Mexican Arturo Salazar successfully retained his Torneo Internacional Sporta Open title at Sporta Guatemala in the Guatemala capital Guatemala City after beating compatriot Eric Galvez in the final of the men’s PSA World Tour Challenger 15 event for the second year in a row.
Fourth seed Salazar reached the final after upsetting top-seeded Colombian Miguel Angel Rodriguez in a five-game semi-final battle.
But the 23-year-old Mexican number one, ranked 44 in the world, showed no signs of his toils 24 hours earlier when he despatched former top-ranked Mexican Galvez 14-12, 11-8, 11-2.
The triumph marked Salazar’s sixth title win in seven Tour finals.
But the final was a major disappointment for former world No33 Galvez, who has now finished as runner-up in the Guatemala event for the third year in a row.
Final:
[4] Arturo Salazar (MEX) bt Eric Galvez (MEX) 14-12, 11-8, 11-2
Semi-finals:
[4] Arturo Salazar (MEX) bt [1] Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL) 11-7, 11-9, 6-11, 3-11, 11-9
Eric Galvez (MEX) bt Cesar Salazar (MEX) 11-7, 11-9, 1-11, 5-11, 11-8
Quarter-finals:
[1] Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL) bt Jorge Isaac Baltazar Ferreira (MEX) 7-11, 11-6, 5-11, 11-5, 11-4
[4] Arturo Salazar (MEX) bt [Q] Clinton Leeuw (RSA) 11-7, 11-4, 5-11, 4-11, 11-7
Eric Galvez (MEX) bt Yann Perrin (FRA) 4-11, 11-8, 11-8, 11-8
Cesar Salazar (MEX) bt Campbell Grayson (NZL) 11-6, 11-7, 11-9
1st round:
[1] Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL) bt Kamran Khan (MAS) 11-3, 14-12, 12-10
Jorge Isaac Baltazar Ferreira (MEX) bt [Q] Adam Murrills (ENG) 14-12, 11-7, 12-10
[Q] Clinton Leeuw (RSA) bt Jose Mendez (MEX) 14-12, 11-5, 11-5
[4] Arturo Salazar (MEX) bt [Q] Alfredo Avila (MEX) 2-11, 11-8, 5-11, 11-5, 11-9
Eric Galvez (MEX) bt [3] Chris Simpson (ENG) 11-5, 13-11, 4-11, 11-3
Yann Perrin (FRA) bt Erik Tepos Valtierra (MEX) 11-2, 11-6, 11-8
Campbell Grayson (NZL) bt [Q] Gerardo de Paul Garcia (MEX) 11-4, 11-6, 11-3
Cesar Salazar (MEX) bt [2] Ryan Cuskelly (AUS) 11-7, 6-11, 6-11, 11-2, 11-6
Qualifying finals:
Alfredo Avila (MEX) bt Sergio Lopez (MEX) 12-10, 12-10, 11-9
Adam Murrills (ENG) bt Thomas Brinkman (CAN) 7-11, 12-10, 11-2, 11-8
Gerardo de Paul Garcia (MEX) bt Chris Truswell (ENG) 4-11, 12-10, 11-7, 11-8
Clinton Leeuw (RSA) bt Italo Bonatti (GUA) 11-2, 11-4, 11-4
1st qualifying round:
Alfredo Avila (MEX) bt Jonathan Uriel Ramos Islas (MEX) 11-8, 11-7, 11-6
Sergio Lopez (MEX) bt Mauricio Sedano (GUA) 11-8, 11-9, 5-11, 11-8
Adam Murrills (ENG) bt Salvador Martinez (MEX) 11-7, 11-6, 11-2
Thomas Brinkman (CAN) bt Colin Ramasra (TRI) 11-3, 11-3, 11-4
Chris Truswell (ENG) bt Bryan Bonilla (GUA) 11-1, 6-11, 11-5, 15-17, 11-8
Gerardo de Paul Garcia (MEX) bt Steven London (ENG) 12-10, 6-11, 11-6, 11-3
Italo Bonatti (GUA) bt Armando Olguin (MEX) 13-11, 11-6, 11-7
Clinton Leeuw (RSA) bt Antonio de la Torre (GUA) 11-4, 11-1, 11-6
