Canadian Men’s Open Semi-Finals: The Stats and Preview

The semi-finals of the Oxford Properties Canadian Men’s Open take place today, with action beginning at 18:00 (GMT -7) in Calgary.

The Bow Valley Athletic Club plays host to the PSA World Tour Bronze level competition, and we have four players from four different nationalities in action in tonight’s slate of matches.

Mexico’s Leonel Cardenas, who is into his first PSA World Tour semi-final, will take on Welsh No.1 Joel Makin. That will be followed by top seed and World No.10 Victor Crouin taking on the in-form Miguel Rodriguez.

You can catch all the action live from the Bow Valley Athletic Club in Calgary on SQUASHTV. You can also keep up with the live scores from the event here.

Oxford Properties Canadian Men’s Open Semi-Finals: Order of Play
(All times are local – GMT -7)

Leonel Cardenas v Joel Makin

The opening match of the evening’s play will see Mexico’s Leonel Cardenas in his first World Tour semi-final, and he will face Welsh No.1 Joel Makin for a place in the final in Calgary.

This will be the pair’s first meeting on the PSA World Tour, but Makin is much more experienced in these situations, having already reached two finals and two more semi-finals over the course of the last twelve months on Tour.

Makin has had a straightforward week in Calgary so far, and is yet to drop a game on his way to the last four. After receiving a bye through the opening day’s play, the Welshman has then gone on to beat USA’s Andrew Douglas and England’s Nick Wall to make the semis.

Meanwhile, Cardenas has been a giant-killer so far. After knocking out Hong Kong’s Tsz Kwan Lau in the opening round, he has then defeated German No.1 Raphael Kandra and Swiss No.1 Nicolas Mueller, the latter in straight games, to reach the last four.

Can Cardenas continue this incredible run and make it into a first final on the PSA World Tour? Or will Makin’s experience shine through to take the win in Calgary?

Victor Crouin v Miguel Rodriguez

The second semi-final will see France’s World No.10 Victor Crouin take on the in-form Miguel Rodriguez for a spot in Friday’s finals.

Like the opening match of tonight’s action, the pair are yet to play against each other on Tour. Crouin has really broken through this season, and has made at least the quarter finals of his last six tournaments. Meanwhile, Rodriguez is one of the most exciting and in-form players currently, with a strong run including a semi-final appearance in New York City last month.

Rodriguez will have to dig deep today, after having come through a battle with France’s Auguste Dussourd. The pair were on court for more than 100 minutes in yesterday’s quarter finals, with the Colombian having defeated another Frenchman, in Sebastien Bonmalais, in the second round.

Crouin also received a bye through to the last 16, and then downed Hungary’s No.1 Balazs Farkas. He then fell behind against Egypt’s Mohamed ElSherbini, but fight back to win in four games to move through to the semi-final in Calgary.

Can Crouin advance to a fifth final of the campaign? Or will the Colombian continue his incredible form to make a 44th career final on Tour?