Salazar Claims Second Successive Tour Title With Win in Paraguay by Sean Reuthe June 6, 2016
- Mexico’s Arturo Salazar lifted back-to-back PSA World Tour titles for
the first time in his career after overcoming defending champion
Robertino Pezzota in the final of the Tour de las Americas - Paraguay
Open, PSA M10 tournament held in Asuncion.
World No.57
Salazar had triumphed at the Resistencia Open in Argentina just a week
earlier, downing Pezzota in the last eight there, and continued his
fine form into the Paraguay Open as he dropped just a single game,
against Ignacio Gutierrez in round one, en route to the final.
Pezzota,
meanwhile, had battled all the way through qualifying and defeated
Brazil’s Diego Gobbi, number three seed Martin Knight and Edgar Zayas
to ensure that he would face Salazar for the title.
The
opening game between the pair featured a series of long, punishing
rallies as both players tried to move each other off the ’T’ and into
the front of the court. With the scores level at 5-5 though, Salazar
pulled away and rattled off six points in succession to go a game
ahead.
Salazar was volleying well and dipped into a wide
range of shots from his impressive repertoire as he quickly powered to
the second game to double his lead. The 28-year-old was particularly
proficient on his backhand side, and some sublime drops and trickle
boasts saw him command the third game to build up a number of match
balls. Pezzota fought back to 10-8, but it proved to be in vain as
Salazar took the match at the next attempt courtesy of an 11-5 11-5,
11-8 scoreline to capture his 10th PSA World Tour title.
Results - Final: Tour de las Americas - Paraguay Open 2016
