Illingworth Loses In Four To Cameron Pilley In Montreal $35K First Round
from DailySquashReport.com
March 21, 2012 - 15th-ranked Cameron Pilley of Australia out-steadied top American Julian Illingworth in four games last night to advance to the quarterfinals of the $35,000 Banque Nationale PSA Open in Montreal.
It was a rough day all around for North American players, as Canada's Andrew Schnell lost to Martin Knight, Canada's Shawn Delierre lost to Tom Richards, and Mexico's Cesar Salazar fell to Alan Clyne.
In the final round of qualifying, US #2 Chris Gordon lost 13-11 in the fourth to Australian Steve Finitsis.
Yvon Provencal Files This Report:
Mathieu Castagnet (FRA) beat Raphael Kandra(GER) 11-5, 8-11, 11-7, 11-5
Le 1er match de la journée pouvait s’avérer long, comme les joueurs avaient les jambes reposées, Kandra ayant gagné son match de qualification par défaut hier. Dans la première partie, les échanges étaient très similaires de la part des deux joueurs, qui augmentaient la vitesse du jeu et utilisaient l’avant du court sans trop de risques. Castagnet s’en tire 11-5, avec des coups un peu plus précis en fin d’échanges. Dans la 2e partie, on voit le même type d’échanges non risqués, mais cette fois c’est Kandra qui prend l’avance 4-0 avec un peu plus de déception de l’avant du terrain. Castagnet fait une remontée en gardant la balle en jeu, Kandra s’impatientant un peu. Kandra gagne la 2e 11-8 avec des amortis parfaits, après des échanges où peu sépare les 2 joueurs.
Kandra part en force en prenant Castagnet à contre-pied sur 2 boasts flottant du Français. Castagnet se reprend et l’Allemand fait plusieurs erreurs pour donner une partie d’avance au Français, qui ne semble pas encore incommodé par la fatigue. Dans la quatrième, les deux jouent un style similaire et tentent de fatiguer l’autre en utilisant beaucoup plus l’avant du terrain, mais l’Allemand est visiblement frustré alors que Castagnet va tout chercher et ne fait aucune erreur. Castagnet gagne le match 11-5, 8-11, 11-7, 11-5.
Steve Finitsis (AUS) beat Jan Koukal (CZE) 11-7, 11-8, 11-7
Le début de ce match contrastait avec le précédent. Les deux joueurs jouaient très serré et surtout en parallèle, chacun essayant d’ajuster sa longueur. Finitsis gagne la 1e 11-7 grâce à quelques « kills » gagnants dans le nick surtout de son coup droit. L’Australien part la 2e en force, ralentissant bien le jeu lorsqu’il est en défensive et frappant de nombreux coups gagnants, prenant une avance de 6-0. Koukal s’ajuste en ajoutant plus d’amortis dans son jeu, enlevant l’Australien de sa zone de confort et remonte à 7-8. L’Australien réussit à fermer la partie 11-8 en faisant tourner le tchèque avec des coups forts et bas en croisé. Le début de la 3e voit plusieurs points rapides jusqu’à 4-4, puis les rallies s’allongent, les 2 étant poussés physiquement plus que dans tout le reste du match. L’Australien prend 3 points rapides à 7-7 sur des coups gagnants après des balles décollées de Koukal. Il gagne le match 11-7, 11-8, 11-7 sur une erreur de Koukal.
Cesar Salazar (MEX) vs. Alan Clyne (SCO)
In the first game, the strong Scotsman worked the Mexican qualifier around the court, making him cover a lot of ground, particularly off of an effective, quickly-struck straight drop from both sides. After winning the first game comfortably, Clyne took the foot off the gas just slightly, while Salazar responded with a tight and nearly faultless game to level the match at 1-1. In the third, Salazar confirmed his high-altitude origins by showing that he could run. A lot. During a diving effort at 5-7, Salazar reopened a cut on his hand from a previous match, which – judging from the way he lay sprawled out in star formation on the floor – showed that the marathon man could finally use a breather. When he returned, Clyne found his range again and rattled off a string of points to take the 3rd. The Mexican finally started to wobble physically in the 4th, and the Scot took full advantage, closing out the match in just over an hour, and ending a fine run for the talented Cesar Salazar.
Andrew Schnell (CAN) vs. Martin Knight (NZL)
There was not that much between these two players, however, Knight was clearly the fresher of the two, and you could see this at the key points late in the first and second games, when Schnell (with two matches already under his belt) took some fatigued swipes at balls that ended up in the tin. The Kiwi was in clear control throughout the 3rd, as the Canadian didn`t have anything left in the tank. And so Martin Knight advances safely to the 2nd round.
Julian Illingworth (USA) vs. Cameron Pilley (AUS)
This match-up featured two big men crunching the ball, in a dynamic that looked very different from any match until now. Illingworth, with his knee-high socks à la Lincou, got the better of Pilley in the first, mixing some nice winners with some very strange whiffs on the ball. The Australian didn`t look bothered though, laughing at his opponent`s uncharacteristically amateurish mistakes and slowly working his way into the match; he took the second comfortably. The American didn`t seem to have the conditioning (or perhaps the interest) to build long rallies, choosing a high risk game, and succeeding only sporadically. In the end, Pilley was the more consistent and steady of the two, taking this rocky match, 3-1.
