Locals Boast Success In Saskatoon
by Howard Harding

22 November 2013 - All but one of the quarter-finals of the Prairie Auto Haus Saskatoon Boast Open will feature local interest after Canadian trio Dane Sharp, Andrew Schnell and Matthew Serediak came through the first round of the PSA World Tour Challenger 10 squash event celebrating its 12th successive year at the Saskatoon YMCA in Saskatoon.

Fourth seed Sharp led the domestic charge - but the 27-year-old from Toronto was stretched for exactly an hour before prevailing 11-8, 8-11, 15-13, 12-10 over Qatar junior star Abdulla Mohd Al Tamimi, the 18-year-old world No 99 from Doha making his Tour debut in Canada.

"This much-anticipated matchup of the solid Sharp, a Saskatoon favourite, and the up-and-coming Tamimi had the crowd abuzz - and it did not disappoint," reported tournament promoter Brad Birnie. "Making his first appearance at the Boast, Tamimi won the Sharp-partisan crowd over with his speed and quick smile as the two players exchanged the first two games.

"The next two were classics, the gritty Sharp winning the crucial third after saving three game-balls. Tamimi saved three match balls in the fourth, but an unforced tin on a cross-court drive ended it."

Sharp progresses to face England's Michael Harris - who denied the crowd an all-Canadian quarter-final when he upset higher-ranked Michael McCue, from Toronto, 11-7, 11-3, 11-5.

Canadian Matthew Serediak, celebrating his eighth successive appearance in the event, made the last eight for the first time when he defeated compatriot David Letourneau 11-5, 11-5, 11-8.

"Matt just played better today," conceded 24-year-old Letourneau, from Calgary.

Regina-born 29-year-old Serediak now faces the event's toughest opponent, top seed Karim Ali Fathi. The 20-year-old Egyptian, making his Saskatoon debut, defeated qualifier Carlos Cornes Ribadas 11-4, 4-11, 11-7, 11-7 - but it took the world No 41 65 minutes to overcome the Spaniard ranked more than 120 places lower.

Calgary's Andrew Schnell completes the Canadian trio in the last eight after beating Englishman Thomas Ford 11-4, 11-5, 11-2. Unseeded Schnell now faces second-seeded New Zealander Martin Knight, who survived a tough straight games battle with Australian Scott Arnold.

2006 champion Eric Galvez took a step closer towards a second appearance in the final after dismissing Justin Beard. But the unseeded Mexican, who beat Beard 3/0 just a week ago at the GoodLife Open, had a close shave this time when taken the full distance by the Australian, before coming through 11-4, 9-11, 11-5, 9-11, 11-6 after 71 minutes.

RESULTS: PSA Challenger 10 Prairie Auto Haus Saskatoon Boast Open, Saskatoon, Canada

1st round:
[1] Karim Ali Fathi (EGY) bt Carlos Cornes Ribadas (ESP) 11-4, 4-11, 11-7, 11-7 (65m)
Matthew Serediak (CAN) bt David Letourneau (CAN) 11-5, 11-5, 11-8 (35m)
Michael Harris (ENG) bt Michael McCue (CAN) 11-7, 11-3, 11-5 (31m)
[4] Dane Sharp (CAN) bt Abdulla Mohd Al Tamimi (QAT) 11-8, 8-11, 15-13, 12-10 (60m)
[3] Farhan Zaman (PAK) bt Steven London (ENG) 11-6, 11-8, 11-5 (30m)
Eric Galvez (MEX) bt Justin Beard (AUS) 11-4, 9-11, 11-5, 9-11, 11-6 (71m)
Andrew Schnell (CAN) bt Thomas Ford (ENG) 11-4, 11-5, 11-2 (22m)
[2] Martin Knight (NZL) bt Scott Arnold (AUS) 11-5, 11-9, 11-7 (33m)

Quarter-final line-up:
[1] Karim Ali Fathi (EGY) v Matthew Serediak (CAN)
[4] Dane Sharp (CAN) v Michael Harris (ENG)
[3] Farhan Zaman (PAK) v Eric Galvez (MEX)
[2] Martin Knight (NZL) v Andrew Schnell (CAN)