Top seeds Zac Alexander and Campbell Grayson will put trans-Tasman rivalry to the test in Canada when they meet in the final of the Prairie AutoHaus Saskatoon Boast Open, the PSA World Tour Challenger 10 squash event in its 11th successive year at the Saskatoon YMCA in Saskatoon.
Australian Alexander, the defending champion, twice stemmed comebacks by unseeded Shaun le Roux before beating the South African 11-8, 6-11, 11-7, 9-11, 11-8 in 94 minutes. It was Le Roux's second five-game marathon in 24 hours after taking 113 minutes to overcome Mexican qualifier Eric Galvez in the quarter-finals.
"After the marathon match the previous night, Le Roux showed no sign of fatigue as he stretched Alexander to five for the first time this tournament," commented event promoter Brad Birnie.
The win takes 23-year-old Alexander into the 17th PSA Tour final of his career - but his first this year.
Second-seeded New Zealander Grayson took 71 minutes to overcome fourth seed Steven Finitsis 11-8, 6-11, 12-10, 11-9 and deny Alexander a battle against a fellow countryman.
The 26-year-old Kiwi national champion is celebrating his eighth Tour final and second this year.
It will be Grayson's fifth Tour clash with Alexander, the Aucklander boasting a 3/1 head to head advantage.
RESULTS: PSA Challenger 10 Prairie AutoHaus Saskatoon Boast Open, Saskatoon, Canada
Semi-finals:
[1] Zac Alexander (AUS) bt Shaun le Roux (RSA) 11-8, 6-11, 11-7, 9-11, 11-8 (94m)
[2] Campbell Grayson (NZL) bt [4] Steven Finitsis (AUS) 11-8, 6-11, 12-10, 11-9 (71m)
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