Koukal Closes In On Half Century In Brazil from PSA Media April 22, 2014
- Czech squash star Jan Koukal celebrated his 49th PSA World Tour final
appearance in perfect style when he beat Argentina's Robertino Pezzota
in the climax of the Cerdil Open, the PSA Challenger 10 event in its
fifth year in Brazil, but its first at the Shopping Norte Sul Plaza in
Campo Grande. The No.2 seed from
Prague, ranked 70 in the world, was expected to reach the event's
climax – unlike his South American opponent, the World No.196 who was
forced to qualify in what was his first Tour appearance since June last
year. Qualifier Pezzota, a
31-year-old from Rosario, downed No.7 seed Matias Tuomi, then
third-seeded compatriot Gonzalo Miranda, before taking the event's
biggest scalp – Australia's No.1 seed Matthew Karwalski – to reach the
final. It was Pezzoto's
fourth appearance in a PSA Tour final – and the underdog stunned the
experienced Koukal by taking the opening game. But the 14-time Czech
champion, competing in his seventh Tour event this year, soon regained
control – winning the next three games to score an impressive 9-11,
11-8, 11-5, 11-3 title triumph in 46 minutes. The success marks 30-year-old Koukal's second Tour title of the year – and the 29th of his career!
Presentation picture below features Koukal (second from right) and runner-up Pezzoto (third from left) RESULTS: PSA Challenger 10 Cerdil Open, Campo Grande, Brazil 1st round: [1] Matthew Karwalski (AUS) bt [Q] Diego Elias (PER) 7-11, 11-6, 11-3, 8-11, 11-9 (75m) Vinicius Rodrigues (BRA) bt [5] Joan Lezaud (FRA) 12-10, 13-11, 11-7 (41m) [Q] Robertino Pezzota (ARG) bt [7] Matias Tuomi (FIN) 11-6, 5-11, 11-3, 11-5 (45m) [3] Gonzalo Miranda (ARG) bt Jonathan Maloney (ENG) 9-11, 12-10, 11-4, 11-6 (52m) [4] Joe Chapman (IVB) bt Hernan D'Arcangelo (ARG) 12-10, 4-11, 11-7, 7-11, 11-9 (70m) [6] Michael Harris (ENG) bt [WC] Arnaldo De Vasconcelos (BRA) 11-5, 11-4, 11-3 (28m) [8] Robert Downer (ENG) bt [Q] Josimar Silva (BRA) 11-9, 4-11, 11-7, 10-12, 12-10 (75m) [2] Jan Koukal (CZE) bt [Q] Juan Pablo Roude (ARG) 11-7, 11-9, 11-7 (30m) Quarter-finals: [1] Matthew Karwalski (AUS) bt Vinicius Rodrigues (BRA) 11-8, 11-7, 11-7 (35m) [Q] Robertino Pezzota (ARG) bt [3] Gonzalo Miranda (ARG) 11-9, 11-5, 11-3 (48m) [6] Michael Harris (ENG) bt [4] Joe Chapman (IVB) 11-5, 11-1, 9-11, 5-11, 11-6 (75m) [2] Jan Koukal (CZE) bt [8] Robert Downer (ENG) 11-8, 11-5, 8-11, 11-5 (42m) Semi-finals: [Q] Robertino Pezzota (ARG) bt [1] Matthew Karwalski (AUS) 11-6, 11-9, 7-11, 11-6 (63m) [2] Jan Koukal (CZE) bt [6] Michael Harris (ENG) 11-8, 11-9, 11-4 (40m) Final: [2] Jan Koukal (CZE) bt [Q] Robertino Pezzota (ARG) 9-11, 11-8, 11-5, 11-3 (46m)
