Kristian Conquers Koukal For Chateau-Arnoux Title
by Howard Harding

8 July 2013 - Denmark's Kristian Frost Olesen fully justified his top billing at the Chateau-Arnoux Open in France when he beat second seed Jan Koukal in the final of the inaugural PSA World Tour Challenger 5 squash event at Salle Des Sports Zone in Chateau-Arnoux.

The 24-year-old from Odense reached the 11th Tour final of his career when he took out unseeded Englishman Thomas Ford in the semi-finals.

Koukal denied home interest in the final when he ousted third-seeded Frenchman Geoffrey Demont in the other semi - a straight games win which saw the 30-year-old Czech number one reach his 41st Tour final, and his second in a row.

Ranked 13 places higher than his opponent in the final, world No57 Olesen defeated Koukal 11-4, 13-11, 11-9 to mark up the eighth PSA Tour title of his career - in his sixth different country.

RESULTS: PSA Challenger 5 Chateau-Arnoux Open, Chateau-Arnoux, France

1st round:
[1] Kristian Frost Olesen (DEN) bt Damien Volland (FRA) 11-8, 11-9, 11-7 (44m)
[Q] Christophe Andre (FRA) bt Karamatullah Khan (PAK) 3-11, 13-11, 11-1, 11-3 (37m)
Thomas Ford (ENG) bt [Q] Rui Soares (POR) 9-11, 11-6, 11-6, 12-10 (39m)
Chris Fuller (ENG) bt [4] Yann Perrin (FRA) 11-6, 5-11, 11-5, 11-5 (41m)
[3] Geoffrey Demont (FRA) bt Jerome Dadot (FRA) 11-8, 11-4, 5-11, 11-8 (41m)
[Q] Lukas Burkhart (SUI) bt Arthur Moineau (FRA) 11-5, 11-7, 11-8 (31m)
Ondrej Ertl (CZE) bt [Q] Sergio Lopez (MEX) 11-5, 11-2, 11-6 (42m)
[2] Jan Koukal (CZE) bt Michael Harris (ENG) 7-11, 11-8, 5-11, 11-5, 11-3 (50m)

Quarter-finals:
[1] Kristian Frost Olesen (DEN) bt [Q] Christophe Andre (FRA) 11-8, 10-12, 11-5, 11-2 (47m)
Thomas Ford (ENG) bt Chris Fuller (ENG) 11-4, 11-5, 5-11, 13-11 (83m)
[3] Geoffrey Demont (FRA) bt [Q] Lukas Burkhart (SUI) 13-11, 11-4, 11-7 (33m)
[2] Jan Koukal (CZE) bt Ondrej Ertl (CZE) 5-11, 12-10, 11-13, 11-3, 11-3

Semi-finals:
[1] Kristian Frost Olesen (DEN) bt Thomas Ford (ENG) 9-11, 11-6, 11-7, 11-8
[2] Jan Koukal (CZE) bt [3] Geoffrey Demont (FRA) 13-11, 11-6, 11-6

Final:
[1] Kristian Frost Olesen (DEN) bt [2] Jan Koukal (CZE) 11-4, 13-11, 11-9