German ace delivers PSA title at the third time of asking
By Squash Mad Reporter
After finishing as runner-up in two PSA World Tour finals earlier in the year, it was third time lucky for Raphael Kandra at the Gibraltar Open when the German won the PSA Challenger 5 title after beating Ireland’s Arthur Gaskin at The Squash Centre in Gibraltar.
Top seed Kandra, the German number two, reached the 12th Tour final of his career without conceding a game, beating England’s No.4 seed Robert Downer in the semi-finals.
Second seed Gaskin, the reigning Irish champion from Dublin, notched up the seventh final appearance of his career when he recovered from a game down to see off third-seeded Englishman Richie Fallows in the other semi.
But Kandra (picturedabove, extreme right, with Gaskin) was in command in the final. The 23-year-old World No.59 from Essen survived an opening game tie-break to overcome Gaskin 13-11, 11-4, 11-4 in 40 minutes.
The win marks the fifth Tour title of Kandra’s career.
RESULTS: PSA Challenger 5 Gibraltar Open, Gibraltar
1st round:
[1] Raphael Kandra (GER) bt [Q] David Wardle (ENG) 11-7, 11-6, 11-3 (38m)
Rui Soares (POR) bt [7] Anthony Brindle (GIB) 11-4, 11-8, 10-12, 11-8 (52m)
Martin Svec (CZE) bt [8] Claudio Pinto (POR) 11-6, 11-3, 11-4 (44m)
[4] Robert Downer (ENG) bt [Q] Joel Makin (WAL) 6-11, 9-11, 11-7, 11-5, 11-5 (98m)
[3] Richie Fallows (ENG) bt Jakob Dirnberger (AUT) 14-12, 11-9, 12-10 (41m)
[5] Jan van den Herrewegen (BEL) bt Phillip Bull (ENG) 11-3, 11-6, 11-4 (27m)
[Q] Roman Svec (CZE) bt [6] Jonathan Geekie (SCO) 11-9, 3-11, 8-11, 11-3, 11-2 (60m)
[2] Arthur Gaskin (IRL) bt [Q] Joshua Masters (ENG) 11-7, 11-5, 11-8 (37m)
Quarter-finals:
[1] Raphael Kandra (GER) bt Rui Soares (POR) 11-2, 11-3, 11-4 (24m)
[4] Robert Downer (ENG) bt Martin Svec (CZE) 11-6, 11-1, 11-5 (30m)
[3] Richie Fallows (ENG) bt [5] Jan van den Herrewegen (BEL) 14-12, 11-1, 6-11, 12-10 (54m)
[2] Arthur Gaskin (IRL) bt [Q] Roman Svec (CZE) 11-4, 12-10, 11-6 (54m)
Semi-finals:
[1] Raphael Kandra (GER) bt [4] Robert Downer (ENG) 11-6, 11-6, 11-6 (42m)
[2] Arthur Gaskin (IRL) bt [3] Richie Fallows (ENG) 10-12, 11-8, 11-8, 11-1 (67m)
Final:
[1] Raphael Kandra (GER) bt [2] Arthur Gaskin (IRL) 13-11, 11-4, 11-4 (40m)