Mohammad Abbas (EGY) vs. Thierry Lincou (FRA)
This was a nice match-up between two veterans of the game, the former #1 against the former #13 in the world. The 35-year-old Frenchman – built like a gladiator and playing his signature technician style – was a bit too tight and consistent for the lanky, experienced 31-year-old Egyptian in the first. In the second, Lincou made several outright winners to take the game comfortably. Up until the third, Abbas was playing a straightforward up-and-down game, but changed tactics in the third throwing in more angles and deception helping him take a quick 5-0 lead. The mentally strong Lincou came back with consistent play, levelling at 10-all, and, to his great relief, hanging on to win in extra points and taking the match 3-0, having averted a dangerous first round opponent.
Shawn Delierre (CAN) vs. Tom Richards (ENG)
The crowd was excited to see local favorite Shawn Delierre match up against world #20 Tom Richards of England. The match started with Delierre attacking at seemingly every opportunity, making several winning shots as well as unforced errors, while Richards showed discomfort with the court. Richards found his consistent play in the second while Delierre tired, squaring the match at 1-1. Delierre came out strong in the third taking a 6-3 lead, but his fatigue was evident as Richards made 8 straight points to win the third and took the fourth with relative ease to finish the match 3-1.
Hisham Ashour (EGY) vs. Jonathan Kemp (ENG)
The last match of the night saw first seed and last year`s winner Hisham Ashour take on world #38 Jonathan Kemp. Ashour was on his game right from the beginning making tricky shots and impressive gets, but Kemp followed suit with his own hard hitting and shot making. Ashour powered through a tight first, but couldn`t come back from a 7-1 deficit in the second leaving the match in a 1-1 draw. The intense pace continued into the third with the players neck and neck at 8-8 when Kemp made two costly errors and Ashour a winner to finish the game. The Egyptian had a nearly flawless fourth while Kemp made several errors, and the game finished quickly leaving Ashour on top 3-1.
Final Round Qualifying
Steve Finitsis (AUS) beats Chris Gordon (USA) 11-2, 9-11, 11-9, 13-11 (plays Koukal)
In the first of this evening`s matches, Australian Steve Finitsis started off quickly, having no trouble finding the nick on his attacking shots, while the American Chris Gordon looked as if he was just waking up from a nice nap, not able to find any penetrating shots to bother the Australian. Gordon slowed the game down in the second in order to get his length and Finitsis obliged, which was not the best idea as he started making a number of errors at this slower pace, ultimately losing the 2nd. A slew of unnecessary errors from Gordon let the Australian run away with the lead 8-2 in the 3rd, and despite a valiant attempt at a comeback, Finitsis held on 11-9. The 4th was neck and neck, but Finitsis was able to return to a more authoritative attacking pace, clinching the match 11-9 after two disappointing errors in the end by Gordon.
Raphael Kandra (GER) beats Arturo Salazar (MEX) 4-0 ret.
Nothing to report here as an injured Salazar defaulted 4 points into the match, allowing the German to waltz right into the main draw.
Andrew Schnell (CAN) beats Eric Galvez (MEX) 13-11, 8-11, 8-11, 11-8, 11-7 (plays Knight)
The young Canadian from out West started off the match showing maturity beyond his years, slowing down the pace against an opponent who much prefers a road-runner style of play. Keeping the ball tight and patiently waiting for his opportunities, Schnell took the first 13-11. The experienced Galvez forced his way into the second however, managing to dictate the pace and go for his attacking shots, while Schnell got distracted a bit by a number of calls not coming out in his favour; Galvez equalized in the process. This was an entertaining clash of styles as the stocky and explosive Mexican would score points on the attack, while the lanky and efficient-moving Canadian would respond on the counter-offense. Galvez proved a touch better in the 3rd, going up 2-1. In the 4th, Schnell looked fresh as a peach (and not only because of his complexion!) taking a quick 4-0 lead and backing up his own assertion that ``I`m pretty quick`` with some beautifully struck drop shots. He held on to level the match 2-all. The straight drop was certainly the featured shot of the match: Schnell hitting it softly and glued to the wall, while Galvez looked to carve it down sharply into the nick. The drop closed the court every time it was struck, and they knew this all too well, as they were now both taking it in at any given opportunity. Down 9-6 in the fifth, Galvez opened the door unexpectedly and gave the ref the middle finger. But only because it was bleeding. A few minutes later, he came back on, but couldn`t hold on as the young Canadian continued to fire punishing drops that were a bit too much for the Mexican. So a smiling Schnell takes revenge on Galvez (after a punishing loss in the gold medal match of the Pan-Am Games) and qualifies into the main draw, after a highly entertaining and amicably contested match.
Cesar Salazar (MEX) beats Dane Sharp (CAN) 11-4, 12-10, 3-0 ret. (plays Clyne)
In the final match of the night, the slight and lightning fast Salazar came flying out of the gates (perhaps aided by a higher level of comfort with the court, after spending nearly 2 hours on it in yesterday`s match!) taking the first 11-4 with few long rallies. Sharp looked hurried and out of sorts, but managed to dig his heels in early in the second. He managed to go up 10-8, but the cool Mexican calmly hit two dead rollers and then two cross-court flicks that sent Sharp the wrong way and gave Salazar the second 12-10. The third was anti-climatic, as the Canadian had to default early on due to a knee injury, giving Cesar Salazar the relatively easy win into the main draw.
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