2nd Guatemala Squash Open: Cardenas Secures Fourth Title of 2021

Mexico’s Leonel Cardenas continued his stellar year, as he claimed the 2nd Guatemala Squash Open Tournament crown, defeating compatriot Alfredo Avila in the final to notch up his fourth victory of 2021.

The Challenger 10 level tournament was regionally restricted due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, allowing only those currently based in either North, Central or South America to enter, and Cardenas came in as the top seed.

The World No.51 received a bye through to the second round of the competition, before defeating Guatemala’s Ricardo Toscano in straight games to get his campaign up and running.

The Mexican then got the better of compatriot, and No.7 seed, Alejandro Reyes, to make it through to the semi-finals, where he defeated another Guatemalan, in No.6 seed Josue Enriquez.

The final saw Cardenas take on another Mexican, in Alfredo Avila, for the crown at the Asociación Deportiva Nacional de Squash, and he took a commanding two game lead in quick time.

However, Avila threatened to complete a comeback, as he took both the third and fourth games to send the contest into a deciding stanza. It would be Cardenas, the World No.51, that eventually got over the line though, winning the fifth 11-8 to secure his fourth title of the year, and the 11th of his career to date.

Results: 2nd 10k Guatemala Open Squash Tournament
Final
[1] Leonel Cardenas (MEX) bt [2] Alfredo Avila (MEX) 3-2: 1-3, 11-5, 9-11, 6-11, 11-8 (60m)

Semi-Finals
[1] Leonel Cardenas (MEX) bt [6] Josue Enriquez (GUA) 3-0: 11-6, 11-7, 11-6 (48m)
[2] Alfredo Avila (MEX) bt [3] Connor Turk (CAN) 3-0: 11-9, 11-6, 11-7 (40m)

Quarter Finals
[1] Leonel Cardenas (MEX) bt [7] Alejandro Reyes (MEX) 3-0: 11-7, 11-5, 11-9 (48m)
[6] Josue Enriquez (GUA) bt Ahsan Ayaz (PAK) 3-1: 9-11, 11-5, 11-6 13-11 (46m)
[3] Connor Turk (CAN) bt WWC] Mauricio Sedano (GUA) 3-0: 11-7, 11-5, 11-5 (35m)
[2] Alfredo Avila (MEX) bt Salah Eltorgman (CAN) 3-1: 11-4, 11-9, 7-11, 11-3 (45m)

Round Two
[1] Leonel Cardenas (MEX) bt Ricardo Toscano (GUA) 3-0: 11-4, 11-1, 11-5 (27m)
[7] Alejandro Reyes (MEX) bt Darosham Khan (CAN) 3-0: 11-8, 11-8, 11-4 (27m)
[6] Josue Enriquez (GUA) bt Alejandro Enriquez (GUA) 3-2: 11-8, 9-11, 5-11, 12-10, 11-6 (64m)
Ahsan Ayaz (PAK) bt [4] Miled Zarazua (MEX) 3-1: 5-11, 11-4, 11-7, 11-5 (34m)
[3] Connor Turk (CAN) bt Rodolfo Vega (MEX) 3-0: 11-5, 11-9, 11-2 (28m)
[WC] Mauricio Sedano (GUA) bt [8] Cory McCartney (CAN) 3-0: 11-5, 12-10, 11-6 (31m)
Salah Eltorgman (CAN) bt [5] Allan Nunez (MEX) 3-1: 11-7, 11-7, 10-12, 11-8 (47m)
[2] Alfredo Avila (MEX) bt [WC] Jose Mendez (GUA) 3-0: 11-6, 11-6, 11-8 (23m)

Round One
Ricardo Toscano (GUA) bt [WC] Sebastian Fonseca (GUA) 3-0: 11-3, 11-6, 14-12 (43m)
Darosham Khan (CAN) bt Angel Gabriel Enriquez Franco (GUA) 3-0: 11-2, 11-4, 11-4 (17m)
Alejandro Enriquez (GUA) bt Luis Quisquinay (GUA) 3-0: 11-6, 11-7, 14-12 (29m)
Rodolfo Vega (MEX) bt [WC] Ronelhu Cristobal Sandoval Rodríguez (GUA) 3-0: 11-7, 11-5, 11-3 (18m)
[WC] Mauricio Sedano (GUA) bt Andres Villamizar (COL) 3-2: 11-9, 9-11, 11-8, 6-11, 11-7 (61m)
Salah Eltorgman (CAN) bt Francesco Marcantonio (PAR) 3-0: 11-6, 11-8, 11-9 (31m)
[WC] Jose Mendez (GUA) bt Armando Olguin (MEX): Walkover