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Karim conquers

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25-Apr-2010 13:45, NIKON CORPORATION NIKON D3, 3.2, 66.0mm, 0.005 sec, ISO 3200

 

The 18 year old Egyptian wunderkind, Karim Abdel Gawad prevailed after four games 1-11, 11-9, 12-10, 11-8 in 65 minutes against stiff opposition from Englishman Tom Pashley to emerge victorious as the 2010 Rochester ProAm Champion. Another travel casualty of the volcanic ash mess last week after his flight from Cairo via Germany was cancelled, the Egyptian teenager eventually made the long trip to Rochester via a direct Cairo-NYC flight followed by a 7 hour bus ride from NYC to Rochester reaching in the wee hours of the morning last Tuesday. With barely a day and a half to recover from travel fatigue and jetlag, Abdel Gawad played some tough matches throughout the tournament including two 5 set matches, one against qualifier Oliver Pett in the first round that lasted 111 minutes! This is his 4th PSA title since he joined the tour in 2008.

Local TV coverage on YNN Channel 9.

Match recap by Thomson Chew:
Game 1: Tom Pashley controls the game with steady rails and cross courts. He produces few errors while Karim appears lethargic and hits several unforced errors to give Tom a commanding lead and the game 11 – 1.

Game 2: A new strategy appears from Karim in game two. He stays patient and hammers tight forehand rails and directs soft drop shots at the crucial time to win the points. Both players are working hard with several multi-minute points exchanged. Karim’s tenacity begins to wear down Tom who is struggling now to stay on offense. The game is at 2 – 10 in favor of Karim. Instead of giving up Tom hustles to regain the match with several winners and a few unforced errors from Karim helping him to reach 9 – 10. On the next point Karim closes the game with one of his front right wall volley drop shot that Tom cannot reach in time. Karim wins 11 – 9.

(Video by Paul Schwartz)

Game 3: Both players come out running with points getting exchanged back and forth to 5 – 5. Tom pulls ahead on the next two points due to his tough shot placements that forced Karim to tin twice. The game turns again to Karim’s favor after a very long point that pushed both players around the four corners before Karim wins it. A stroke given to Tom equals the score at 9 – 9. Another long point ensues, but Tom fails to capitalize on a potential winner by driving his low cross court into the top of the tin. He wins the next point and at 10 – 10 the game continues with two great rallies. Tom cannot pull it out and loses 10 – 12.

Game 4: Karim starts off aggressively and gains a 4 – 0 lead before Tom settles down to control the play. He gets to 5 – 5 but hits a tin to give Karim the lead again. Both players work hard for their points and appear to be on course for another score like game 3. Karim continues to mix his hard low drives along the rails with either a boast or delicate drop shot to the front corners. This continues to force Tom to cover the long diagonals and subsequently, he is stretching far and trying to recover in time for Karim’s replies. The score is 10 – 8 for Karim. The match point begins with both players pushing the ball around the court. Tom places a drop shot to the front left corner and hedges his position for a counter drop. Karim decides to hit a wide cross court that gets beyond a diving Tom for the winner. Karim wins 11 – 8 and the match 3 games to 1.

Both players put on a great match and a fantastic tournament. The local squash fans received a week of entertaining squash from all the pros. We wish them good luck in their upcoming tournaments and welcome them back to Rochester anytime.

Photos by Paul Schwartz.
Photos from Pro final and Awards Presentation:

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25-Apr-2010 12:19, NIKON CORPORATION NIKON D3, 2.8, 32.0mm, 0.001 sec, ISO 3200

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25-Apr-2010 12:20, NIKON CORPORATION NIKON D3, 2.8, 26.0mm, 0.001 sec, ISO 3200

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25-Apr-2010 12:42, NIKON CORPORATION NIKON D3, 2.8, 36.0mm, 0.001 sec, ISO 3200

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25-Apr-2010 12:44, NIKON CORPORATION NIKON D3, 2.8, 26.0mm, 0.001 sec, ISO 3200

 

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25-Apr-2010 12:57, NIKON CORPORATION NIKON D3, 2.8, 24.0mm, 0.002 sec, ISO 3200

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25-Apr-2010 12:14, NIKON CORPORATION NIKON D3, 2.8, 70.0mm, 0.002 sec, ISO 3200

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25-Apr-2010 13:18, NIKON CORPORATION NIKON D3, 2.8, 35.0mm, 0.001 sec, ISO 3200

