Home Final In Prospect In Melbourne
by Howard Harding

12 July 2013 - Queenslander Steven Finitsis continued his recent run of good form to upset second-seeded New Zealander Martin Knight in today's quarter-finals of the Victorian Open in Melbourne to set up the prospect of an all-Australian final of the PSA World Tour Challenger 10 squash event at the Melbourne Sports & Aquatic Centre.

A week after reaching the final of the Buler Challenge Cup in Hong Kong against expectations, the 30-year-old from Innisfail downed Knight 11-8, 7-11, 11-6, 11-3 in just over an hour to claim an unexpected place in the last four.

Finitsis, who is playing his first tournament in Australia in almost three years, will now play Ivan Yuen for a place in Sunday's final after the young Malaysian upset third-seeded Australian Zac Alexander 11-7, 11-9, 8-11, 4-11, 11-6.

Finitsis defeated 22-year-old Yuen at the same stage of last week's Hong Kong tournament.

The second semi-final will be between top seed and defending champion Campbell Grayson of New Zealand and New South Welshman Matthew Karwalski.

Grayson saw off dangerous Indian Mahesh Mangaonkar 11-8, 11-4, 12-10, while fourth seed Karwalski took an hour and a half before edging AIS teammate Rex Hedrick, the No5 seed, 9-11, 11-7, 14-12, 4-11, 11-8.

RESULTS: PSA Challenger 10 Victorian Open, Melbourne, Australia

Quarter-finals:
[1] Campbell Grayson (NZL) bt Mahesh Mangaonkar (IND) 11-8, 11-4, 12-10 (46m)
[4] Matthew Karwalski (AUS) bt [5] Rex Hedrick (AUS) 9-11, 11-7, 14-12, 4-11, 11-8 (91m)
[7] Ivan Yuen (MAS) bt [3] Zac Alexander (AUS) 11-7, 11-9, 8-11, 4-11, 11-6 (65m)
[8] Steven Finitsis (AUS) bt [2] Martin Knight (NZL) 11-8, 7-11, 11-6, 11-3 (65m)

Semi-final line-up:
[1] Campbell Grayson (NZL) v [4] Matthew Karwalski (AUS)
[8] Steven Finitsis (AUS) v [7] Ivan Yuen (MAS)