DailySquashReport.com

Gordon Keeps US Hopes Alive In Brazil
by Howard Harding

18 August 2012 - Keeping North American interest alive in the Ponta Lagoa Internacional Challenger in Brazil, US number two Christopher Gordon battled for just under an hour to claim a place in the semi-finals of the PSA World Tour Challenger 10 squash event at Clube Ponta Lagoa in Ponta Grossa.

In a clash described by event promoter Alexandre Bulyk as "the best match of night", third seed Gordon defeated Brazilian qualifier Vinicius Costa 11-7, 11-5, 7-11, 12-10 to set up the anticipated semi-final meeting with No2 seed Kristian Frost Olesen.

Dane Olesen also had to overcome local opposition, fighting back from a game down to beat Brazilian Vinicius Rodrigues 4-11, 11-5, 11-8, 13-11.

There will be Brazilian interest in the other semi-final, however, where the country's top-ranked player Rafael Alarcon will face Joe Lee, the top seed from England.

Alarcon, the No3 seed from Sao Paulo, despatched Englishman Alex Ingham 11-3, 11-9, 12-10 while Lee, playing his opening match in the event after receiving a bye in the first round, defeated Argentina's Hernan D'Arcangelo 11-5, 11-6, 12-10.

RESULTS: PSA Challenger 10 Ponta Lagoa Internacional Challenger, Ponta Grossa, Brazil

Quarter-finals:
[1] Joe Lee (ENG) bt Hernan D'Arcangelo (ARG) 11-5, 11-6, 12-10 (37m)
[4] Rafael Alarcon (BRA) bt Alex Ingham (ENG) 11-3, 11-9, 12-10 (31m)
[3] Christopher Gordon (USA) bt [Q] Vinicius Costa (BRA) 11-7, 11-5, 7-11, 12-10 (58m)
[2] Kristian Frost Olesen (DEN) bt Vinicius Rodrigues (BRA) 4-11, 11-5, 11-8, 13-11 (51m)

Semi-final line-up:
[1] Joe Lee (ENG) v [4] Rafael Alarcon (BRA)
[2] Kristian Frost Olesen (DEN) v [3] Christopher Gordon (USA)