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25-Apr-2010 13:20, NIKON CORPORATION NIKON D3, 2.8, 70.0mm, 0.001 sec, ISO 3200

 

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25-Apr-2010 13:34, NIKON CORPORATION NIKON D3, 3.2, 48.0mm, 0.004 sec, ISO 3200

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25-Apr-2010 13:36, NIKON CORPORATION NIKON D3, 3.2, 52.0mm, 0.004 sec, ISO 3200

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25-Apr-2010 13:45, NIKON CORPORATION NIKON D3, 3.2, 66.0mm, 0.005 sec, ISO 3200

 

Photos from Amateur finals:
5.0 Main Draw: Edwin Goncharuk bt. Chris Fennell
5.0 Consolation: Alex Green bt. Thomson Chew
4.0 Main Draw: Tyler Kurlas bt. Michael Haben
4.0 Consolation: Brent Dubeshter bt. Austin Gilbert
3.0 Final: Chris Fenlon bt. Rick Sweeting

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25-Apr-2010 11:45, NIKON CORPORATION NIKON D3, 2.8, 70.0mm, 0.001 sec, ISO 3200

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25-Apr-2010 11:28, NIKON CORPORATION NIKON D3, 2.8, 32.0mm, 0.001 sec, ISO 3200

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25-Apr-2010 11:32, NIKON CORPORATION NIKON D3, 2.8, 31.0mm, 0.001 sec, ISO 3200

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25-Apr-2010 11:32, NIKON CORPORATION NIKON D3, 2.8, 29.0mm, 0.001 sec, ISO 3200

 
Posted in 2010

Semifinals

The stage is set for an England vs Egypt final at the 2010 Rochester ProAm.
#7 seed Tom Pashley continued his strong run by upsetting top seed Cesar Salazar in a keenly contested semifinal with both players displaying some scintillating squash and athleticism.
The second semifinal saw 18 year old Egyptian wunderkind Karim Abdel Gawad reverse his previous loss to Englishman James Snell in the 2009 Japan Open final with a 3-1 victory.

Match reports by Eric Hernady, photos by Paul Schwartz::


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24-Apr-2010 18:25, NIKON CORPORATION NIKON D3, 2.8, 24.0mm, 0.002 sec, ISO 3200

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24-Apr-2010 19:00, NIKON CORPORATION NIKON D3, 2.8, 62.0mm, 0.002 sec, ISO 3200

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24-Apr-2010 20:35, NIKON CORPORATION NIKON D3, 2.8, 32.0mm, 0.001 sec, ISO 3200

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24-Apr-2010 18:37, NIKON CORPORATION NIKON D3, 2.8, 34.0mm, 0.002 sec, ISO 3200

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24-Apr-2010 18:23, NIKON CORPORATION NIKON D3, 2.8, 32.0mm, 0.002 sec, ISO 3200

 

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24-Apr-2010 19:56, NIKON CORPORATION NIKON D3, 2.8, 48.0mm, 0.002 sec, ISO 3200

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24-Apr-2010 20:35, NIKON CORPORATION NIKON D3, 2.8, 32.0mm, 0.001 sec, ISO 3200

 

Tom Pashley bt. Cesar Salazar 11-9, 13-11, 5-11, 2-11, 11-6 (91m)

The first semifinal pitted Cesar Salazar (Mex) versus Tom Pashley (Eng). Both players are young, up-and-coming professionals, who put all their skills on display in the first game. Each moved fluidly and effortlessly around the court demonstrating calm and poise throughout the rallies. Each player built on their tight, deep length, with Pashley using his soft hands to volley to all corners of the court. Salazar countered with excellent court coverage. No player had more than a 2 point lead throughout the game, which saw Pashley apply just enough pressure at 9-all to win the game at 11-9.

The second game saw more of the quick footwork, varied tempos and beautiful clearing by each player. Pashley worked his way out to an 8-4 lead only to see Salazar steady his game. Salazar found his length volleyed more and added pressure to the front right to get Pashley out or position more than once. Pashley again stepped forward to volley to all corners of the court and created attacking opportunities. At 10-8, game ball, Salazar again fought back to earn a game ball of his own with slow, deep rallies causing Pashley to attempt some attacks that just hit the tin. Pashley played with continued confidence and forced two errors to squeak by with a 13-11 win.

