WORLD SQUASH NEWS

RESULTS: La Sportheque Pro-Am Squash Championship, Gatineau, Quebec, Canada

1st round:
[1] Shawn De Lierre (CAN) bt Michal Reid (CAN) 11-7, 7-11, 11-7, 11-5 (33m)
[5] Patrick Bedore (CAN) bt Iain Crozier (CAN) 11-7, 8-11, 11-5, 11-9 (43m)
[3] Daryl Selby (ENG) bt [Q] Nick Wall (ENG) 11-7, 11-3, 11-6 (31m)
Tom Richards (ENG) bt [7] Lefika Ragontse (BOT) 11-3, 11-3, 11-9 (22m)
[Q] Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL) bt [6] Bertrand Tissot (FRA) 11-5, 11-10 (2-0), 11-8 (43m)
[4] Robin Clarke (CAN) bt [Q] Mariano Aguilar (MEX) 11-9, 11-3, 11-9 (36m)
[8] Sabir Butt (CAN) bt [Q] Darren Lewis (ENG) 11-10 (3-1), 6-11, 11-4, 11-9 (72m)
[2] Jose Angel Becerril (MEX) bt Rob Sutherland (WAL) 11-4, 11-10 (2-0), 11-5 (47m)
   Quarter-finals:
[1] Shawn De Lierre (CAN) bt [5] Patrick Bedore (CAN) 11-4, 7-11, 11-9, 11-10 (3-1) (35m)
[3] Daryl Selby (ENG) bt Tom Richards (ENG) 11-10 (2-0), 11-9, 11-5 (38m)
[Q] Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL) bt [4] Robin Clarke (CAN) 6-11, 11-8, 11-8, 11-7 (48m)
[2] Jose Angel Becerril (MEX) bt [8] Sabir Butt (CAN) 8-11, 11-6, 11-9, 11-10 (2-0) (62m)
   Semi-finals:
[3] Daryl Selby (ENG) bt [1] Shawn De Lierre (CAN) 11-10 (2-0), 11-6, 11-2 (34m)
[Q] Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL) bt [2] Jose Angel Becerril (MEX) 11-9, 11-8, 3-11, 11-4 (61m)
   Final:
[3] Daryl Selby (ENG) bt [Q] Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL) 11-6, 5-11, 11-3, 11-1 (49m)

Selby Celebrates First PSA Tour Title

England's Daryl Selby clinched the La Sportheque Pro-Am Squash Championship title in the Quebec city of Gatineau, in Canada, to celebrate the first PSA Tour trophy of his career.

The 22-year-old from Harlow in Essex was competing in his first year on the PSA Tour and seeded three in the event.  Selby, a former England junior international, made his breakthrough in the semi-finals when he outgunned the event's defending champion Shawn De Lierre, the top seed from Canada, 11-10 11-6 11-2 in a one-sided affair in just 34 minutes.

The tournament's second seed, Jose Angel Becerril, from Mexico, became the next seeding casualty in the other semi final.  But his surprise exit was at the hands of a player to whom most had paid little attention.  Colombian Miguel Angel Rodriguez, ranked outside the world's top 250, started the event in the first round of qualifying - and was the only player to play two matches to even reach the first round of the Pro event. 

But by then, it was apparent that Rodriguez would be a threat to anyone on his side of the draw.  Rodriguez raised his game in each round - in the first round beating France's sixth seed Bertrand Tissot and in the quarter-finals eliminating local hope Robin Clarke, the fourth seed from Canada.

In the semi-final, Rodriguez and Becerril put together a terrific display of athleticism and creative shot making.  Yet underdog Rodriguez held the upper hand, with superior retrieving, and wonderful touch in his short court game, to win the match 11-9 11-8 3-11 11-4 in 61 minutes.

In the opening game of the final, Selby covered everything Rodriguez could throw at him, and made the point that Rodriguez would have to play a higher standard again if was to have a chance to win this match.  Rodriguez did exactly that in the second game; he counterpunched and came back with a fantastic display of full court coverage, change of pace, frontcourt flicks, and deceiving ground stokes.  The Colombian took the game to draw level.

Selby, however, reapplied the pressure that won him the first game, by patiently moving Rodriguez to all corners of the court, while not rushing his intent to finish the match.  The points came naturally as Rodriguez visibly tired.  Selby never let Rodriguez back in to the game, again pushing him to all corners.  The last game was a formality, the Englishman taking it to secure his historic 11-6 5-11 11-3 11-1 victory.