Golan Upsets Mosaad To Make $35K Dayton Final
by Howard Harding
10 November 2012 - In a dramatic semi-final lasting more than two hours, fourth-seeded Spaniard Borja Golan upset favourite Omar Mosaad in five games to make the final of the EBS Dayton Open, the PSA World Tour International 35 event in its ninth year at the Dayton Squash Center in Dayton, Ohio, USA.
Mosaad, the world No11 from Cairo and a finalist in last week's PSA International 75 Abierto Mexicano de Raquetas in Mexico, twice led the world No18 from Santiago de Compostela.
But 29-year-old Golan, a former world No10, was determined to maintain his unbeaten Tour record against the younger Egyptian and held his nerve to close out the match 8-11, 11-5, 8-11, 11-6, 15-13 after 128 minutes.
"It was crazy stuff with a packed house," said tournament promoter Charlie Johnson. "Incredible points, but Omar seemed a bit flat when it really mattered and Borja has played inspired squash all week."
A disconsolate Mosaad told his Twitter followers later: "More than 2 hours I lost my match against Borja Golan 3.2 15.13 :( i am frustrated :("
Golan, now celebrating his 36th final on the PSA World Tour, will face second seed Alister Walker.
The world No12 from Botswana brought to an end the brave run of Ryan Cuskelly, the unseeded Australian who ousted his higher-ranked compatriot Cameron Pilley to reach the semis.
"Alister Walker finally won a match in under five games," exclaimed Johnson. "He went overtime to win game one, fought hard to keep control and win game two, saw game three go to Cuskelly due to a lapse in concentration, and then Walker poured on in to win 11-3 in the fourth - winning seven straight rallies to take the match."
The 12-10, 11-8, 7-11, 11-3 victory in 59 minutes takes the New York-based 30-year-old into his 12th Tour final.
Interestingly, Golan's 128-minute semi-final was the second longest match of his Tour career. And his longest, a 131-minute battle for the Berkshire Open title in the USA only seven months ago, was against Walker!
RESULTS: PSA International 35 EBS Dayton Open, Dayton, Ohio, USA
Semi-finals:
[4] Borja Golan (ESP) bt [1] Omar Mosaad (EGY) 8-11, 11-5, 8-11, 11-6, 15-13 (128m)
[2] Alister Walker (BOT) bt Ryan Cuskelly (AUS) 12-10, 11-8, 7-11, 11-3 (59m)
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