The third saw more of the same from both players early, but Salazar was more patient and built rallies off his length and put Pashley under more and more pressure. At 5-all Pashley appeared to pull up injured and seemed to be unable to retrieve balls being sent into the corners. He seemed to let up a bit and Salazar ran away with the game at 11-5. The fourth saw the same pattern develop early with Salazar playing smartly by extending the rallies and not giving Pashley many chance to attack the front. Pashley was visibly hurt and gave away the last of the game 11-2.

The last game opened with a mammoth first point, where Pashley showed he we was ready to chase everything down to win. He made some adjustments to his foot between games and he played with newly found confidence. Pashley again stepped up in the court and cut balls off to volley and add pressure to Salazar who was happy running all day long. Pashley opened a surprising 8-1 lead and Salazar made some unforced errors to compound his problems. Although at 2-10 down Salazar again steadied himself and played patient squash to force Pashley to attack too early. After bringing the game back to 6-10 Pashley finally ended the more than 60 minute match with another attack to the frontcourt ending a brilliant match from both players.

Karim Abdel Gawad bt. James Snell 6-11, 11-7, 11-4, 11-6 (52m)

The second of the semifinal matches in the Rochester Pro draw saw England’s James Snell play Egypt’s Karim Gawad. In a match with a stark contrast in styles saw Snell play a consistent length and width game with few if any boasts to Gawad, who was not willing to allow rallies to extend too long. He attacked the frontcourt at every opportunity with flair and reckless abandon. The first game tested each style and after holding a 6-4 lead Gawad began committing unforced errors while Snell happily drove the ball deep to force more errors from Gawad. Snell surprisingly ran away with the game winning 7 points in a row.

The second saw Snell pick up where he left off, but this time Gawad stayed back and drove the ball deep and calmed himself enough to get out to a 4-1 lead. With his confidence growing Gawad started boasting from both sides to force Snell into the front then picked off volleys from behind him with great reach and control. The middle of game saw more lets and some frustration building from Snell. Karim sensing this kept attacking and took a stretch of 5 consecutive points in the middle of the game to take the game 11-7.

The third game saw Gawad come out and cut off as many balls as possible. Snell was under constant pressure and started committing uncharacteristic unforced errors off of drop shots and on service returns as well. Gawad was calm and seemed to have limitless fitness as he dared Snell to drive the ball past him. Snell, to his credit, lobbed the ball deep to extend rallies, but Gawad’s game was too much and he won 11-4.

The fourth game started with a few lengthy rallies, fewer let calls and Snell seemed to have righted the ship a bit at 5-all. Then Gawad began driving pinpoint lengths and crosscourts, which stretched Snell to all parts of the court and some loose shots gave Gawad more chances to volley to the front wall. Gawad’s sustained the pressure and displayed some amazing racquet-work as well. By winning 6 of the last 7 points Gawad earned a place in the final Sunday afternoon.

Posted in 2010

Quarterfinals complete

Photos by Paul Schwartz:

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23-Apr-2010 20:06, NIKON CORPORATION NIKON D3, 2.8, 34.0mm, 0.002 sec, ISO 3200

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23-Apr-2010 19:20, NIKON CORPORATION NIKON D3, 2.8, 36.0mm, 0.001 sec, ISO 3200

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23-Apr-2010 20:06, NIKON CORPORATION NIKON D3, 2.8, 34.0mm, 0.002 sec, ISO 3200

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23-Apr-2010 18:52, NIKON CORPORATION NIKON D3, 2.8, 29.0mm, 0.001 sec, ISO 3200

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23-Apr-2010 18:41, NIKON CORPORATION NIKON D3, 2.8, 32.0mm, 0.002 sec, ISO 3200

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23-Apr-2010 18:42, NIKON CORPORATION NIKON D3, 2.8, 29.0mm, 0.002 sec, ISO 3200

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23-Apr-2010 20:10, NIKON CORPORATION NIKON D3, 2.8, 50.0mm, 0.002 sec, ISO 3200

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23-Apr-2010 19:36, NIKON CORPORATION NIKON D3, 2.8, 34.0mm, 0.001 sec, ISO 3200

 

Results:
Cesar Salazar bt. Matt Serediak 11-8, 11-6, 11-6 (36min)
Tom Pashley bt. Erik Tepos Valtierra 11-6, 11-7, 11-3 (42min)
James Snell bt. Wade Johnstone 12-10, 11-9, 11-8 (50min)
Karim Abdel Gawad bt. Fabien Verseille 9-11, 6-11, 11-4, 12-10, 11-3 (75min)

