It was ‘third time lucky’ for Cameron Pilley when the second-seeded Australian overpowered Dutch favourite Laurens Jan Anjema to win the Dutch Open title in his third successive appearance in the final of the $30,000 PSA World Tour event at Victoria Squash in the city of Rotterdam.
The tall Aussie made amends for losing out in the 2008 and 2009 Dutch Open finals – to England’s Nick Matthew and Daryl Selby, respectively – by upsetting the seeding and denying the large home crowd a home victory.
Remarkably, it was both players’ 25th appearance in a PSA World Tour final.
Pilley started the final in full swing, firing in blistering drives from the onset, forcing his opponent away from the T-area. However, left-hander Anjema resisted heavily and the crowd were in for a real treat.
With the players matching each other in intensity and determination, it was always going to come down to a few points here and there – and the Netherlands-based Aussie ended up the one winning the most important ones.
After 105 minutes the scoreboard showed an 11-7, 11-9, 11-13, 14-12 score line in favour of Pilley – whose latest success is sure to boost the 28-year-old from New South Wales’s chance of bursting into the world top ten for the first time.
Pilley’s success, his biggest title to date, marks the 13th PSA Tour title of his career.
2010 Dutch Open champion Cameron Pilley pictured receiving his cheque from Hans den Oudenammer, managing director of Rotterdam Topsport
Final:
[2] Cameron Pilley (AUS) bt [1] Laurens Jan Anjema (NED) 11-7, 11-9, 11-13, 14-12 (105m)
Semi-finals:
[1] Laurens Jan Anjema (NED) bt [4] Stewart Boswell (AUS) 11-5, 11-5, 11-1 (54m)
[2] Cameron Pilley (AUS) bt [7] Chris Ryder (ENG) 11-9, 11-5, 11-8 (48m)
Quarter-finals:
[1] Laurens Jan Anjema (NED) bt [5] Hisham Mohd Ashour (EGY) 11-6, 5-11, 11-3, 14-12 (54m)
[4] Stewart Boswell (AUS) bt [6] Simon Rosner (GER) 11-4, 5-11, 11-4, 11-7 (47m)
[7] Chris Ryder (ENG) bt [3] Alister Walker (ENG) 14-12, 5-11, 5-11, 11-8, 11-8 (92m)
[2] Cameron Pilley (AUS) bt [Q] Steve Finitsis (AUS) 11-9, 13-11, 5-11, 7-11, 11-7 (90m)
1st round:
[1] Laurens Jan Anjema (NED) bt Mathieu Castagnet (FRA) 11-5, 11-7, 12-10 (55m)
[5] Hisham Mohd Ashour (EGY) bt Davide Bianchetti (ITA) 11-7, 11-4, 7-11, 11-7 (49m)
[4] Stewart Boswell (AUS) bt Dylan Bennett (NED) 11-5, 11-8, 11-7 (40m)
[6] Simon Rosner (GER) bt Chris Simpson (ENG) 13-11, 11-9, 9-11, 11-7 (67m)
[7] Chris Ryder (ENG) bt [Q] Jens Schoor (GER) 11-2, 11-3, 11-7 (29m)
[3] Alister Walker (ENG) bt [Q] Joel Hinds (ENG) 11-6, 11-0, 12-10 (43m)
[Q] Steve Finitsis (AUS) bt [8] Aaron Frankcomb (AUS) 11-6, 11-9, 4-11, 11-9 (80m)
[2] Cameron Pilley (AUS) bt [Q] Piedro Schweertman (NED) 12-10, 11-7, 11-5 (40m)
Qualifying finals:
Steve Finitsis (AUS) bt Julien Balbo (FRA) 8-11, 11-2, 11-3, 11-8 (48m)
Piedro Schweertman (NED) bt Kashif Shuja (NZL) 12-10, 6-11, 11-5, 18-16 (62m)
Jens Schoor (GER) bt Robbie Temple (ENG) 8-11, 11-6, 9-11, 11-9, 11-8 (82m)
Joel Hinds (ENG) bt Scott Arnold (AUS) 11-9, 11-7, 11-9 (50m)
1st qualifying round:
Julien Balbo (FRA) bt Ben Ford (ENG) 11-4, 11-5, 5-11, 11-9 (40m)
Steve Finitsis (AUS) bt Lewis Walters (ENG) 11-3, 11-3, 11-5 (35m)
Kashif Shuja (NZL) bt Sebastian Weenink (NED) 11-9, 6-11, 7-11, 11-7, 11-5 (57m)
Piedro Schweertman (NED) bt Frank Hartkoren (NED) 11-8, 11-2, 11-6 (31m)
Jens Schoor (GER) bt Rene Mijs (NED) 11-5, 12-10, 11-8 (45m)
Robbie Temple (ENG) bt Rick Penders (NED) 11-7, 11-9, 2-11, 11-9 (33m)
Joel Hinds (ENG) bt Rasmus Nielsen (DEN) 9-11, 11-9, 1-11, 11-6, 11-5 (70m)
Scott Arnold (AUS) bt Bart Ravelli (NED) 13-11, 11-9, 11-5 (32m)
