RESULTS: Atlanta Open, Atlanta, USA
1st round:
[1] Chris Ryder (ENG) bt [Q] Peter Creed (WAL) 11-5, 11-4, 11-7
[7] Arshad Iqbal Burki (PAK) bt [Q] Patrick Chifunda (ZAM) 11-7, 11-8, 11-8
[4] Bernardo Samper (COL) bt Scott Fitzgerald (WAL) 11-7, 11-7, 11-4
[8] Joel Hinds (ENG) bt Jethro Binns (WAL) 11-6, 12-10, 11-8
[5] Jorge Isaac Baltazar Ferreira (MEX) bt Jonas Laursen (DEN) 11-3, 11-9, 11-5
[3] Laurence Delasaux (ENG) bt [Q] Ben Coleman (ENG) 11-7, 11-7, 7-11, 11-5
[6] Piedro Schweertman (NED) bt Chris Truswell (ENG) 13-11, 9-11, 11-8, 11-8
[2] Cesar Salazar (MEX) bt [Q] Mark Heather (ENG) 11-5, 13-11, 9-11, 4-11, 11-7
Quarter-finals:
[1] Chris Ryder (ENG) bt [7] Arshad Iqbal Burki (PAK) 11-0, 11-3, 12-10
[8] Joel Hinds (ENG) bt [4] Bernardo Samper (COL) 9-11, 11-7, 11-6, 11-8
[3] Laurence Delasaux (ENG) bt [5] Jorge Isaac Baltazar Ferreira (MEX) 11-5, 11-8, 10-12, 11-7
[2] Cesar Salazar (MEX) bt [6] Piedro Schweertman (NED) 11-7, 11-7, 8-11, 11-9
Semi-finals:
[1] Chris Ryder (ENG) bt [8] Joel Hinds (ENG) 7-11, 9-11, 11-7, 11-8, 13-11
[3] Laurence Delasaux (ENG) bt [2] Cesar Salazar (MEX) 11-9, 10-12, 12-14, 11-8, 11-2
Final:
[1] Chris Ryder (ENG) bt [3] Laurence Delasaux (ENG) 11-7, 8-11, 11-9, 11-7 (60m)
In a surprise all-English Atlanta Open final in the USA, it was top seed Chris Ryder who emerged triumphant to take the title in the $10,000 PSA World Tour squash event in its 11th year at the Concourse Athletic Club in Atlanta, Georgia.
Top seed Ryder was taken the full distance in the semi-finals. The world No38 from Leamington Spa had to fight back from two games down to overcome fellow countryman Joel Hinds, the eighth seed who upset fourth-seeded Colombian Bernardo Samper in the previous round.
And his final opponent Laurence Delasaux also survived a five-game semi - the third-seeded Yorkshireman upsetting Mexico's No2 seed Cesar Salazar 11-9, 10-12, 12-14, 11-8, 11-2 to reach the 10th Tour final of his career.
"Ryder saved all his best shots for the final and just had a little more energy in the tank than his opponent," said tournament organiser Andre Maur.
Celebrating his 15th Tour final appearance, Ryder took the opening game - but Delasaux managed to get more settled and found his rhythm in the second to draw level.
"The third was the decider who would win - and Ryder kept in control to win it 11/9," added Maur.
"The last game was another battle and Ryder kept his composure to close out the match 11-7, 8-11, 11-9, 11-7 to win his first Atlanta Open here in hot Atlanta."
The win marked the fifth PSA Tour title of Ryder's career - but his first since winning the Leinster Open in October 2008.
The 2006 World University champion also becomes the fourth English winner of the Atlanta Open title - following successes by Jonathan Kemp last year, Bradley Ball in 2002, and the new world number one Nick Matthew in 2001.