Posted in 2010

First round action

Seeds pull through safely in what was truly a “save-the-best-for-the-last” sort of night with the last match of the day, the duel between qualifier Olivier Pett and second seed Karim Abdel Gawad going to almost two hours.
Draw/Schedule.
Match reports to follow…

Photos by Robert McDavid:

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06-May-2009 22:50, NIKON CORPORATION NIKON D90, 5.0, 18.0mm, 0.006 sec, ISO 1600

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06-May-2009 22:04, NIKON CORPORATION NIKON D90, 5.0, 18.0mm, 0.006 sec, ISO 1600

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06-May-2009 20:44, NIKON CORPORATION NIKON D90, 3.8, 24.0mm, 0.005 sec, ISO 1000

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06-May-2009 22:05, NIKON CORPORATION NIKON D90, 5.0, 21.0mm, 0.006 sec, ISO 1600

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06-May-2009 21:18, NIKON CORPORATION NIKON D90, 3.8, 21.0mm, 0.006 sec, ISO 1600

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06-May-2009 22:24, NIKON CORPORATION NIKON D90, 5.6, 105.0mm, 0.01 sec, ISO 1600

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06-May-2009 22:42, NIKON CORPORATION NIKON D90, 5.0, 18.0mm, 0.006 sec, ISO 1600

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06-May-2009 22:05, NIKON CORPORATION NIKON D90, 5.0, 21.0mm, 0.006 sec, ISO 1600

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06-May-2009 20:46, NIKON CORPORATION NIKON D90, 4.0, 26.0mm, 0.005 sec, ISO 1000

 

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06-May-2009 20:43, NIKON CORPORATION NIKON D90, 3.5, 18.0mm, 0.013 sec, ISO 1000

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06-May-2009 21:14, NIKON CORPORATION NIKON D90, 3.8, 24.0mm, 0.006 sec, ISO 1600

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06-May-2009 20:42, NIKON CORPORATION NIKON D90, 3.5, 18.0mm, 0.008 sec, ISO 1000

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06-May-2009 22:49, NIKON CORPORATION NIKON D90, 5.0, 18.0mm, 0.006 sec, ISO 1600

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06-May-2009 21:08, NIKON CORPORATION NIKON D90, 5.6, 105.0mm, 0.017 sec, ISO 1000

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06-May-2009 22:40, NIKON CORPORATION NIKON D90, 5.0, 18.0mm, 0.006 sec, ISO 1600

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06-May-2009 20:47, NIKON CORPORATION NIKON D90, 4.2, 34.0mm, 0.01 sec, ISO 1000

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06-May-2009 23:19, NIKON CORPORATION NIKON D90, 5.0, 22.0mm, 0.006 sec, ISO 1600

 

Josh Cardwell vs Erik Tepos Valtierra:
Luke Forster vs James Snell:

Results:
Cesar Salazar bt. Benjamin Fischer 11-8, 11-4, 11-8 (48m)
Matt Serediak bt. Rory Pennell 11-5, 11-2, 11-8 (32m)
Erik Tepos Valtierra bt. Josh Cardwell 12-10, 11-8, 11-7 (66m)
Tom Pashley bt. Dave Glass 11-9, 14-12, 11-3 (45m)
Wade Johnstone bt. Fred Reid 11-6, 11-6, 11-4 (30m)
James Snell bt. Luke Forster 7-11, 11-6, 11-1, 11-9 (43m)
Fabien Verseille bt. Jonathan Uriel Ramos Islas 11-6, 9-11, 7-11, 11-4, 11-7 (62m)
Karim Abdel Gawad bt. Olivier Pett 14-12, 7-11, 10-12, 11-7, 11-9 (111m)

Posted in 2010

Qualifying Complete

Match recaps by Will Newnham. Photos by Paul Schwartz.

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21-Apr-2010 19:47, NIKON CORPORATION NIKON D3, 4.0, 36.0mm, 0.001 sec, ISO 3200

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21-Apr-2010 19:50, NIKON CORPORATION NIKON D3, 2.8, 70.0mm, 0.002 sec, ISO 3200

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21-Apr-2010 19:27, NIKON CORPORATION NIKON D3, 2.8, 48.0mm, 0.002 sec, ISO 3200

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21-Apr-2010 19:24, NIKON CORPORATION NIKON D3, 2.8, 58.0mm, 0.002 sec, ISO 3200

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21-Apr-2010 18:12, NIKON CORPORATION NIKON D3, 2.8, 35.0mm, 0.001 sec, ISO 3200

