Canada’s Shawn Delierre brought a sensational end-of-year run to a magnificent climax when he won the Pittsburgh Open, the $10,000 PSA World Tour squash event at Rivers Club in Pittsburgh, USA.
It was the third Tour title triumph against the odds in four weeks for the 28-year-old from Montreal. Delierre began his run in Rhode Island, USA, in November when he won the Rhodysquash RI Open as a non-seed – then continued his form at the beginning of the month on home soil where he claimed the Edmonton Open as the No7 seed.
The fourth seed in Pittsburgh, Delierre made his breakthrough in the semi-finals where he despatched top-seeded American Julian Illingworth in four games in a repeat of the RI Open final.
The Canadian number two, ranked 63 in the world, took a two-game lead in the final against Stephane Galifi – but the second-seeded Italian fought back to draw level.
Delierre kept up the pressure, however, and after 76 minutes closed out the match 11-8, 11-8, 4-11, 8-11, 11-8 to secure the ninth PSA title of his career.
Final:
[4] Shawn Delierre (CAN) bt [2] Stephane Galifi (ITA) 11-8, 11-8, 4-11, 8-11, 11-8 (76m)
Semi-finals:
[4] Shawn Delierre (CAN) bt [1] Julian Illingworth (USA) 7-11, 11-7, 11-6, 11-8 (65m)
[2] Stephane Galifi (ITA) bt [Q] Anthony Graham (ENG) 11-3, 12-10, 8-11, 11-2 (53m)
Quarter-finals:
[1] Julian Illingworth (USA) bt [6] Eddie Charlton (ENG) 11-3, 12-10, 11-7 (35m)
[4] Shawn Delierre (CAN) bt [Q] Mohamed Abouelghar (EGY) 12-14, 14-12, 11-5, 11-8
[Q] Anthony Graham (ENG) bt [Q] Adam Murrills (ENG) 11-5, 9-11, 11-5, 11-9
[2] Stephane Galifi (ITA) bt [5] Andrew Wagih Shoukry (EGY) 11-4, 11-6, 11-9
1st round:
[1] Julian Illingworth (USA) bt [Q] Philip Nightingale (ENG) 11-1, 11-4, 9-11, 11-3
[6] Eddie Charlton (ENG) bt Chris Truswell (ENG) 12-10, 11-6, 11-7
[4] Shawn Delierre (CAN) bt Olivier Pett (ENG) 11-8, 1-11, 4-11, 11-9, 11-4
[Q] Mohamed Abouelghar (EGY) bt [8] Neil Hitchens (ENG) 11-2, 8-11, 11-6, 11-3
[Q] Adam Murrills (ENG) bt [7] Wade Johnstone (AUS) 11-3, 11-9, 8-11, 12-10
[Q] Anthony Graham (ENG) bt [3] Alan Clyne (SCO) 11-9, 9-11, 11-7, 12-10
[5] Andrew Wagih Shoukry (EGY) bt Peter Creed (WAL) 11-7, 11-6, 11-8
[2] Stephane Galifi (ITA) bt Lekgotla Mosope (BOT) 11-8, 11-3, 11-8
Qualifying finals:
Anthony Graham (ENG) bt Fred Reid (CAN) w/o
Mohamed Abouelghar (EGY) bt Ehimen Joseph Ehalen (NGR) 11-8, 13-11, 11-8 (27m)
Philip Nightingale (ENG) bt Graham Bassett (USA) 11-4, 8-11, 11-7, 11-7 (46m)
Adam Murrills (ENG) bt Jamie MacAulay (SCO) 9-11, 11-5, 11-6, 11-3 (55m)
1st qualifying round:
Anthony Graham (ENG) bt Tom Arbogast (USA) 11-2, 11-6, 11-3 (16m)
Ehimen Joseph Ehalen (NGR) bt Arshad Iqbal Burki (PAK) w/o
Mohamed Abouelghar (EGY) bt Shane Fischbach (USA) 11-5, 11-1, 11-5 (20m)
Graham Bassett (USA) bt Carlos Londono (USA) 11-6, 11-5, 11-8
Jamie MacAulay (SCO) bt Steve Baiker-McKee (USA) 11-1, 11-5, 11-2 (12m)
Adam Murrills (ENG) bt Gerardo de Paul Garcia (MEX) 11-7, 11-3, 11-4 (27m)
