New Zealand’s Kashif Shuja celebrated an unexpected title triumph in the 2011 Swiss Open at Geneva Squash Club in Geneva.
The second seed reached the final of the men’s PSA World Tour Challenger 5 event as expected – and did so after winning four-game matches throughout the championship.
The 31-year-old from Auckland faced surprise Australian opponent Steve Finitsis in the final. The Netherlands-based third seed made his breakthrough in the previous round where he overcame France’s top seed Julien Balbo in straight games.
Finitsis, the first Australian in the Swiss Open climax since Anthony Hill won the title in 1989, was celebrating the 16th PSA Tour final appearance of his career.
But Shuja, ranked nine places above the Aussie, celebrated his 17th Tour final in fine style, beating Finitsis 12-10, 9-11, 11-5, 11-8 to claim the ninth PSA title of his career.
The Pakistan-born Kiwi (pictured, right, with Finitsis) also became the first New Zealander to win one of the Tour’s longest-established titles.
Final:
[2] Kashif Shuja (NZL) bt [3] Steve Finitsis (AUS) 12-10, 9-11, 11-5, 11-8
Semi-finals:
[3] Steve Finitsis (AUS) bt [1] Julien Balbo (FRA) 11-7, 11-9, 11-8
[2] Kashif Shuja (NZL) bt [4] Jens Schoor (GER) 11-6, 7-11, 11-9, 11-7
Quarter-finals:
[1] Julien Balbo (FRA) bt [Q] Sebastian Weenink (NED) 11-7, 11-4, 11-8
[3] Steve Finitsis (AUS) bt Anthony Graham (ENG) 11-6, 11-4, 11-6
[4] Jens Schoor (GER) bt Piedro Schweertman (NED) 11-4, 11-6, 4-11, 3-11, 11-7
[2] Kashif Shuja (NZL) bt Alejandro Garbi Caro (ESP) 13-11, 11-5, 9-11, 11-7
1st round:
[1] Julien Balbo (FRA) bt Fabien Verseille (FRA) 11-4, 11-5, 11-2
[Q] Sebastian Weenink (NED) bt Lukas Burkhart (SUI) 8-11, 11-8, 11-9, 11-2
Anthony Graham (ENG) bt [Q] Frank Hartkoren (NED) 11-8, 11-6, 11-6
[3] Steve Finitsis (AUS) bt Olivier Pett (ENG) 7-11, 12-10, 7-11, 11-6, 11-9
[4] Jens Schoor (GER) bt [Q] Raphael Kandra (GER) 11-9, 11-7, 10-12, 11-8
Piedro Schweertman (NED) bt Neil Hitchens (ENG) 12-10, 11-8, 11-8
Alejandro Garbi Caro (ESP) bt [Q] Lucas Serme (FRA) 11-7, 8-11, 11-9, 11-3
[2] Kashif Shuja (NZL) bt Chris Fuller (ENG) 12-14, 11-9, 11-7, 11-6
Qualifying finals:
Frank Hartkoren (NED) bt Philip Nightingale (ENG) 8-11, 7-11, 11-5, 11-6, 11-5
Lucas Serme (FRA) bt Mohamed Abouelghar (EGY) 12-10, 6-11, 11-8, 11-8
Sebastian Weenink (NED) bt Sam Miller (ENG) 8-11, 11-1, 11-7, 11-7
Raphael Kandra (GER) bt Adam Murrills (ENG) 11-8, 11-8, 11-3
1st qualifying round:
Philip Nightingale (ENG) bye
Frank Hartkoren (NED) bt Patrick Miescher (SUI) 11-8, 11-9, 8-11, 11-7
Mohamed Abouelghar (EGY) bt Nicolas Bolay (SUI) 11-5, 14-12, 11-5
Lucas Serme (FRA) bt Andrew Birks (ENG) 8-11, 11-6, 11-9, 8-11, 11-7
Sebastian Weenink (NED) bt Alex Ingham (ENG) 11-8, 6-11, 11-4, 4-11, 12-10
Sam Miller (ENG) bt Jakob Dirnberger (AUT) 7-11, 11-9, 8-11, 11-8, 11-7
Raphael Kandra (GER) bt Jonas Daehler (SUI) 11-3, 11-7, 11-7
Adam Murrills (ENG) bt Leandro Romiglio (ARG) 11-8, 13-11, 11-7
