & Fitness in London, Ontario.
The unseeded 27-year-old from Koblenz made his breakthrough in the opening round when he despatched sixth-seeded Englishman Charles Sharpes.
Schoor’s next higher-ranked victim was second seed Karim Ali Fathi. The German underdog, ranked 87 in the world, ousted the in-form World No.46 from Egypt in five games to reach the 10th Tour final of his career.
But Charlton, the World No.55 from Nottingham, also recorded an impressive upset in the semi-finals – overcoming Joe Lee when his top-seeded compatriot retired injured midway through the fourth game. The upset took 26-year-old Charlton into his 14th Tour final.
Sure-footed Schoor was unstoppable in the final – needing just three games to see off Charlton 11-5, 11-4, 11-5 in 37 minutes to claim the eighth Tour title of his career, but his biggest by far.
Schoor attributed his success to his Ontario hosts: “My billets hand-washed my shorts today because of my superstition of playing in the same clothing as last night when I had that great win over Karim,” said the event’s first German champion. “So, I guess I owe my win to my billets!”
Charlton conceded: “Jens played the better squash today and deserved the win.”
PSA Challenger 15 NASH Cup, London, Ontario, Canada:
1st round:
[1] Joe Lee (ENG) bt Lewis Walters (ENG) 11-8, 11-8, 8-11, 11-3 (53m)
[7] Peter Creed (WAL) bt [Q] George Parker (ENG) 8-11, 11-3, 6-11, 11-5, 11-5 (46m)
[5] Raphael Kandra (GER) bt [Q] Nicholas Sachvie (CAN) 11-0, 11-4, 7-11, 11-6 (38m)
[4] Eddie Charlton (GBR) bt [Q] James van Staveren (CAN) 11-7, 11-4, 11-7 (35m)
[LL] Sunil Seth (GUY) bt [WC] Albert Shoihet (CAN) 8-11, 11-4, 10-12, 11-4, 11-8 (63m)
Jens Schoor (GER) bt [6] Charles Sharpes (ENG) 5-11, 13-11, 11-7, 11-9 (58m)
[8] Declan James (ENG) bt [Q] Jan van den Herrewegen (BEL) 11-8, 11-6, 13-11 (37m)
[2] Karim Ali Fathi (EGY) bt Dane Sharp (CAN) 11-6, 11-9, 11-8 (55m)
Quarter-finals:
[1] Joe Lee (ENG) bt [7] Peter Creed (WAL) 11-3, 9-11, 11-5, 11-7 (58m)
[4] Eddie Charlton (GBR) bt [5] Raphael Kandra (GER) 11-9, 11-1, 11-4 (40m)
Jens Schoor (GER) bt [LL] Sunil Seth (GUY) 11-7, 11-6, 11-6 (30m)
[2] Karim Ali Fathi (EGY) bt [8] Declan James (ENG) 11-6, 11-6, 11-8 (46m)
Semi-finals:
[4] Eddie Charlton (GBR) bt [1] Joe Lee (ENG) 11-8, 11-5, 3-11, 0-2 ret. (59m)
Jens Schoor (GER) bt [2] Karim Ali Fathi (EGY) 11-7, 6-11, 4-11, 11-8, 11-7 (58m)
Final:
Jens Schoor (GER) bt [4] Eddie Charlton (GBR) 11-5, 11-4, 11-5 (37m)