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21-Apr-2010 19:47, NIKON CORPORATION NIKON D3, 4.0, 36.0mm, 0.001 sec, ISO 3200

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21-Apr-2010 19:18, NIKON CORPORATION NIKON D3, 2.8, 58.0mm, 0.002 sec, ISO 3200

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21-Apr-2010 18:12, NIKON CORPORATION NIKON D3, 2.8, 35.0mm, 0.001 sec, ISO 3200

 

First up for tonight’s session was Luke Forster from Australia against Maxym Leclair from Canada. The rallies were hotly contested from the beginning of the match, with Forster coming out on top with his attacking style of play. In the first two games Forster conducted play by controlling the middle of the court and keeping his opponent at the back of the court. Once Forster had the young Canadian pinned at the back, it was his delays from the front that were causing Leclair to work hard. Forster takes a 2-0 lead. In the third there was a turn of events. Here, Leclair started hitting the ball tighter, thus preventing Forster from conducting play with his arsenal of precise drop shots. This was a good game from Leclair where he prevailed, 11-6. The last game was tight all the way, with both players finding good length. The fans thought that they were in for a treat when Leclair seemed to be getting the better of Forster in the forth. However, Forster dug deep to come away victorious 14-12 in the forth.
Luke Forster bt. Maxym Leclair 11-7, 11-8, 6-11, 14-12 (48 min)

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21-Apr-2010 19:24, NIKON CORPORATION NIKON D3, 2.8, 58.0mm, 0.002 sec, ISO 3200

 

On at the same time as Leclair and Forster was Joe Chapman, the University of Rochester #7, and former U of R player Fred Reid. Reid’s deception paid off from the start, forcing Chapman to be on the receiving end of some great flick shots from the front. Chapman, renowned for his competitive spirit, battled hard to keep Reid at bay. However the talented Canadian proved too skillful for Chapman of the British Virgin Islands, as he booked his place into the main draw in three games.
Fred Reid bt. Joe Chapman 11-3, 11-6, 11-5(29 min)

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21-Apr-2010 19:27, NIKON CORPORATION NIKON D3, 2.8, 48.0mm, 0.002 sec, ISO 3200

 

For the second session of the night, Jonathon Ramos Uriel Islas of Mexico faced off against the University of Rochester’s #4, the Peruvian, Andres Duany. Duany came out of the blocks at a rapid pace, playing precision squash and seemed to be a man on a mission, as he sailed through the first game, 11-5. As the second game progressed, the rallies were extended and the pace remained consistent. However, the tables turned in favour of Islas as he relentlessly picked up every shot that Duany through at him. To make matters worse for the Peruvian, every shot that Islas retrieved was coming back in a clinical manner. Second game to Islas, 11-6. The following game was a similar story with both players chasing down every single ball as if it were their last, but again Islas came out on top 11-7. As Duany entered the court for the fourth game, he seemed to be more focused. Here he played disciplined squash where he hit all four corners with fading lengths and clinical drop shots. Although the Mexican ran all balls down, Duany prevailed 11-8. Going into the fifth game, the crowd could tell they were in for a treat when the first point lasted a good couple of minutes with both players showing that they both desired obtaining the victory. After a few more grueling points, Fabien Versaille, the referee declared that it was the one of the longest games he had ever refereed. The length of the game became evident as Islas began to cramp in his left quad after a long point. At 8-8 in the fifth, Islas was cramping heavily and the fans sensed a Duany victory. However, the Mexican somehow managed to carry his leg around the court for a few more points and somehow picked up a tight Duany drop shot to seal the deal 11-9 in the fifth. Good game boys.
Jonathan Uriel Ramos Islas bt. Andres Duany 5-11, 11-6, 11-7, 8-11, 11-9 (85 min)

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21-Apr-2010 19:47, NIKON CORPORATION NIKON D3, 4.0, 36.0mm, 0.001 sec, ISO 3200

 

The last match of the evening featured the U of R #2, Jim “piglet nipples” Bristow and Oliver Pett, who were renewing their junior days rivalry. Both players started the game off very steadily, both finding good length, but Pett took control by dominating the “T” and chopping in some stylish drops. Although Bristow dug deep throughout the match, it became clear towards the end that Pett’s training regimen combined with Bristow consuming too many Cornish pastries, ultimately resulted in a victorious Pett and a pink Bristow. All in all, a fair and good spirited match from both players.
Oliver Pett bt. Jim Bristow 11-4, 11-7, 11-6 (36 min)

