Auckland Lands Maiden PSA Tour Title from PSA Media September 8, 2014
- It was third time lucky for Adam Auckland on the PSA World Tour in
Australia over the past two weeks when the Englishman landed the first
Tour title of his career at the North Coast Open, the PSA Challenger 5
squash event in its fifth successive year at Coffs Harbour Squash &
Swim Centre in Coffs Harbour in Australia. Seeded five, the
21-year-old from St Albans made his breakthrough in the semi-finals
where he beat Australia’s Rhys Dowling, the No4 seed, in straight games
to reach the third Tour final of his career. His next opponent
Piedro Schweertman is no stranger to Tour finals. The
sixth-seeded Dutchman clocked up his sixth in a row since April when he
also upset an Australian in the semi-finals, downing No3 seed Joshua
Larkin. “Before a large crowd,
both finalists put on a classy display with firstly Piedro opening with
powerful shots to both sides of the court and Auckland appearing
tentative in stemming the attack as Schweertman wrapped up the first
game 11-3,” said tournament organiser Peter Saxby. Auckland fought back
to draw level. “The third game was more work to the front court
by Auckland taking the early initiative with some brilliant placements
and angles at the front,” Saxby continued. “As the match
progressed there was a complete shift in the balance with Auckland
confidently taking charge and setting up his opportunities to the front
court to take a confident lead 2/1. “The fourth game see
sawed into a tie break with Auckland having three match balls before he
closed out the match in four games to great relief and excitement at
the same time for his first PSA title success.” Auckland, ranked 166
in the world and in his fourth year as a PSA member, was delighted with
his podium success: “My first PSA win - I can’t believe it! “When I was 2/1 up the
nerves crept in and all I could think about was for my first PSA win,"
said Auckland, pictured below, right, with Schweertman. "At
the end I had to be very patient in attacking the front as Piedro
started to get onto the ball earlier. I managed to go 11-10 match
point where Piedro stayed extremely solid, forcing me to tin out. “He carried on with
this play and had game point to take the match into a fifth. The
next three points were the best three points I’ve ever played. I
relaxed, was patient and attacked! “A special thank you
to the Saxby family for running such a well-organised tournament.
I would definitely want to come back next year. Thanks to Piedro
for making it a fair and enjoyable fight in the final. To my sponsors
Nemesis Transport for making it possible to play these tournaments also. “One last special thanks to Matthew Hopkin and my girlfriend Coline Aumard for the support over the past three weeks.” RESULTS: PSA Challenger 5 North Coast Open, Coffs Harbour, NSW, Australia 1st round: [2] Ben Grindrod (NZL)
bt Tsz Hei Ma
(HKG)
11-6, 11-8, 8-11, 11-4 Damien Volland (FRA)
bt [WC] Jesse Keegan
(AUS)
11-6, 11-5, 11-2 [Q] Lewis Doughty
(ENG) bt Alex Eustace
(AUS)
13-11, 5-11, 12-10, 11-9 [5] Adam Auckland
(ENG) bt [Q] Baptiste Masotti
(FRA)
11-9, 5-11, 7-11, 11-9, 11-7 [8] Cheuk Yan Tang
(HKG) bt Mike Lewis
(USA)
11-4, 11-5, 8-11, 11-3 Jerome Dadot (FRA) bt
David Clegg
(AUS)
11-4, 12-10, 11-4 Thomas Calvert (AUS)
bt Joel Luca
(AUS)
11-6, 11-2, 11-7 [4] Rhys Dowling (AUS)
bt Kim Are Killingberg
(NOR)
8-11, 11-4, 11-4, 11-9 [3] Joshua Larkin
(AUS) bt Chris van der Salm
(NZL)
11-8, 11-7, 11-4 [Q] Joeri Hapers (BEL)
bt Nasr Khan
(PAK)
11-2, 4-0 ret. [Q] Adrian Ostbye
(CAN) bt Darcy Evans
(AUS)
11-6, 11-6, 8-11, 7-11, 11-5 [7] Chi Him Wong (HKG)
bt SeungYong Yoo
(KOR)
11-3, 11-7, 11-3 [6] Piedro Schweertman
(NED) bt [Q] Solayman Nowrozi
(AUS) 11-5,
11-3, 11-5 Rohan Toole (AUS) bt
[Q] Ben Takamizawa Harris
(JPN)
11-7, 3-11, 11-3, 7-11, 11-8 Matthew Hopkin (AUS)
bt [Q] Todd Riches
(AUS)
11-4, 11-5, 11-8 [1] Lance Beddoes
(NZL) bt [Q] Albert Shoihet
(CAN)
11-6, 11-5, 11-4 2nd round: Damien Volland (FRA)
bt [2] Ben Grindrod
(NZL)
11-8, 13-11, 6-11, 4-11, 11-3 [5] Adam Auckland
(ENG) bt [Q] Lewis Doughty
(ENG)
11-4, 11-5, 11-4 [8] Cheuk Yan Tang
(HKG) bt Jerome Dadot
(FRA)
11-6, 11-5, 7-11, 13-11 [4] Rhys Dowling (AUS)
bt Thomas Calvert
(AUS)
11-5, 7-11, 11-8, 11-4 [3] Joshua Larkin
(AUS) bt [Q] Joeri Hapers
(BEL)
11-8, 11-6, 11-3 [7] Chi Him Wong (HKG)
bt [Q] Adrian Ostbye
(CAN)
11-8, 11-7, 11-1 [6] Piedro Schweertman
(NED) bt Rohan Toole
(AUS)
11-2, 11-5, 11-5 Matthew Hopkin (AUS)
bt [1] Lance Beddoes
(NZL)
11-9, 10-12, 12-14, 12-10, 11-2 Quarter-finals: [5] Adam Auckland
(ENG) bt Damien Volland
(FRA)
11-3, 7-11, 11-5, 11-6 (64m) [4] Rhys Dowling (AUS)
bt [8] Cheuk Yan Tang
(HKG)
11-9, 6-11, 8-11, 11-9, 11-8 (68m) [3] Joshua Larkin
(AUS) bt [7] Chi Him Wong
(HKG)
5-11, 11-9, 6-11, 13-11, 11-7 (70m) [6] Piedro Schweertman (NED) bt Matthew Hopkin (AUS) 11-7, 11-8, 11-7 (29m) Semi-finals: [5] Adam Auckland
(ENG) bt [4] Rhys Dowling
(AUS)
11-5, 11-2, 11-8 (26m) [6] Piedro Schweertman (NED) bt [3] Joshua Larkin (AUS) 11-8, 11-6, 11-7 (28m) Final: [5] Adam Auckland (ENG) bt [6] Piedro Schweertman (NED) 3-11, 11-8, 11-8, 14-12 (38m)
