Corren Marks Historic Golden Tour Success At Golden Open from PSA Media June 3, 2014 -
Australia's Mike Corren upset top seed Jan Koukal in today's final of
the City Of Kalgoorlie - Boulder PSA Golden Open in Western Australia
to become the first squash player since the legendary Jansher Khan to
notch up 50 PSA World Tour titles. The 40-year-old from
Adelaide – already the oldest player to claim a Tour title – reached
his 72nd final at the PSA Challenger 5 event at the YMCA Squash Centre
in Kalgoorlie after beating compatriot Joshua Larkin, the fourth seed
from Canberra, in a four-game semi-final. Top seed Koukal, the
top-ranked player from the Czech Republic, survived a five-game
quarter-final before beating Guyana's No3 seed Sunil Seth in the other
semi. Corren was meeting
Koukal for the first time since suffering a straight games defeat by
the 30-year-old from Prague in the 2012 Australian Open. The
second-seeded underdog also went into today's final after crashing out
of last week's semi-finals of the City of Perth WA Open. But World No.77 Corren
stemmed a fightback by his younger opponent – ranked 10 places higher –
to beat Koukal 11-8, 12-10, 9-11, 6-11, 11-6 in 56 minutes to secure
his historic Golden title. "To be honest, the
most satisfying aspect of this weekend was reversing the performance
from last weekend, having to go through the usual self recriminations a
loss brings and working hard during the week to back that up," said
Corren afterwards. "In that sense, it
pleases me to still have the will and motivation to go through that
process and, as long as that feeling remains, I will continue," added
the tireless Aussie veteran who has now won his fourth Golden Open
crown since 2009. "Winning a 50th title
may sound good on paper - but it certainly doesn't protect me from
losing first round in the next event, which is what I am now focusing
on for the South Australian Open. "I must say a big
thanks to the Kalgoorlie organisers who as always do a sterling job and
Neil Butler for doing astounding shifts as the only referee on sight. "Last but not least – again - to Dr Leon Musca, without whom to keep my body together I am half the player." RESULTS: PSA Challenger 5 City Of Kalgoorlie - Boulder PSA Golden Open, Kalgoorlie, Western Australia. 1st round: [1] Jan Koukal (CZE) bt [Q] David Ilich (AUS) 11-7, 11-6, 11-6 (18m) [5] Jean-Pierre Brits (RSA) bt Aidan Parkes (AUS) 11-3, 11-2, 11-5 (20m) [7] Rhys Dowling (AUS) bt [Q] Kale Wilson (TRI) 11-7, 11-8, 11-6 (24m) [3] Sunil Seth (GUY) bt [Q] Timothy Cornish (AUS) 11-9, 11-4, 11-9 (28m) [4] Joshua Larkin (AUS) bt [WC] Tim Cowell (AUS) 11-9, 11-6, 9-11, 11-3 (47m) [6] Valentino Bon Jovi Bong (MAS) bt Christo Potgieter (RSA) 13-15, 11-1, 11-8, 3-11, 11-4 (57m) Darcy Evans (AUS) bt [8] Will John (WAL) 11-5, 6-11, 11-9, 8-11, 12-10 (63m) [2] Mike Corren (AUS) bt [Q] Matthew Hopkin (AUS) 16-14, 6-11, 11-9, 11-6 (50m) Quarter-finals: [1] Jan Koukal (CZE) bt [5] Jean-Pierre Brits (RSA) 11-9, 6-11, 3-11, 11-6, 11-7 (50m) [3] Sunil Seth (GUY) bt [7] Rhys Dowling (AUS) 14-12, 11-6, 8-11, 8-11, 11-5 (68m) [4] Joshua Larkin (AUS) bt [6] Valentino Bon Jovi Bong (MAS) 11-7, 7-11, 6-11, 11-8, 11-2 (70m) [2] Mike Corren (AUS) bt Darcy Evans (AUS) 11-2, 11-7, 11-7 (26m) Semi-finals: [1] Jan Koukal (CZE) bt [3] Sunil Seth (GUY) 11-7, 11-3, 7-11, 12-10 (41m) [2] Mike Corren (AUS) bt [4] Joshua Larkin (AUS) 3-11, 11-7, 11-9, 11-4 (46m) Final: [2] Mike Corren (AUS) bt [1] Jan Koukal (CZE) 11-8, 12-10, 9-11, 6-11, 11-6 (56m)