Results:
Luke Forster bt. Maxym Leclair 11-7, 11-8, 6-11, 14-12 (48 min)
Fred Reid bt. Joe Chapman 11-3, 11-6, 11-5 (29 min)
Jonathan Uriel Ramos Islas bt. Andres Duany 5-11, 11-6, 11-7, 8-11, 11-9 (85 min)
Oliver Pett bt. Jim Bristow 11-4, 11-7, 11-6 (36 min)

Posted in 2010

Qualifying Round 1

Photos by Paul Schwartz:

William Newnman (ENG) vs. Maxym LeClair (CAN)

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William Newnman (ENG) vs. Maxym LeClair (CAN)20-Apr-2010 18:16, NIKON CORPORATION NIKON D3, 2.8, 24.0mm, 0.001 sec, ISO 2200

Joe Chapman serving

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Joe Chapman serving20-Apr-2010 20:45, NIKON CORPORATION NIKON D3, 2.8, 70.0mm, 0.002 sec, ISO 3200

Maxym LeClair's backhand drive

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Maxym LeClair's backhand drive20-Apr-2010 19:00, NIKON CORPORATION NIKON D3, 2.8, 44.0mm, 0.002 sec, ISO 2200

Andreas Duany vs. Salvador Martinez

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Andreas Duany vs. Salvador Martinez20-Apr-2010 19:54, NIKON CORPORATION NIKON D3, 2.8, 70.0mm, 0.002 sec, ISO 2200

Oliver Petts (ENG) vs. Karim Yehia (EGY)

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Oliver Petts (ENG) vs. Karim Yehia (EGY)20-Apr-2010 21:39, NIKON CORPORATION NIKON D3, 2.8, 66.0mm, 0.001 sec, ISO 3200

Fred Reid (CAN) sends Hameed Ahmed (FIN) deep to the corner

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Fred Reid (CAN) sends Hameed Ahmed (FIN) deep to the corner20-Apr-2010 20:42, NIKON CORPORATION NIKON D3, 2.8, 38.0mm, 0.001 sec, ISO 3200

Andreas Duany (PER) vs. Salvador Martinez (MEX)

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Andreas Duany (PER) vs. Salvador Martinez (MEX)20-Apr-2010 19:21, NIKON CORPORATION NIKON D3, 2.8, 40.0mm, 0.001 sec, ISO 2200

 
Jim Bristow (ENG), vs. Edward Marks (USA)

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Jim Bristow (ENG), vs. Edward Marks (USA)20-Apr-2010 21:44, NIKON CORPORATION NIKON D3, 2.8, 38.0mm, 0.001 sec, ISO 3200

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20-Apr-2010 17:54, NIKON CORPORATION NIKON D3, 2.8, 50.0mm, 0.001 sec, ISO 2200

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20-Apr-2010 18:42, NIKON CORPORATION NIKON D3, 2.8, 32.0mm, 0.001 sec, ISO 2200

Oliver Petts lines up for a backhand drive

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Oliver Petts lines up for a backhand drive20-Apr-2010 21:18, NIKON CORPORATION NIKON D3, 2.8, 60.0mm, 0.001 sec, ISO 3200

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20-Apr-2010 19:46, NIKON CORPORATION NIKON D3, 2.8, 38.0mm, 0.002 sec, ISO 2200

Luke Forster vs. Luke Butterworth

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Luke Forster vs. Luke Butterworth20-Apr-2010 18:34, NIKON CORPORATION NIKON D3, 2.8, 29.0mm, 0.002 sec, ISO 2200

Jonathan Islas (MEX) vs. Graham Bassett (USA)

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Jonathan Islas (MEX) vs. Graham Bassett (USA)20-Apr-2010 19:18, NIKON CORPORATION NIKON D3, 2.8, 58.0mm, 0.001 sec, ISO 2200

 

(Complete scores and draw.)

It’s been a long night of matches as the first round of qualifying concluded at the University of Rochester squash courts with three of the five UR college squash team members proceeding to the next round. It was an especially good night for reserve locals, Will Newnham and Joe Chapman who slipped into the qualifying draw because of a couple of late withdrawals.

