Selby Sails Through PSA Bluenose Opener in Nova Scotia
by Howard Harding

18 October 2013 - England's Daryl Selby, seeded to make it third time lucky after two runner-up finishes, sailed through the first round of the Fiera Properties Bluenose Squash Classic in Canada to secure a place in the quarter-finals of the PSA World Tour International 35 event in its eighth successive year at Saint Mary's University Homburg Centre in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

The world No14 from Essex, beaten finalist in 2010 and 2012, faced top-ranked Mexican Cesar Salazar. At 1-2 down in the opening game, Selby strung together 10 consecutive points to take the game 11-2.

From seven-all in the second, the favourite pulled away to establish a two-game lead.

"In the third game, it appeared that Selby (pictured above, left, with Salazar) was in control as he commanded an early 5-2 lead," said event spokesman Jon Boody. "Salazar was not ready to surrender as he went on a four point spree to go ahead 6-5. In Selby fashion, his patience throughout long rallies paid off as he dominated the next five rallies to take game three 11-6 for a 3/0 match win."

Selby will now face fellow countryman Eddie Charlton for a place in the semi-finals. Charlton, the world No63 from Nottingham, pulled off a confidence-boosting upset over Steven Finitsis, ranked five places higher.

But the Australian extended Charlton to five games - and 112 minutes - before the 25-year-old Englishman secured the 11-8, 7-11, 2-11, 11-7, 14-12 win which gained him a place in the next round.

The decider was a dramatic affair in which Charlton squandered five match-balls from 10-5 - then had to save two match-balls against him before finally clinching victory.

But a longer match took place in the other half of the draw where Mexican qualifier Eric Galvez (pictured in the match above, right) - the lowest-ranked player in the draw - managed a mighty upset over Muhd Asyraf Azan, beating the world No65 from Malaysia 11-7, 11-7, 11-13, 11-8 in 127 minutes.

The marathon encounter marks the longest winning match in the 14-year PSA Tour career of 30-year-old former world No33 Galvez.

The experienced Mexican now takes on PanAm rival Miguel Angel Rodriguez, the third seed from Colombia. The world No16 from Bogota ended all Salazar interest in the event when he beat Cesar's twin brother Arturo Salazar, a qualifier, 11-8, 11-7, 11-3.

New Zealander Martin Knight celebrated his seventh successive Bluenose Classic appearance by overcoming Czech qualifier Jan Koukal 11-9, 11-4, 7-11, 12-10 in 64 minutes.

The world No47 from Auckland, competing in his sixth PSA Tour event in his fourth country since early September, will now face No2 seed Alister Walker.

The world No15 from Botswana battled for more than an hour to quash French qualifier Lucas Serme 16-14, 8-11, 11-4, 11-6.

RESULTS: PSA International 35 Fiera Properties Bluenose Classic, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

1st round:
[1] Daryl Selby (ENG) bt Cesar Salazar (MEX) 11-2, 12-10, 11-6 (46m)
Eddie Charlton (ENG) bt Steven Finitsis (AUS) 11-8, 7-11, 2-11, 11-7, 14-12 (112m)
Campbell Grayson (NZL) bt Shaun le Roux (RSA) 11-7, 11-2, 11-6 (37m)
[4] Laurens Jan Anjema (NED) bt Rex Hedrick (AUS) 11-9, 11-2, 11-2 (34m)
[3] Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL) bt [Q] Arturo Salazar (MEX) 11-8, 11-7, 11-3 (29m)
[Q] Eric Galvez (MEX) bt Muhd Asyraf Azan (MAS) 11-7, 11-7, 11-13, 11-8 (127m)
Martin Knight (NZL) bt [Q] Jan Koukal (CZE) 11-9, 11-4, 7-11, 12-10 (64m)
[2] Alister Walker (BOT) bt [Q] Lucas Serme (FRA) 16-14, 8-11, 11-4, 11-6 (61m)

Quarter-final line-up:
[1] Daryl Selby (ENG) v Eddie Charlton (ENG)
[4] Laurens Jan Anjema (NED) v Campbell Grayson (NZL)
[3] Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL) v [Q] Eric Galvez (MEX)
[2] Alister Walker (BOT) v Martin Knight (NZL)