Comprehensive victories over the top two seeds in the Memorial Fernando Vidal Salva Illes Balears Open led Australia’s Steven Finitsis to title success in the PSA World Tour Challenger 5 event at Elite Fitness Club in Palma de Mallorca, Spain.
It was in the semi-finals that the 28-year-old third seed overcame South African Shaun le Roux, the No2 seed, 13-11, 11-2, 11-4 to reach the 17th Tour final of his career.
Finitsis faced favourite Joe Lee in the final. It was the 22-year-old Englishman’s first PSA final since recovering from a back injury earlier in the year.
But Queenslander Finitsis was in fine form, dismissing Lee 11-5, 11-2, 11-8 in 45 minutes to collect the ninth PSA World Tour title of his career, and his second of the year.
Final:
[3] Steven Finitsis (AUS) bt [1] Joe Lee (ENG) 11-5, 11-2, 11-8 (45m)
Semi-finals:
[1] Joe Lee (ENG) bt [4] Alejandro Garbi Caro (ESP) 11-8, 11-5, 9-11, 11-7 (70m)
[3] Steven Finitsis (AUS) bt [2] Shaun le Roux (RSA) 13-11, 11-2, 11-4 (45m)
Quarter-finals:
[1] Joe Lee (ENG) bt Sebastiaan Weenink (NED) 11-13, 12-10, 11-4, 11-4 (55m)
[4] Alejandro Garbi Caro (ESP) bt [Q] Johan Bouquet (FRA) 11-9, 11-4, 11-9 (45m)
[3] Steven Finitsis (AUS) bt Alex Ingham (ENG) 11-3, 11-6, 11-8 (33m)
[2] Shaun le Roux (RSA) bt Bart Ravelli (NED) 11-6, 11-5, 9-11, 12-10 (58m)
1st round:
[1] Joe Lee (ENG) bt [Q] Florent Pontiere (FRA) 14-12, 11-6, 11-2 (32m)
Sebastiaan Weenink (NED) bt David Vidal (ESP) 10-12, 9-11, 11-6, 11-6, 13-11 (62m)
[Q] Johan Bouquet (FRA) bt Leandro Romiglio Fernandez (ESP) 11-0, 11-8, 11-3 (25m)
[4] Alejandro Garbi Caro (ESP) bt Robert Downer (ENG) 11-9, 11-6, 11-6 (40m)
[3] Steven Finitsis (AUS) bt [Q] Chris Ferguson (SCO) 11-6, 11-3, 11-7 (35m)
Alex Ingham (ENG) bt Chris Fuller (ENG) 11-7, 11-8, 11-8 (55m)
Bart Ravelli (NED) bt [Q] Carlos Cornes Ribadas (ESP) 11-9, 11-7, 14-16, 11-2 (60m)
[2] Shaun le Roux (RSA) bt Matias Tuomi (FIN) 10-12, 11-5, 11-5, 11-7 (53m)
Qualifying finals:
Chris Ferguson (SCO) bt Jonathan Geekie (SCO) 11-2, 11-3, 11-5 (26m)
Johan Bouquet (FRA) bt Tom de Mulder (BEL) 10-12, 11-7, 13-11, 11-7 (50m)
Carlos Cornes Ribadas (ESP) bt Paul Rawden (ENG) 11-4, 4-11, 11-8, 11-6 (32m)
Florent Pontiere (FRA) bt Hugo Varela (ESP) 11-8, 12-10, 11-8 (40m)
1st qualifying round:
Chris Ferguson (SCO) bt Fausto Gomez (ESP) w/o
Jonathan Geekie (SCO) bye
Tom de Mulder (BEL) bt Jaume Ramis (ESP) 11-4, 11-6, 11-8 (25m)
Johan Bouquet (FRA) bye
Carlos Cornes Ribadas (ESP) bt Tolo Pascual (ESP) 11-6, 11-8, 11-7 (18m)
Paul Rawden (ENG) bt Carlos Garfella (ESP) 11-2, 11-8, 11-4 (20m)
Hugo Varela (ESP) bt Marti Munar (ESP) 11-5, 11-3, 14-12 (20m)