Leclair vs Newnham at the Rochester ProAm 
2008 - Newnham bt. Leclair 15-13, 15-13, 11-2
2010 - Leclair bt. Newnham 6-11, 9-11, 11-6, 11-3, 9-6 ret,

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Leclair vs Newnham at the Rochester ProAm
2008 – Newnham bt. Leclair 15-13, 15-13, 11-2
2010 – Leclair bt. Newnham 6-11, 9-11, 11-6, 11-3, 9-6 ret,

 

The evening began with Maxym Leclair from Montreal vs UR #5 Englishman Will Newnham in a repeat matchup from the 2008 Rochester Pro-Am when Newnham had beaten Leclair in a close 15-13, 15-13, 11-2. This time, Leclair put up a gritty performance coming back from a 2-0 deficit to tie the game score 2-2. Newnham, suffering from a painful muscle cramp in the arm, eventually conceded defeat at 6-9 down in the fifth game. Final score: 6-11, 9-11, 11-6, 11-3, 9-6 ret. Leclair faces off against Australian Luke Forster in the next round tomorrow. Forster played a solid game against Luke Butterworth to just win in 3 games 11-6, 11-8, 13-11.

In the next round of matches, UR #4 Andres Duany beat Mexican Salvador Martinez in five with Martinez seemingly plagued by a number of errors in the beginning of the match only to recover too late. (11-5, 11-8, 7-11, 6-11, 11-6)

Jonathan Islas (MEX) vs. Graham Bassett (USA)

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Jonathan Islas (MEX) vs. Graham Bassett (USA)20-Apr-2010 19:18, NIKON CORPORATION NIKON D3, 2.8, 58.0mm, 0.001 sec, ISO 2200

 

On the other court, a battle ensued between Graham Bassett of USA and Jonathan Ramos Islas of Mexico.
The pattern of play was set early on in the match, with Islas showing great court coverage, reach and athleticism to retrieve most of Bassett’s attacking shots, and taking the first game. As the match progressed, Bassett was challenged to up his game, and he rose to the challenge, playing some great attacking squash and pushing Islas even more, but Islas was up to the challenge too and continued to retrieve relentlessly, whilst also moving bassett around the court. Bassett even broke a racket in trying to retrieve a deep shot to the back left corner. So with Bassett being pushed physically, and the added pressure of Islas’ retrieving, Bassett was forced to keep his shots even tighter, which eventually resulted in errors and points for Islas. Final score: 12-10, 11-2, 9-11, 11-7. (Thanks to John Walsh for match recap!)

The second half of matches featured UR locals Joe Chapman and Jim Bristow overcoming Armando Olguin and Ned Marks respectively in a display of patience and mostly error free squash. Former Yellowjacket Fred Reid, now a professional on the tour, came back solidly from a crushing 2-11 loss in the first game to beat UR co-captain Hameed Ahmed in four games: 2-11, 11-2, 11-8, 11-5.

The final match between Oliver Pett and former Rochester champion Karim Yehia went to four 1-8, 9-11, 11-5, 11-5 with Yehia losing his lungs towards the end of the match to a fit and precise Pett.

Results:
Luke Forster bt. Luke Butterworth 11-6, 11-8, 13-11 (33 minutes)
Maxym Leclair bt. Will Newnham 6-11, 9-11, 11-6, 11-3, 9-6 retired (50 minutes)
Andres Duany bt. Salvador Martinez 11-5, 11-8, 7-11, 6-11, 11-6 (66 minutes)
Jonathan Uriel Ramos Islas bt. Graham Bassett 12-10, 11-2, 9-11, 11-7 (62 minutes)
Joe Chapman bt. Armando Olguin 11-6, 11-5, 11-5 (26 minutes)
Fred Reid bt. Hameed Ahmed 2-11, 11-2, 11-8, 11-5 (40 minutes)
Jim Bristow bt. Ned Marks 11-8, 11-5, 12-10 (41 minutes)
Oliver Pett bt. Karim Yehia 11-8, 9-11, 11-5, 11-5 (47 minutes)

Posted in 2010

Get ready Rochester!

Thankfully volcanic ash has not interfered (yet!) with the itineraries of our visiting professionals as they make plans to drive/bus/fly from around the country and the world to the homes of their host families in Rochester.

#1 seed and world number 68, a healthy and determined Cesar Salazar from Mexico will return to Rochester a second time after he faced an early round defeat in 2009 in the midst of illness and fatigue. He is accompanied by four other compatriots from Mexico including Armando Olguin, a Rochester regular and squash pro at the San Francisco Bay Club.

