Day 2 Dayton: A Night Of Upsets
by Charlie Johnson
November 9, 2011 - Night 2 of the 2011 EBS Dayton Open, a $25,000 PSA World Tour Event, was a night of upsets in the last round of the qualifying draw. Three of the top four seeded players went down in defeat as the packed gallery at the Dayton Squash Center was treated to some fabulous squash.
In the night's first match, Englishman and #1 seed Joel Hinds lost a tough 5-game, 68 minute match to Australia's Scott Arnold. This match featured many long, grueling, powerful rallies and incredible demonstrations of speed from the two tall players. After dropping the first game in close fashion (9-11), Arnold fought hard to win the second, dropped another close one in the third, but then seemed to dig deep and take control in the last two games. For such a tall player, Arnold got incredible low and extended to retrieve the constant barrage of punishing length drives from Hinds.
Pakistan's Yasir Butt claimed upset number two in the night's second match when in 41 minutes, he defeated the # 3 see, Australia's Wade Johnstone 3-0. A highly partisan crowd of local Pakistani squash players cheered on Butt as he put on a strong performance. Butt was in total control of the first game but Johnstone was not going to go down without a fight and was tenacious in games two and three, making Butt work hard to earn his victory.
If the partisan Pakistani crowd on hand was happy about Butt's victory, the night's 60 minute third match made the gallery ecstatic! Danish Atlas Khan of Pakistan and South Africa's Clinton Leeuw played a thrilling match that had the crowd on the edge of their seats most of the match and got loud cheers for both players as they displayed fantastic shot making and retrieving skills. Playing with intensity, Khan won the first two games and seemed poised to defeat the # 4 seeded Leeuw in the third but Leeuw seemed to will himself to another level and used his incredible speed to fight his way back into the match. The 5th game seemed with in reach for either player but after dropping the first point, Khan won 4 straight points to build an early lead. Khan went on to build a 7-3 lead but Leeuw was not going quietly and the played 2 incredibly hard fought points to seem to get back into the game at 5-7. Khan won his crucial 8th & 9th points and despite Leeuw's maximum effort in each of the next rallies, he was not able to fend off Khan who claimed the win to the shouts of the gallery.
After all this excitement, the night's final match was a bit deflated as England's Olivier Pett took down fellow Englishman Jaymie Haycocks in a quick 25 minute 3-0 match. Pett dominated the first game and then seemed on cruise control as he managed his game and the match with efficient use of shots and the court.
The Dayton Squash Center community is primed for tomorrow night's opening round of the main draw of the EBS Dayton Open.
Qualifying Results:
Scott Arnold (AUS) bt Joel Hinds (ENG): 9-11, 11-9, 8-11, 11-5, 11-4 in 68 minutes
Yasir Butt (PAK) bt Wade Johnstone(AUS): 11-3, 11-9, 11-9 in 41 minutes
Danish Atlas Khan (PAK) bt Clinton Leeuw (RSA): 11-7, 11-3, 7-11, 3-11, 11-6 in 60 minutes
Olivier Pett (ENG) bt Jaymie HAycocks (ENG): 11-3, 11-8, 11-9 in 25 minutes
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