Jonathon Power, Melanie Jans-Burke win Canadian squash titles

Jonathon Power of Montreal picked up his seventh national title with a 3-0 win over Toronto's Shahier Razik while Vancouver's Melanie Jans-Burke won her fourth women's crown with a 3-0 win over Winnipeg's Alana Miller.

Power, the 30-year-old world No. 4, didn't lose a single game in the entire tournament. But Razik, three years his junior and well back at No. 39 in the world rankings, did give him a decent run.

"I wasn't trying to go for too much, I just wanted to move him around and take his legs from him," Power said. "He kept pushing right to the end. I was surprised how many gets he was making in the third game and I really thought I made him do a lot of work out there."

While Power breezed through to the final, Razik's legs were much heavier after a five-game marathon win over second-seeded Graham Ryding of Toronto in Friday night's semifinals. While Razik, the No. 3 seed, got off to a good start by pulling ahead 7-5 in the opening game, Power's trademark deception and deft touch proved to be too much in the 11-8, 11-5, 11-7 victory.

"My speed wasn't there but I was feeling fine," Razik said. "He plays just a little bit quicker than most players and when things got loose in the mid-court he just dominated me."

The players traded a few points in the second game before Power nailed a winning nick to go ahead 3-2. He followed it with four straight points before a Razik winner left Power up 7-3. The point of the match on the all-glass showcourt came a few points later, as both players wowed the crowd with an electric rally, marked with some amazing gets, stunning drop shots and tight length down the wall. Razik eventually hit the tin and Power took the game two rallies later.

Power, a former world No. 1 with 35 PSA tournament wins on his resume, didn't let up in the third. He capped a long rally by hitting a rolling nick for a winner to go up 9-7. Razik tinned out on the next point and was called for a stroke on match ball to give Power the game 11-7 and the match in just under an hour.

"I had a little bit of doubt in me this morning after last night - if I had the legs to last or not," Razik said. "That was the key I think. A little bit of doubt in there, and everything falls apart."

Sharp with the racquet and the tongue, Power treated the crowd at the CBC Broadcasting Centre's Barbara Frum Atrium to some humourous banter with the officials throughout the match. He would often point out what he felt were erroneous calls, with his witty remarks and observations leaving most in attendance - except the referees - chuckling.

The women's final was a quiet affair by comparison. Jans-Burke, 31, and Miller, 24, played a steady match, with Miller's unforced errors and Jans-Burke's front-court play the difference.

Jans-Burke jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the opening game, taking it comfortably 9-2. Miller rebounded in the second, and took a 6-3 lead before Jans-Burke took advantage of a shot left in the middle of the court by pounding the ball into the nick to even the score 7-7. Miller tinned her next two shots to give Jans-Burke the game, throwing her racquet in the air in frustration after the final error.

Miller miscues were the norm in the final game, with an errant shot finding the tin to give Jans-Burke an 8-6 lead. The veteran converted on her second match ball, sealing the victory with one of her trademark front-court boasts, leaving her opponent flat-footed back in the court.

"When I had match ball, I started to get a little bit excited," Jans-Burke said. "But I just remembered one thing my coach said, 'Mel, keep your head, keep your head,' so I think I managed."

Jans-Burke noticed her front-court boast was fooling Miller early on, so she kept it up throughout the match.

"That's always my money shot," Jans-Burke said. "That's always the one that I go to. Sometimes it kills me, sometimes it works for me."

Jans-Burke, the No. 4 seed, knocked off top-seeded Runa Reta of Ottawa in the semifinals before taking down Miller, the No. 3 seed and defending champion.

"It feels really good to be on top of such a strong field," Jans-Burke said.