Margan Maximises Baltimore Benefit
Australia's Luke Margan made the most of his opportunity as 'lucky loser' in the Baltimore Squash Cup when he beat his first round opponent to take an unlikely place in the quarter-finals of this new PSA Tour event in Baltimore, USA.
Beaten by compatriot Mike Corren in the qualifying finals, Margan was set to pack his bags when news came through that Canada's eight seed Viktor Berg had been forced to withdraw because of illness. The 21-year-old, who was playing his first PSA Tour event away from the Antipodes, duly replaced Berg in the main draw to face fellow Australian Wade Johnstone.
After losing the first game in a tie-break, Margan came back to beat the unseeded 23-year-old from Perth 10-11 11-9 11-5 11-9 to set up a last eight clash with Canada's fourth seed Shawn Delierre.
Mike Corren also advanced to the Baltimore quarter-finals when he upset Canada's seventh seed Ian Power 11-10 11-9 7-11 11-9. Salt Lake City-based Corren, originally from Adelaide, now faces another Canadian, second seed Shahier Razik, for a place in the semi-finals.
RESULTS: Baltimore Squash Cup, Baltimore, USA
1st round:
[1] Dan Jenson (AUS) bt Lefika Ragontse (BOT) 11-7, 11-7, 11-9
[6] David Phillips (CAN) bt Kumail Mehmood (PAK) 11-5, 11-5, 11-9
[4] Shawn Delierre (CAN) bt [Q] Paul Davis (AUS) 11-6, 11-4, 11-1
Luke Margan (AUS) bt Wade Johnstone (AUS) 10-11 (0-2), 11-9, 11-5, 11-9
[5] Callum O'Brien (NZL) bt Sabir Butt (CAN) 9-11, 11-9, 11-9, 11-4
[3] Rafael F Alarcon (BRA) bt [Q] Ahmed Maged Hamza (EGY) 11-6, 5-11, 9-11, 11-3, 11-4
[Q] Mike Corren (AUS) bt [7] Ian Power (CAN) 11-10 (3-1), 11-9, 7-11, 11-9
[2] Shahier Razik (CAN) bt [Q] Ben Gould (AUS) 11-10 (3-1), 11-6, 11-10 (3-1)