RESULTS: Merritt Properties Squash Open, Baltimore, USA
1st round:
[1] Julian Illingworth (USA) bt Regardt Schonborn (RSA) 11-3, 12-10, 11-6
[5] Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan (MAS) bt Cesar Salazar (MEX) 11-9, 11-5, 11-8
[3] Jorge Isaac Baltazar Ferreira (MEX) bt Wade Johnstone (AUS) 11-9, 11-3, 11-8
[Q] Adrian Waller (ENG) bt [6] Shawn Delierre (CAN) 6-11, 11-8, 11-5, 11-8
[Q] Bernardo Samper (COL) bt [8] Robin Clarke (CAN) 11-7, 11-6, 11-7
[4] Scott Arnold (AUS) bt Lefika Ragontse (BOT) 11-5, 11-8, 11-4
[Q] Joe Lee (ENG) bt [7] David Phillips (CAN) 5-11, 11-8, 11-8, 11-7
[2] Eric Galvez (MEX) bt [Q] Lekgotla Mosope (BOT) 6-11, 11-8, 11-9, 11-7
Quarter-finals:
[1] Julian Illingworth (USA) bt [5] Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan (MAS) 11-8, 11-1, 11-4
[Q] Adrian Waller (ENG) bt [3] Jorge Isaac Baltazar Ferreira (MEX) 11-8, 11-9, 11-7
[Q] Bernardo Samper (COL) bt [4] Scott Arnold (AUS) 9-11, 11-2, 11-4, 11-8
[2] Eric Galvez (MEX) bt [Q] Joe Lee (ENG) 11-5, 12-10, 11-2
Semi-finals:
[1] Julian Illingworth (USA) bt [Q] Adrian Waller (ENG) 11-7, 11-2, 11-8
[2] Eric Galvez (MEX) bt [Q] Bernardo Samper (COL) 11-9, 4-11, 11-8, 11-8
Final:
[1] Julian Illingworth (USA) bt [2] Eric Galvez (MEX) 11-7, 11-5, 11-8
US squash star Julian Illingworth cruised to his second PSA World Tour title of the year at the Merritt Properties Open when he beat top-ranked Mexican Eric Galvez in the final of the $10,000 event at Merritt Athletic Club in Baltimore, USA.
The 25-year-old from New York, who won his fifth US National Championship trophy in March, reached the final without dropping a game – overcoming English qualifier Adrian Waller in the semi-finals.
Galvez, the world No41 from Puebla, faced qualifiers in each round leading to the final – and was taken to four games by Colombian Bernardo Samper in the other semi.
Illingworth and Galvez last met exactly two years ago – when the then higher-ranked Mexican won in four games.
But Portland-born Illingworth has grown in stature since that time – and despatched his opponent 11-7, 11-5, 11-8 to boost his chances of moving above his current career-high world ranking of 33.