Top Seeds Get To Galway Final
by Howard Harding
7 April 2012 - The top two seeds Joe Lee and Mark Krajcsak will line up in the final of the Paddy 'Whack' West of Ireland Open after prevailing in today's contrasting semi-finals in the PSA World Tour International 10 squash event in its sixth year at Galway Lawn Tennis Club in Galway.
English favourite Lee had a comfortable 11-3, 11-1, 11-7 win over Rasmus Nielsen, the No3 seed from Denmark, to claim the eight final World Tour appearance of his career.
Nine-time Hungarian champion Krajcsak took on local hero Arthur Gaskin, the Irish qualifier who pulled off two impressive upsets to claim a shock place in the event's last four.
"A large local crowd gathered for the match and were willing Gaskin on from the start, which had to be a help to the Irishman," said tournament organiser Edwin Brennan. "As always with matches of this level the opening game always has more than its fair share of long and punishing rallies.
"Krajcsak, I'm sure, wanted to keep the pace high and rallies long keen to exploit any fatigue Gaskin may have been suffering from. However Gaskin looked quite fresh considering. Krajcsak dictated the pace early on and worked Gaskin extremely well playing a combination of very tight drops and lovely lengths."
But it was the end of the line for the brave Dublin-born 27-year-old who is the reigning Irish champion as Krajcsak battled through to an 11-5, 11-8, 9-11, 11-2 victory in 65 minutes to reach the 15th Tour final of his career.
RESULTS: PSA International 10 Paddy 'Whack' West of Ireland Open, Galway, Ireland
Semi-finals:
[1] Joe Lee (ENG) bt [3] Rasmus Nielsen (DEN) 11-3, 11-1, 11-7 (34m)
[2] Mark Krajcsak (HUN) bt [Q] Arthur Gaskin (IRL) 11-5, 11-8, 9-11, 11-2 (65m)
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