First win on home soil for rising English star Tom Ford as he beats Mark Fuller in Marlborough College Open final
By CHRIS FULLER – Squash Mad Correspondent
Rising English squash star Tom Ford celebrated his first PSA World Tour title on home soil when he beat fellow countryman Mark Fuller in the final of the Marlborough College Open, the inaugural PSA Challenger 5 event at Marlborough College in Marlborough in the English county of Wiltshire.
Ford, the 21-year-old top seed from Cheltenham, secured his anticipated place in the final without dropping a game.
His opponent was the event’s eighth seed, who made his breakthrough in the quarter-finals by taking out second seed Adam Murrills – a straight games win he followed by getting the better of fourth seed James Earles, another Englishman.
Ford led throughout the first game of the final, but Nottingham-based underdog Fuller came back strongly in the second to reach game-ball at 10-8. Fuller fought hard to move to ten-all before the rally of the tournament gave the favourite his own game-ball which he duly took to move 2/0 ahead.
Fuller refused to die down and won the third before Ford regrouped in the fourth – opening up a commanding lead before taking the title with his first championship ball.
The 11-7, 12-10, 7-11, 11-6 victory in 62 minutes marks the third PSA Tour title Ford’s career.
“I’m really pleased to have started the year with a win,” said the Worcester-born World No.81. “Even better to do it with my family and friends there to support me.”
RESULTS: PSA Challenger 5 Marlborough College Open, Marlborough, England
1st round:
[1] Tom Ford (ENG) bt Steven London (ENG)
11-4, 11-8, 11-3 (31m)
Rui Soares (POR) bt [6] Arthur Moineau (FRA)
11-4, 11-5, 11-7 (27m)
[Q] Ben Ford (ENG) bt [7] Reuben Phillips (ENG)
11-6, 13-11, 5-11, 11-8 (59m)
[3] Michael Harris (ENG) bt [Q] Julian Tomlinson (ENG)
11-9, 13-15, 11-2, 11-6 (47m)
[4] James Earles (ENG) bt [WC] Connor Sheen (ENG)
11-7, 11-3, 11-6 (30m)
[Q] Phil Nightingale (ENG) bt [5] Patrick Miescher (SUI)
11-9, 11-8, 14-12 (46m)
[8] Mark Fuller (ENG) bt [Q] Patrick Rooney (ENG)
11-7, 7-11, 12-10, 11-8 (51m)
[2] Adam Murrills (ENG) bt Micah Franklin (BER)
12-10, 11-7, 11-1 (36m)
Quarter-finals:
[1] Tom Ford (ENG) bt Rui Soares (POR)
11-6, 11-7, 12-10 (32m)
[3] Michael Harris (ENG) bt [Q] Ben Ford (ENG)
11-3, 3-0 ret.
[4] James Earles (ENG) bt [Q] Phil Nightingale (ENG)
11-9, 11-4, 11-9 (35m)
[8] Mark Fuller (ENG) bt [2] Adam Murrills (ENG)
11-6, 11-6, 11-9 (61m)
Semi-finals:
[1] Tom Ford (ENG) bt [3] Michael Harris (ENG)
11-6, 11-8, 11-5 (36m)
[8] Mark Fuller (ENG) bt [4] James Earles (ENG)
11-8, 8-11, 11-7, 11-4 (65m)
Final:
[1] Tom Ford (ENG) bt [8] Mark Fuller (ENG)
11-7, 12-10, 7-11, 11-6 (62m)
Picture courtesy of PSA