World Champions To Boost Duffield Dunlop PSL Final Bid by Howard Harding 7 April 2014
- Former champions Benz-Bavarian Duffield will make Premier Squash
League (PSL) history in tomorrow's (Tuesday) semi-finals by fielding
two world champions in their bid to reach the final of the of the
world's most prestigious squash league, supported by Dunlop, for the
second year in a row and the seventh time since 1995.
The Derbyshire club,
PSL champions in 1998, 2006 and 2007, host Exeter Diamonds - and will
be led by men's world squash champion Nick Matthew, the world No2 from
Sheffield, and newly-crowned women's world champion Laura Massaro, the
world No2 from Preston.
Matthew (pictured
above with Massaro) faces the Devon club's number one Omar Mosaad, the
world No13 from Egypt, while Massaro lines up against England's
reigning European Junior Champion Victoria Temple Murray.
Matthew is celebrating
his 11th successive season for Duffield - and victory in the
semi-finals would mark a league record 40th win in a row.
Duffield's South
African number one Stephen Coppinger, fresh from title victory in the
PSA International 25 Northern Ontario Championship in Canada at the
weekend, will take on 15-time Finnish champion Olli Tuominen, while
Joel Hinds and Joey Barrington mark the third string line-up, and PSL
stalwarts Andy Whipp and Tim Vail (making their 9th and 11th
appearances this season for Duffield and Exeter, respectively) face
each other in the fourth string clash.
"We're really pleased
to make the semi-finals again, and more so, proud to have two current
World Champions playing," said Duffield team manager Felix Frixou.
"It's a big day for us at Duffield Squash Club. We look forward to a
good night!"
Defending champions
Integrity Surrey Health & Racquets entertain Yorkshire opponents
Chapel Allerton in the other semi. Croydon-based Surrey Health are
celebrating their eighth successive appearance in the play-offs and
will ultimately be hoping to extend their record four titles in a row.
Leeds club Chapel Allerton are back in the semis for the second time
since winning the title in 2009.
The top string clash
is an all-Essex encounter between England team-mates Peter Barker and
Daryl Selby - world No7 Barker leading Surrey Health for the seventh
successive season, while world No10 Selby is marking his maiden season
for Chapel A.
The second string
match is another mouth-watering prospect between the hosts' experienced
England international Adrian Grant and Chris Simpson, the Guernsey-born
27-year-old who broke into the world top 20 this month - while the
third string battle will see former British Junior Champion Adrian
Waller take on UK-based South African Shaun le Roux.
Davide Bianchetti, the
Italian number one in his eighth Surrey season, lines up against
21-year-old Yorkshireman James Earles in fourths match - and the
women's duel will see 18-year-old English Junior Champion Nada
Elkalaawy do battle with the visitors' former European Junior Champion
Carrie Ramsey.
"We are all delighted
at Chapel to reach the semis but we don't want it to end there," said
the club's team manager Simon Parke. "We are aiming for a second
success in London in consecutive weeks and all five players will be
leaving everything on the court.
"Surrey Health are
favourites in the tie but only by a slender margin and it could go
either way......hopefully ours!" added the former world No3. "Looking
forward to it."
Pete Smith is also
upbeat about the home tie: "Really pleased to have made the semi-final
again this year," said the Surrey Health & Racquets team manager.
"We came through a tough competitive group so now look forward to
hosting Chapel Allerton and to a great night of squash."
Semi-finals line-up:
Benz-Bavarian Duffield v Exeter Diamonds Nick Matthew v Omar Mosaad Stephen Coppinger v Olli Tuominen Joel Hinds v Joey Barrington Andy Whipp v Tim Vail Laura Massaro v Victoria Temple Murray
Integrity Surrey Health & Racquets v Chapel Allerton Peter Barker v Daryl Selby Adrian Grant v Chris Simpson Adrian Waller v Shaun le Roux Davide Bianchetti v James Earles Nada Elkalaawy v Carrie Ramsey
