Third Time Unlucky For Selby At $35K PSA Bluenose by Howard Harding 21 October 2013
- Colombian squash star Miguel Angel Rodriguez upset top seed Daryl
Selby in the final of the Fiera Properties Bluenose Classic to consign
the Englishman to runner-up of the PSA World Tour International 35
event at Saint Mary's University Homburg Centre in Halifax in the
Canadian province of Nova Scotia for the third time since 2010.
Third seed Rodriguez,
the world No16 from Bogota, reached the final after upsetting Alister
Walker, the No2 seed from Botswana, in the semi-finals of the eighth
edition of the Bluenose Classic.
But after the
Colombian built up a 3-0 lead in the opening game of the final, it was
Selby, the world No14 from Essex, who reclaimed the initiative - taking
eight consecutive points en-route to an 11-4 game one win.
Rodriguez (pictured
above in Bluenose action with Selby) changed his tactics in the second
game, and soon drew level after conceding just two points - an
achievement he duplicated in the third.
"In the fourth game,
Rodriguez had so much confidence in his drop, the first two points were
secured in drops executed in exchanges immediately after the serve,"
explained tournament spokesman Blair Cook. "Another three
perfectly-executed drops and Rodriguez grew the lead to 5-0."
Selby fought back to
4-7, but the 27-year-old from Bogota continued his dominance to close
out the match 4-11, 11-2, 11-2, 11-6 in 58 minutes to win his first
Bluenose Squash Classic Championship.
"I didn't play badly
today and played well in the first game," said Selby later. "Credit to
Miguel, he played unbelievable squash after that. He upped the
intensity, and did it absolutely perfectly.
"I take my hat off to him, and he definitely deserved to win."
When asked whether he
was disappointed, having lost in the finals now three time, Selby
responded: "It will definitely keep me coming back, however, one more
loss and it's not bad luck is it?"
Rodriguez pronounced the final as "one of the best matches I've ever played".
"I was ready to play
this match," continued the highest-ranked South American of all-time,
who now boasts 23 PSA World Tour titles from 31 final appearances.
RESULTS: PSA International 35 Fiera Properties Bluenose Classic, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
