Canada’s Dane Sharp celebrated his maiden PSA World Tour title success in sensational style at the National Squash Academy Open when he upset favourite Joel Hinds in the final of the Challenger 5 event at the National Squash Academy in his home city of Toronto.
After beating two fellow countrymen in the opening rounds, fourth seed Sharp overcame unseeded Scot Jamie MacAulay in the semi-finals to reach the first Tour final of his career.
In the other semi-final, top seed Hinds despatched fellow Englishman Julian Wellings to reach his sixth Tour final – but only after surviving a marathon five-game battle against unseeded Canadian David Letourneau in the previous round.
But, after dropping the opening game in the final, Hinds looked to be in control as he built up a 2/1 lead.
However, spurred on by the home crowd, 26-year-old Sharp – ranked almost 50 places lower than his opponent – regained the upper hand to storm through to an impressive 11-8, 8-11, 8-11, 11-7, 11-7 victory in 82 minutes.
Final:
[4] Dane Sharp (CAN) bt [1] Joel Hinds (ENG) 11-8, 8-11, 8-11, 11-7, 11-7 (82m)
Semi-finals:
[1] Joel Hinds (ENG) bt Julian Wellings (ENG) 11-6, 11-9, 11-7 (48m)
[4] Dane Sharp (CAN) bt Jamie MacAulay (SCO) 9-11, 11-9, 11-3, 11-4 (50m)
Quarter-finals:
[1] Joel Hinds (ENG) bt David Letourneau (CAN) 10-12, 11-3, 11-8, 9-11, 11-8 (83m)
Julian Wellings (ENG) bt [Q] Lyall Paterson (SCO) 13-11, 11-1, 11-1 (26m)
[4] Dane Sharp (CAN) bt Matthew Serediak (CAN) 11-5, 11-5, 11-5 (38m)
Jamie MacAulay (SCO) bt Thomas Brinkman (CAN) 11-8, 11-9, 8-11, 9-11, 11-6 (72m)
1st round:
[1] Joel Hinds (ENG) bt Kimesh Chetty (CAN) 11-8, 11-5, 11-5 (25m)
David Letourneau (CAN) bt [Q] Declan James (ENG) 11-6, 9-11, 13-11, 8-11, 12-10 (84m)
Julian Wellings (ENG) bt [Q] Michael McCue (CAN) 12-10, 11-3, 11-5 (33m)
[Q] Lyall Paterson (SCO) bt [3] Tyler Hamilton (CAN) 12-14, 11-6, 6-11, 13-11, 11-7 (62m)
[4] Dane Sharp (CAN) bt [Q] Eric Dingle (CAN) 11-1, 11-6, 11-1 (28m)
Matthew Serediak (CAN) bt Adrian Dudzicki (CAN) 11-6, 11-8, 11-7 (31m)
Jamie MacAulay (SCO) bt Maxime Blouin (CAN) 11-8, 9-11, 11-13, 11-9, 11-4 (73m)
Thomas Brinkman (CAN) bt [2] Eddie Charlton (ENG) 11-7, 11-8, 8-11, 11-6 (62m)
Qualifying finals:
Eric Dingle (CAN) bt Luke Butterworth (ENG) 4-11, 11-7, 11-6, 11-7 (45m)
Declan James (ENG) bt Marco Antonio Toriz-Caddo (MEX) 12-10, 14-12, 7-11, 11-9 (74m)
Lyall Paterson (SCO) bt Ian Power (CAN) 6-11, 3-11, 11-7, 12-10, 11-4 (63m)
Michael McCue (CAN) bt James van Staveren (CAN) 11-6, 10-12, 11-3, 7-11, 11-7 (58m)
1st qualifying round:
Luke Butterworth (ENG) bye
Eric Dingle (CAN) bt Ryan Todd (CAN) 11-6, 11-3, 7-11, 11-4 (35m)
Declan James (ENG) bt Ahad Raza (CAN) 15-13, 11-7, 12-10 (50m)
Marco Antonio Toriz-Caddo (MEX) bye
Lyall Paterson (SCO) bye
Ian Power (CAN) bt Jamie Nicholls (CAN) 11-6, 11-8, 11-9 (30m)
James van Staveren (CAN) bt Joshua Sekhar (CAN) 11-8, 11-7, 12-14, 11-8 (37m)
Michael McCue (CAN) bye
