Gaultier Advances, Rodriguez Over
Commpinger in $70K PSA Toluca by Howard Harding 20 September 2013
- Currently adjacent in the PSA world top 20, David Palmer protégés
Miguel Angel Rodriguez and Stephen Coppinger had all to play for in the
opening round of the Abierto Mexicano de Raquetas, the PSA World Tour
International 70 squash event in its second year in Toluca, Mexico.
Both players (pictured
in action above) have credited their recent arrival amongst the world's
top 20 elite to working with Palmer, the illustrious US-based
Australian former world number one and twice world champion.
But it was Rodriguez,
the world No16 from Colombia, who prevailed on the all-glass court at
Alameda Park - beating 17th-ranked South African Coppinger 11-8, 11-3,
11-7 in 42 minutes.
The 27-year-old Pan
American champion from Bogota now meets fourth seed Omar Mosaad, the
world No11 from Egypt who was stretched to four games by Nicolas
Mueller (both pictured below) before seeing off his top-ranked Swiss
opponent 11-9, 9-11, 11-8, 11-6.
But the Mexican crowd
was treated to a significant upset when qualifier Alfredo Avila battled
from a game down to beat England's world No34 Adrian Waller 8-11, 11-7,
11-7, 16-14 in 55 minutes.
The 22-year-old world
No58 from Mexico City - the lowest-ranked player in the draw -
progresses to face third seed Borja Golan for a place in the
semi-finals.
It was a good night
for Egypt's Elshorbagy family after brothers Mohamed Elshorbagy and
Marwan Elshorbagy both secured places in the quarter-finals.
Second seed Mohamed
beat Mexican wild card Cesar Salazar 11-5, 11-5, 11-7, while younger
brother Marwan, the 20-year-old former world junior champion ranked 29
in the world, upset England's world No22 Tom Richards 11-5, 11-2, 11-4.
RESULTS: PSA
International 70 Abierto Mexicano de Raquetas, Toluca, Mexico