#2 seed Karim Abdel Gawad from Egypt is on a high having qualified at the $42K Heliopolis Rotary Open in Cairo this week after beating #49 ranked Mohammed Abbas. He subsequently lost to #24 Hisham Ashour in a tough 4 game match the next round but will be looking to keep that momentum going next week as one of the top seeds in our event.

It is going to be a melting pot as usual next week with players from Australia, UK, Canada, Mexico, Egypt, Nigeria, Denmark, Switzerland, Finland, France, Peru and the US. The two American players in the qualifying draw include Graham Basset and Ned Marks both from Greenwich, CT.

Yellowjacket co-captains Ahmed and BristowYellowjacket co-captains Ahmed and Bristow

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Yellowjacket co-captains Ahmed and Bristow

 

The event will also feature the top 4 Yellowjackets from the nationally ranked #4 University of Rochester Squash Team including Benjamin Fischer as a wildcard and Jim Bristow, Hameed Ahmed and Andres Duany as locals.

Making a comeback on the PSA tour this year is former Rochester champion from 2004, Karim Yehia. Playing as a local, Karim, who has been off the tour since 2007, will have to work hard against stiff competition in the qualifying round if he wants to reclaim his former title.

The action begins with the first qualifying round at the Lyman squash courts at the University of Rochester on Tuesday at 6:00pm. (Schedule of events). See you at the courts!

Posted in 2010

2010 Rochester City Championship

Chris Fennell vs Mark Mijangos in the 5.0 draw in 2008Chris Fennell vs Mark Mijangos in the 5.0 draw in 2008

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Chris Fennell vs Mark Mijangos in the 5.0 draw in 200805-Apr-2008 14:18, NIKON CORPORATION NIKON D200, 2.0, 50.0mm, 0.003 sec, ISO 1000

 

With a week until the professional event begins, Rochester’s squash community is one step ahead and will get in on the action in advance this weekend as 37 amateur squash players will compete across three skill levels in the 2010 Rochester City Championships, an annual tradition and the “-Am” in the ProAm.
The amateur event will be played at the Genesee Valley Club courts. Thanks to Bell Racquet Sports, Rochester’s only squash store, for sponsoring prizes. The final matches for each skill level will be held a week later on Sunday April 25th at the University of Rochester courts just before the pro final begins.
This year’s amateur event promises a strong 4.0 (Intermediate) draw with 18 players. The 3.0 (Beginner) draw will also feature participation from the University of Rochester’s growing body of squash playing student enthusiasts.
The 5.0 (Advanced) draw promises some exciting matches and includes former Princetonian Brendon Bascom, Rochester squash stalwart Jonathan Hager and UR Yellowjacket participation through assistant coach Chris Fennell & team member Edwin Goncharuk.

Posted in 2010

Almost there

With a week until the amateur city championship and less than two weeks to the pro event, the stage is set for the the 2010 Rochester ProAm. These are times when the sport of squash is struggling to achieve a higher profile through its unsuccessful attempt at inclusion in the Olympics and tournaments on the Professional Squash Association (PSA) circuit, both big and small, come and go just as quickly depending on the availability of financial sponsors. Given this current state of the sport, the fact that this will be the NINTH consecutive edition of the Rochester ProAm speaks volumes about the generosity and loyalty of the tiny but close knit squash community in Rochester. Thanks to the generosity of our current 2010 sponsors (especially longtime supporters Andy Publow and Peter Lyman) we have raised just over 50% of our $8000 goal to run the event (this includes $6000 in prize money, a small amount considering the distances travelled by our visiting professionals from around the world to compete in our event).
Beginning April 20th, Rochester will experience, free of charge, the best squash we have ever seen. Please take a moment to support this squash spectacle by making a contribution, big or small, to the event.
Also, get in on the action and sign up for the amateur city championship – only three days left until the deadline!

Posted in 2010

Get ready for 2010

Mark your calendars! April 20th-25th 2010 will bring the ninth Rochester ProAm Super Satellite PSA squash tournament to town. Its second year as a $6K SUper Satellite event, the ProAm promises to attract top squash talent from around the world once again.

A slight change in schedule, this year’s edition gets rid of the morning rounds. With only evening sessions beginning with the first round of qualifiers on Tuesday April 20th night right through the week, local squash fans will not miss a single minute of the action. The Rochester City Championship, the amateur component of the ProAm, will take place the the weekend of April 16th-18th so the amateur participants be free to watch each and every pro match.

WATCH THIS SPACE FOR MORE DETAILS IN THE COMING WEEKS!

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*Logo design by Robert McDavid

Posted in 2010