Canada’s Delierre Shocks US #1 Illingworth
In First Round of US Open Qualifying
from DailySquashReport.com
September 29, 2011 - In a stunning upset before a Merion Cricket Club crowd, steady Shawn Delierre of Montreal crushed US national champion and world #27 Julian Illingworth in 31 minutes last night to advance to the final round of qualifying at the $115,000 US Open in Philadelphia.
Delierre won the first game 11-4 and never encountered any significant resistance, as he easily closed out the match 11-5 and 11-6.
The 29-year-old Delierre is ranked 27 spots below Illingworth, at #54 in the world.
Illingworth beat Delierre in a four-game final in July to capture the Squashworks Salt Lake City Open, yet Delierre showed his toughness in that event by winning both a 95-minute quarter and a 105-minute semi under mile-high summer conditions.
At the subsequent World Teams in Germany, Team Canada finished a disappointing 15th but nearly overlooked was the play of Delierre, who went 5-0 at the #2 spot, while Illingworth, as the US #1, struggled with his consistency and finished 3-4.
Still, few expected last night’s shockingly one-sided result.
Delierre will face PSA #62 Julien Balbo of France in tonight’s final round of qualifying.
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