Canadian number one ascends to Asuncion title by beating Shoukry
By Squash Mad Reporter
Canadian number one Shawn Delierre claimed the 13th PSA World Tour squash title of his career when he upset top seed Andrew Wagih Shoukry in the final of the Tour de las Americas Paraguay Open, the PSA Challenger 10 event celebrating its sixth successive year at Club Internacional de Tenis in the Paraguay capital Asuncion.
Remarkably, the 32-year-old from Montreal reached his 20th Tour final without facing any seeds – in the semi-finals battling for 77 minutes to overcome experienced Robertino Pezzota, a qualifier from Argentina.
Shoukry, a 23-year-old ranked 70 in the world, overcame a notable hurdle in the quarter-finals – 17-year-old Peruvian qualifier Diego Elias to whom he had lost a week earlier in the Regatas Resistencia Open in Argentina.
“Wagih dictated the pace in the final up to 10-8 when Shawn had to save two game balls to then take it on the tie break,” explained tournament promoter Esteban Casarino.
“In the second, from 4-1 up, Delierre lost concentration and tried to refocus, playing long rallies, but the lack of aggressiveness gave the control to Wagih – who closed it out 11-6.
“The last two games had a similar pattern – long rallies, many lets, and really well-fought squash. It was definitely mental and again, as in the semis, the experience from the older player paved his way to the title.”
After his 12-10, 6-11, 11-5, 11-9 triumph in 90 minutes, second seed Delierre said: “Another hard fought mental battle tonight. A well-rested Andrew came out and was firing his talent. All I could do was relay on good basic squash, something I’m not familiar with!
“I know when he starts playing this way, I want to join him. So I just kept the ball in play just long enough for an error to happen.
“I won 3/1 tonight, but three out of the four games were won in hell – is that possible?
“I am very grateful to win and feel at my best again! Thank you to Esteban for a great tournament!”
Shoukry added: “I’m very happy that I played the final after having hard matches all week. It was a great final and it took almost two hours for four games, so I wasn’t easy to beat today!
“Shawn is a very good player, he was top 40. It was a very mental battle, tough also physically.
“I would like to thank the sponsors and the crowd, it kept increasing every day so to play in the final after losing in the second round in Resistencia – especially in front of these people – make me very happy.
PSA Challenger 10 Tour de las Americas Paraguay Open, Asuncion, Paraguay
1st round:
[1] Andrew Wagih Shoukry (EGY) bt [Q] Josue Enriquez (GUA) 11-5, 11-8, 11-5 (33m)
[Q] Diego Elias (PER) bt [8] Robert Downer (ENG) 11-9, 11-4, 11-7 (34m)
[7] Matthew Serediak (CAN) bt Jonas Daehler (SUI) 12-10, 11-2, 11-5 (36m)
[4] Lewis Walters (ENG) bt Micah Franklin (BER) 11-5, 11-1 ret. (22m)
[3] Gonzalo Miranda (ARG) bt [WC] Nicolas Caballero (PAR) 11-6, 11-5, 11-3 (29m)
[Q] Robertino Pezzota (ARG) bt [6] Michael McCue (CAN) 5-11, 11-5, 11-5, 11-9 (69m)
[Q] Leandro Romiglio (ARG) bt [5] Alex Ingham (ENG) 11-2, 11-7, 11-9 (44m)
[2] Shawn Delierre (CAN) bt Hernan D’Arcangelo (ARG) 11-8, 11-5, 11-9 (56m)
Quarter-finals:
[1] Andrew Wagih Shoukry (EGY) bt [Q] Diego Elias (PER) 9-11, 11-3, 11-1, 11-4 (65m)
[4] Lewis Walters (ENG) bt [7] Matthew Serediak (CAN) 11-6, 2-11, 11-7, 11-4 (57m)
[Q] Robertino Pezzota (ARG) bt [3] Gonzalo Miranda (ARG) 12-10, 13-11, 2-11, 11-9 (75m)
[2] Shawn Delierre (CAN) bt [Q] Leandro Romiglio (ARG) 6-11, 11-1, 11-5, 11-7 (47m)
Semi-finals:
[1] Andrew Wagih Shoukry (EGY) bt [4] Lewis Walters (ENG) 11-4, 11-7, 11-9 (46m)
[2] Shawn Delierre (CAN) bt [Q] Robertino Pezzota (ARG) 11-9, 11-5, 13-11 (77m)
Final:
[2] Shawn Delierre (CAN) bt [1] Andrew Wagih Shoukry (EGY) 12-10, 6-11, 11-5, 11-9 (90m)
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Picture courtesy of PSA World Tour