Eric Galvez made a powerful bid to reclaim the title as Mexico’s number one squash player after beating his country’s top two players on home soil to win the Boca Del Rio Veracruz International in the city of Veracruz.
The unseeded 27-year-old from Puebla made his breakthrough in the semi-finals of the PSA World Tour Challenger 15 event at Squash Club Boca when he beat second-seeded compatriot Arturo Salazar, the Mexican number one ranked 36 in the world.
Galvez, who four years ago reached 33 in the world to become the highest-ranked Mexican of all-time, faced Arturo’s twin brother for the title.
Cesar Salazar, also unseeded, had battled for 100 minutes in the other semi-final to upset Miguel Angel Rodriguez, the top seed from Colombia, to reach the fifth Tour final of his career.
But Galvez, celebrating his 21st Tour final, was unstoppable – and continued his giant-killing run by despatching the 23-year-old Mexican number two 11-4, 12-10, 11-5 in 40 minutes.
The success marked Galvez’s ninth PSA Tour title – but his first since November 2008, and the biggest of his career
Picture shows Galvez flanked by Salazar twins Arturo (left) and Cesar
Final:
Eric Galvez (MEX) bt Cesar Salazar (MEX) 11-4, 12-10, 11-5 (40m)
Semi-finals:
Cesar Salazar (MEX) bt [1] Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL) 13-11, 15-13, 1-11, 11-9 (100m)
Eric Galvez (MEX) bt [2] Arturo Salazar (MEX) 16-14, 11-2, 6-11, 11-8 (85m)
Mexicans Flourish In Veracruz
25 June 2011
A trio of Mexicans will contest the semi-finals of the inaugural Boca Del Rio Veracruz International after major upsets by home players Cesar Salazar and Eric Galvez in the quarter-finals of the PSA World Tour Challenger 15 event at Squash Club Boca in the Mexican city of Veracruz.
Cesar Salazar pulled off the biggest upset when he despatched third seed Stephane Galifi 14-12, 11-4, 11-2 in 40 minutes. It was the 23-year-old from San Luis Potosi’s second Tour victory over the Italian this year.
In the other half of the draw, former Mexican number one Eric Galvez faced Pan-American rival Shawn Delierre, the No4 seed from Canada who went into the match leading 5/3 in the pair’s head-to-head record si
nce 2006.
It took him 104 minutes, but underdog Galvez – ranked exactly 50 places behind the 29-year-old from Montreal – battled through two tie-break games to record a popular 12-10, 11-8, 7-11, 12-10 triumph.
Galvez will now face Cesar’s twin brother in a match which will ensure a Mexican finalist. Second seed Arturo Salazar brushed aside Egyptian Karim AGA Samy 11-4, 11-5, 13-11.
But top-seeded Colombian Miguel Angel Rodriguez (pictured right) denied the crowd a full-house of Mexicans in the last four when he beat Mexico City-based Jorge Isaac Baltazar Ferreira 11-8, 11-8, 11-7.
Quarter-finals:
[1] Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL) bt Jorge Isaac Baltazar Ferreira (MEX) 11-8, 11-8, 11-7 (40m)
Cesar Salazar (MEX) bt [3] Stephane Galifi (ITA) 14-12, 11-4, 11-2 (40m)
Eric Galvez (MEX) bt [4] Shawn Delierre (CAN) 12-10, 11-8, 7-11, 12-10 (104m)
[2] Arturo Salazar (MEX) bt Karim AGA Samy (EGY) 11-4, 11-5, 13-11 (35m)
Mexicans Dominate Quarters In Veracruz
24 June 2011
There will be home interest in all of the quarter-finals in the inaugural Boca Del Rio Veracruz International after victories by four Mexicans in the opening round of the PSA World Tour Challenger 15 event at Squash Club Boca in Veracruz.
Second seed Arturo Salazar led the home charge with an 11-4, 11-4, 11-6 victory over wild card opponent and fellow Mexican Marco Antonio Toriz-Caddo.
Arturo’s twin brother Cesar Salazar, the highest-ranked unseeded player in the draw, triumphed in the top half of the draw, beating Frenchman Fabien Verseille 11-5, 11-9, 11-6 to earn a clash with a French-born opponent Stephane Galifi, the third seed from Italy.
But Jorge Isaac Baltazar Ferreira will have the toughest battle on his hands. The unseeded 28-year-old from Mexico City earned his place in the last eight after his first round opponent Alfredo Avila retired injured after just one game – but the world No74 will now face top seed Miguel Angel Rodriguez.
The Colombian, ranked 25 in the world (pictured), survived two tie-break games against Reiko Peter before beating the Swiss qualifier 14-12, 12-10, 11-6.
Former top-ranked Mexican Eric Galvez took just 28 minutes to secure his place in the quarter-finals. The 27-year-old former world No33 beat fellow countryman Gerardo de Paul Garcia, a qualifier, 11-6, 11-4, 11-5 – and will now take on Canada’s No4 seed Shawn Delierre for a place in the semi-finals.
1st round:
[1] Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL) bt [Q] Reiko Peter (SUI) 14-12, 12-10, 11-6 (40m)
Jorge Isaac Baltazar Ferreira (MEX) bt Alfredo Avila (MEX) 11-7 ret.
Cesar Salazar (MEX) bt Fabien Verseille (FRA) 11-5, 11-9, 11-6 (35m)
[3] Stephane Galifi (ITA) bt [Q] Joan Lezaud (FRA) 11-2, 11-7, 15-13 (55m)
[4] Shawn Delierre (CAN) bt Erik Tepos Valtierra (MEX) 11-6, 11-7, 11-9 (33m)
Eric Galvez (MEX) bt [Q] Gerardo de Paul Garcia (MEX) 11-6, 11-4, 11-5 (28m)
Karim AGA Samy (EGY) bt [Q] Jonathan Uriel Ramos Islas (MEX) 11-9, 11-7, 7-11, 13-11 (72m)
[2] Arturo Salazar (MEX) bt Marco Antonio Toriz-Caddo (MEX) 11-4, 11-4, 11-6 (28m)
Qualifying finals:
Joan Lezaud (FRA) bt Josue Gomez (MEX) 11-5, 11-3, 11-3 (25m)
Jonathan Uriel Ramos Islas (MEX) bt Miguel Angel Gomez (MEX) 11-5, 11-6, 11-7 (26m)
Gerardo de Paul Garcia (MEX) bt Fernando Lopez (MEX) 11-13, 11-8, 11-4, 11-4 (40m)
Reiko Peter (SUI) bt Bryan Bonilla (GUA) 11-6, 11-1, 11-3 (25m)
1st qualifying round:
Josue Gomez (MEX) bt Armando Olguin (MEX) 11-4, 9-11, 11-7, 11-8
Jonathan Uriel Ramos Islas (MEX) bt Salvador Martinez (MEX) 11-4, 11-9, 13-11
Miguel Angel Gomez (MEX) bt Jorge Zayas (MEX) w/o
Fernando Lopez (MEX) bt Ricardo Lopez (MEX) 7-11, 8-11, 11-2, 11-6, 11-4
Gerardo de Paul Garcia (MEX) bt Juan Carlos Gomez (MEX) 11-6, 11-9, 11-9
Bryan Bonilla (GUA) bt Edgar Zayas (MEX) w/o
