Graham Ryding
made up for the absence of
compatriot Jonathon Power, the defending champion who announced his
surprise retirement from the game on the eve of the event, by claiming an
unexpected Canadian place in the second round of the Virtual Spectator
Bermuda PSA Masters when he upset 13th seed Olli Tuominen
on the opening day's play in the PSA Super Series Platinum event
presented by Logic and hosted by Endurance.
Ryding, the 30-year-old world
No19 from Toronto beat the higher-ranked Finn 11-6, 8-11, 11-10 (2-0), 11-6
in 51 minutes to set up a second round meeting with fifth seed James
Willstrop. The Englishman put paid to an all-Canadian clash by beating
Torontonian Shahier Razik 11-6, 9-11, 11-6, 11-8.
"I’m very pleased to win
because Shahier is very dangerous on a bouncy court like that one," said
Willstrop of the match played, not on the all-glass court in the City of
Hamilton, but on one of the Bermuda Squash Rackets Association's conventional
plaster courts in the Parish of Devonshire. "The court doesn’t suit my game
and I’m happy to have it over and done with.”
Scotland’s
John White
had barely stepped off the
tarmac at Bermuda’s International Airport after a long journey from New
Zealand, before stepping on court against the ever-improving young Egyptian
Mohammed Abbas, who displayed both his deft touch and foot speed
around the court. White, the ninth seed, fell 2/1 down before finally
hitting his stride, racing through the final two games to record an 11-7,
8-11, 10-11 (1-3), 11-1, 11-9 victory in 72 minutes.
World Open Champion Amr
Shabana, the top seed from Egypt, played imperiously during his encounter
with England’s Joey Barrington, cruising to a comfortable 11-5, 11-6,
11-6 win - as did Stewart Boswell of Australia with an almost
identical 11-6, 11-5, 11-6 win against England’s Bradley Ball.
It was not the best of days
for England’s young players, as
Adrian Grant
lost 11-3, 11-10 (3-1), 11-6
to France's former World Open champion Thierry Lincou.
But last-minute replacement
Mark Chaloner, the world No36 from England, put up a spirited fight
against in-form ninth seed Nick Matthew, taking the first game in a
tie-break after fellow Englishman Matthew had game ball at 10-9.
It looked to be all over when
Matthew took the next two games, before Chaloner staged another great
recovery from 9-7 down in the fourth to serve for the game at 11-10. One
unfortunate unforced shot in the tin gave the impetus back to Matthew who
played two immaculate drop nicks in the front left corner and it was game
over 10-11 (0-2), 11-2, 11-6, 11-10 (3-1) in 58 minutes.
1st round:
[1] Amr Shabana (EGY) bt
Joey Barrington (ENG) 11-5, 11-6, 11-6 (33m)
[9] John White (SCO) bt
Mohammed Abbas (EGY) 11-7, 8-11, 10-11 (1-3), 11-1, 11-9
[5] James Willstrop (ENG)
bt Shahier Razik (CAN) 11-6, 9-11, 11-6, 11-8 (61m)
Graham Ryding (CAN) bt
[13] Olli Tuominen (FIN) 11-6, 8-11, 11-10 (2-0), 11-6 (51m)
[4] Thierry Lincou (FRA)
bt Adrian Grant (ENG) 11-3, 11-10 (3-1), 11-6 (55m)
[15] Stewart Boswell (AUS)
bt Bradley Ball (ENG) 11-6, 11-5, 11-6 (17m)
[8] Nick Matthew (ENG) bt
Mark Chaloner (ENG) 10-11 (0-2), 11-2, 11-6, 11-10 (3-1) (58m)
[12] Mohd Azlan Iskandar
(MAS) bt Peter Barker (ENG) 10-11 (1-3), 11-7, 11-3, 11-8 (64m)
|
Issued on
behalf of: PSA
