DailySquashReport.com

Kiwi Williams Downs Chris Gordon In PSA Brazil Challenger
by Howard Harding

1 June 2012 - Unheralded New Zealander Evan Williams caused the biggest first round upset in the Cerdil Open in Brazil when he despatched fourth seed Christopher Gordon to claim an unexpected place in the quarter-finals of the PSA World Tour Challenger 10 squash event in its third year at the Shopping Avenida Center in Dourados.

The 22-year-old from Wellington, ranked outside the world top 120 and competing for the first time in Brazil, recovered from a game down to beat world No 70 Gordon, the US number two, 7-11, 12-10, 11-6, 11-8 in 63 minutes.

Williams will now face Gonzalo Miranda after the Argentinean beat local hope Manoel Pereira, a qualifier from Sao Paulo in Brazil, 5-11, 12-10, 11-6, 11-6 also in 63 minutes.

Brazilian interest in the event now rests solely with third seed Rafael Alarcon. Fresh from his title triumph in last week's Paraguay Open, world No79 from Sao Paulo took just 25 minutes to overcome English qualifier Luke Butterworth 11-5, 11-6, 11-8 and will now take on Argentina's Hernan D'Arcangelo for a place in the semi-finals.

RESULTS: PSA Challenger 10 Cerdil Open, Dourados, Brazil

1st round:
[1] Jan Koukal (CZE) bt [Q] Arnaldo Vasconcellos (BRA) 11-2, 11-2, 11-7 (16m)
Joan Lezaud (FRA) bt [Q] Juan Pablo Roude (ARG) 11-5, 11-13, 11-5, 11-5 (38m)
Gonzalo Miranda (ARG) bt [Q] Manoel Pereira (BRA) 5-11, 12-10, 11-6, 11-6 (63m)
Evan Williams (NZL) bt [4] Christopher Gordon (USA) 7-11, 12-10, 11-6, 11-8 (63m)
[3] Rafael Alarcon (BRA) bt [Q] Luke Butterworth (ENG) 11-5, 11-6, 11-8 (25m)
Hernan D'Arcangelo (ARG) bt Vinicius Rodrigues (BRA) 10-12, 13-11, 11-9, 11-4 (55m)
Fabien Verseille (FRA) bt Fernando Lopez (MEX) 11-8, 7-11, 11-2, 13-11 (65m)
[2] Andrew Wagih Shoukry (EGY) bt Leandro Romiglio Fernandez (ESP) 11-6, 3-1 ret. (11m)

Quarter-final line-up:
[1] Jan Koukal (CZE) v Joan Lezaud (FRA)
Evan Williams (NZL) v Gonzalo Miranda (ARG)
[3] Rafael Alarcon (BRA) v Hernan D'Arcangelo (ARG)
[2] Andrew Wagih Shoukry (EGY) v Fabien Verseille (FRA)