All-English Semifinals in Kent Open by Alan Thatcher
pictures by KIM ROBERTS
May 10, 2013
- Top seed Adrian Waller withstood a fierce onslaught from former
champion Chris Ryder to reach the semi-finals of the SE Leisure Kent
Open.
Waller’s 76-minute victory ended Ryder’s unbeaten record at The
Mote Squash Club as the match developed into a compelling, physical and
hugely entertaining quarter-final battle.
Ryder, twice a Kent Open champion at The Mote, winning marathon finals
against Aaron Frankcomb and Max Lee, was clearly up for the fight
against an opponent nine years his junior.
The opening game lasted 25 minutes and Ryder forced his way back from
6-2 down to take the lead at 10-9. Waller hit back to hold the upper
hand and Ryder saved two game balls before clinching the tiebreak 16-14.
The effort clearly took its toll as Ryder succumbed 11-4 in a 10-minute
second game. Ryder suffered a hand injury at the start of the third
game but returned to the court after a three-minute injury
break.
Waller managed to stay in front throughout to win it 11-6 and the
fourth followed a similar pattern with rallies that demanded an
enormous physical investment from both players.
From 8-8 the crowd were willing Ryder to take the match to five, but it was Waller who finished in decisive fashion.
Waller meets Joel Hinds in the last four after the 25-year-old wild
card from Birmingham subdued gritty Yorkshire qualifier James Earles.
The hard-hitting Hinds dominated the opening game but the second and
third were full of brutal rallies as Earles retrieved with incredible
speed and shared the spoils at the front of the court.
It was hugely entertaining squash for the packed gallery and even
though Hinds is always a popular visitor to The Mote, many were willing
Earles to extend the match as long as possible.
Seeing two athletes slug it out in this fashion produces the purest
form of sporting combat and Hinds was mightily relieved to leave court
with a 3-0 win under his belt.
Ironically, after so many punishing rallies, the match-winning shot was
a miscued backhand drop shot that spun down off the front wall and died
in the front left corner with Earles stranded.
Quick victories for Jonathan Kemp and Joe Lee made it an all-English line-up in the semi-finals.
Stylish No.2 seed Kemp dominated play throughout to overwhelm Declan
James in 22 minutes, while Lee was on the way to a similar victory when
his opponent Yann Perrin fell heavily and retired with a hamstring
injury.
Watching national coach Chris Robertson will have been pleased to see
four English players win through, with two pulsating semi-finals in
prospect.
The Kent Open is sponsored by SE Leisure, Craft Insure, Shepherd Neame, The Mote Squash Club and Harrow Sports.
PSA World Tour Challenger 10 SE Leisure Kent Open, at The Mote Squash Club, Maidstone, Kent.
Quarter-Finals:
(1) Adrian Waller (Eng) beat Chris Ryder (Eng) 14-16, 11-4, 11-6, 11-8 (76 mins)
(WC) Joel Hinds (Eng) beat (Q) James Earles (Eng) 11-4, 15-13, 13-11 (45 mins)
(3) Joe Lee (Eng) beat Yann Perrin (France) 11-5, 11-4, 3-0 retired (23 mins)
(2) Jonathan Kemp (Eng) beat Declan James (Eng) 11-2, 11-9, 11-7 (22 mins)