Ten Years After, Caro Captures First Tour Title
by Howard Harding

23 September 2013 - Exactly 10 years after first becoming a member of the Professional Squash Association, Spaniard Alejandro Garbi Caro celebrated his first PSA World Tour title after winning the Mundial de Squash Maringa Park, the PSA Challenger 5 event in its second year at Shopping Maringa Park in Maringa, Brazil.

The 30-year-old fourth seed from Castellon made his breakthrough in the semi-finals with a four-game win over Anthony Graham, the unseeded Englishman who removed Argentina's No2 seed Hernan D'Arcangelo in the first round.

And it was D'Arcangelo's fellow countryman Gonzalo Miranda that Caro faced in the final. The top seed from La Plata, ranked more than 40 places above Caro, twice led in the match.

But the Spaniard held his nerve to draw level both times, then survived a lengthy tie-break in the decider before beating 23-year-old Miranda 8-11, 11-9, 4-11, 11-7, 15-13.

RESULTS: PSA Challenger 5 Mundial de Squash Maringa Park, Maringa, Brazil

1st round:
Anthony Graham (ENG) bt [2] Hernan D'Arcangelo (ARG) 11-6, 11-8, 9-11, 11-5
Reuben Phillips (ENG) bt [Q] Cameron Stafford (CAY) 13-11, 11-9, 11-8
Vinicius Rodrigues (BRA) bt [WC] Edilson Ribeiro Nunes (BRA) 9-11, 11-9, 11-7, 11-8
[4] Alejandro Garbi Caro (ESP) bt [Q] Josimar Silva (BRA) 10-12, 11-4, 11-4, 11-7
[3] Alex Ingham (ENG) bt Jonathan Geekie (SCO) 11-8, 11-6, 11-6
Thomas Ford (ENG) bt [Q] Jonathan Maloney (ENG) 11-4, 11-4, 11-8
[Q] Leandro Romiglio (ARG) bt Micah Franklin (BER) 11-3, 11-6, 11-5
[1] Gonzalo Miranda (ARG) bt Manoel Pereira (BRA) 11-7, 11-8, 11-6

Quarter-finals:
Anthony Graham (ENG) bt Reuben Phillips (ENG) 11-9, 11-4, 11-8
[4] Alejandro Garbi Caro (ESP) bt Vinicius Rodrigues (BRA) 12-14, 11-5, 11-8, 11-8
Thomas Ford (ENG) bt [3] Alex Ingham (ENG) 11-9, 11-9, 11-8
[1] Gonzalo Miranda (ARG) bt [Q] Leandro Romiglio (ARG) 11-9, 5-11, 11-3, 11-7

Semi-finals:
[4] Alejandro Garbi Caro (ESP) bt Anthony Graham (ENG) 11-6, 11-9, 7-11, 11-6
[1] Gonzalo Miranda (ARG) bt Thomas Ford (ENG) 7-11, 13-11, 11-2, 6-1 ret.

Final:
[4] Alejandro Garbi Caro (ESP) bt [1] Gonzalo Miranda (ARG) 8-11, 11-9, 4-11, 11-7, 15-13