Mexicans Salazar & Avila Surprise In PSA Colombian Open Qualifiers by Howard Harding 8 August 2013
- Mexicans Cesar Salazar and Alfredo Avila claimed surprise places in
the main draw of the Abierto Colombiano de Squash Club El Nogal after
notable upsets in the qualifying finals of the long-established PSA
World Tour International 50 squash event at Club El Nogal in the
Colombia capital Bogota.
Salazar beat
experienced Canadian Shawn Delierre. The world No39 from Montreal had
game ball at 10-6 in the fourth to draw level - but Salazar, 14 places
lower in the world rankings, raised his game to clinch the match 12-10,
11-9, 7-11, 12-10 after 48 minutes.
Avila survived the
qualifiers for the second year in a row. The 22-year-old world No64
from Mexico City became the lowest-ranked player to qualify - and
recorded one of the best wins of his career - when he beat Henrik
Mustonen, the world No36 from Finland, 10-12, 11-6, 11-4, 11-7 in 41
minutes.
Hong Kong's Leo Au
survived the day's longest match, beating higher-ranked Egyptian Omar
Abdel Aziz 8-11, 11-4, 12-10, 9-11, 11-8 in 93 minutes.
Au will be joined in
the main draw by fellow countryman Max Lee, the world No33 who denied
North American interest in the main draw by ousting US champion
Christopher Gordon 11-6, 12-10, 11-8.
RESULTS: PSA International 50 Abierto Colombiano de Squash Club El Nogal, Bogota, Colombia
Qualifying finals: Max Lee (HKG) bt Christopher Gordon (USA) 11-6, 12-10, 11-8 (39m) Cesar Salazar (MEX) bt Shawn Delierre (CAN) 12-10, 11-9, 7-11, 12-10 (48m) Leo Au (HKG) bt Omar Abdel Aziz (EGY) 8-11, 11-4, 12-10, 9-11, 11-8 (93m) Alfredo Avila (MEX) bt Henrik Mustonen (FIN) 10-12, 11-6, 11-4, 11-7 (41m)
Updated 1st round draw: [1] Peter Barker (ENG) v Marwan Elshorbagy (EGY) Mathieu Castagnet (FRA) v [Q] Cesar Salazar (MEX) Alan Clyne (SCO) v [Q] Leo Au (HKG) [4] Cameron Pilley (AUS) v Ong Beng Hee (MAS) [3] Omar Mosaad (EGY) v [WC] Nicolas Valderrama (COL) Tom Richards (ENG) v [Q] Alfredo Avila (MEX) Ryan Cuskelly (AUS) v [Q] Max Lee (HKG) [2] Tarek Momen (EGY) v Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL)
