Weekend RoundUp: Ghosal Claims Title Win on Home Soil

India’s World No.11 Saurav Ghosal captured a big win on home soil at the Kolkata International after he defeated Egypt’s Zahed Salem in the final, as a handful of PSA Challenger Tour tournaments came to an end over the weekend.

The Indian, who has been climbing up the World Rankings this year, was in dominant form to see out a five-game thriller with World No.27 Salem.

Tournament top seed Ghosal – who did not drop a game en route to the final – coped with a strong fightback from number two seed Salem with the match going all the way to five games, before the Indian wrapped up an 11-5, 8-11, 11-8, 11-13, 11-5 victory in a gruelling 86 minutes to successfully defend his title at the tournament.

The win marks Ghosal’s ninth PSA title and his second this year after winning the Indian Squash Open back in February.

Elsewhere at the PSA Valencia Open it was another home favourite victory, this time in the form of Spain’s World No.66 Edmon Lopez who downed Jordan’s World No.137 Mohammad Alsarraj by an 11-5, 9-11, 11-9, 11-8 scoreline in 70 minutes.

Top seeds Lopez and Alsarraj had both enjoyed strong weeks, however, it was the Spaniard who closed out the victory to earn his sixth PSA title.

At the APM Kelowna Open, it was another impressive performance as India’s World No.66 Vikram Malhotra took 98 minutes to defeat Argentina’s Robertino Pezzota and claim his third PSA title in six weeks.

Malhotra twice took the lead with Pezzota battling back each time, however, the number two seed manage to see off the Argentinian in the fifth to win 11-9, 6-11, 11-7, 11-13, 11-7.

Finally, at the Swiss Open, Egypt’s Youssef Ibrahim conquered Swiss top seed and home favourite Dimitri Steinmann to take home the trophy.

Ibrahim put in a sublime performance at the tournament, defeating all three top seeds en route to taking home the title.

The win marks three titles in a row for the Egyptian.

Results:
PSA Valencia Open
Round One
Vladislav Titov (RUS) bt Lewis Doughty (ENG) 3-2: 5-11, 11-13, 12-10, 11-5, 11-3 (57m)
Harry Falconer (ENG) bt Sandeep Ramachandran (IND) 3-2: 13-11, 11-9, 7-11, 3-11, 11-6 (67m)
Connor Sheen (ENG) bt [WC] Nilo Vidal (ESP) 3-1: 15-17, 11-4, 11-5, 11-3 (49m)
Rohan Mandil (FRA) bt Faisal Hassan (ZIM) 3-0: 11-8, 11-3, 11-4 (35m)
[WC] Sergio Garcia Pollan (ESP) bt Tess Jutte (NED) 3-0: 11-7, 13-11, 11-4 (35m)
Adrian Ostbye (NOR) bt Joseph White (AUS) 3-2: 3-11, 10-12, 11-9, 12-10, 11-8 (70m)
Vini Rodrigues (BRA) bt Erik Jakobsson (SWE) 3-0: 11-4, 11-5, 11-5 (32m)
[L] Alex Garbi (ESP) bt Martin Kegel (CRO) 3-0: 11-7, 11-8, 11-7 (37m)

Round Two
Connor Sheen (ENG) bt [7] Roee Avraham (ISR) 3-0: 11-7, 11-6, 11-6 (24m)
[3] Ondrej Uherka (CZE) bt Rohan Mandil (FRA) 3-1: 11-13, 11-3, 11-3, 11-4 (42m)
[WC] Sergio Garcia Pollan (ESP) bt [4] Alex Noakes (ENG) 3-1: 11-8, 11-8, 3-11, 11-6 (60m)
[5] Joe Green (ENG) bt Adrian Ostbye (NOR) 3-1: 11-4, 6-11, 11-3, 11-4 (48m)
Harry Falconer (ENG) bt [6] Ben Coates (ENG) 3-0: 11-4, 11-9, 11-8 (27m)
Vini Rodrigues (BRA) bt [8] Claudio Pinto (POR) 3-2: 8-11, 11-5, 7-11, 11-5, 11-4 (65m)
[1] Edmon Lopez (ESP) bt Vladislav Titov (RUS) 3-0: 11-3, 11-3, 11-2 (25m)
[2] Mohammad Alsarraj (JOR) bt [L] Alex Garbi (ESP) 3-2: 11-9, 11-13, 11-6, 5-11, 11-6 (62m)

Quarter-finals
[3] Ondrej Uherka (CZE) bt Connor Sheen (ENG) 3-1: 11-9, 10-12, 11-6, 11-8 (70m)
[5] Joe Green (ENG) bt [WC] Sergio Garcia Pollan (ESP) 3-0: 11-5, 11-5, 12-10 (48m)
[1] Edmon Lopez (ESP) bt Harry Falconer (ENG) 3-0: 11-5, 11-2, 11-4 (39m)
[2] Mohammad Alsarraj (JOR) bt Vini Rodrigues (BRA) 3-1: 11-8, 11-5, 10-12, 11-5 (35m)

Semi-finals
[1] Edmon Lopez (ESP) bt [3] Ondrej Uherka (CZE) 3-1: 11-5, 11-3, 9-11, 11-4 (52m)
[2] Mohammad Alsarraj (JOR) bt [5] Joe Green (ENG) 3-1: 11-6, 10-12, 11-6, 11-8 (48m)

Final
[1] Edmon Lopez (ESP) bt [2] Mohammad Alsarraj (JOR) 3-1: 11-5, 9-11, 11-9, 11-8 (70m)

Kolkata International
Round One
Christopher Gordon (USA) bt [WC] Aadit Zaveri (IND) 3-0: 11-6, 11-6, 13-11 (34m)
Mohd Syafiq Kamal (MAS) bt Abhay Singh (IND) 3-2: 11-3, 8-11, 6-11, 11-9, 15-13 (69m)
Carlos Cornes Ribadas (ESP) bt Aditya Jagtap (IND) 3-1: 11-3, 14-16, 11-5, 11-9 (61m)
Mahesh Mangaonkar (IND) bt Guhan Senthilkumar (IND) 3-0: 11-1, 11-5, 11-3 (32m)
Martin Svec (CZE) bt Ammar Altamimi (KUW) 3-1: 12-10, 8-11, 11-8, 11-6 (45m)
Addeen Idrakie (MAS) bt Jean-Pierre Brits (RSA) 3-1: 9-11, 11-4, 11-9, 11-7 (52m)
Ahmed Hosny (EGY) bt Emyr Evans (WAL) 3-1: 10-12, 11-5, 11-4, 11-8 (55m)
Michael McCue (CAN) bt Sean Conroy (IRL) 3-1: 11-7, 11-13, 11-8, 11-4 (61m)

Round Two
[5] Karim El Hammamy (EGY) bt Christopher Gordon (USA) 3-1: 4-11, 11-8, 11-6, 11-7 (57m)
[7] Harinder Pal Singh Sandhu (IND) bt Ahmed Hosny (EGY) 3-2: 11-1, 12-10, 12-14, 5-11, 11-8 (56m)
Carlos Cornes Ribadas (ESP) bt [8] Ramit Tandon (IND) 3-2: 7-11, 4-11, 11-5, 11-6, 11-7 (61m)
[1] Saurav Ghosal (IND) bt Mohd Syafiq Kamal (MAS) 3-0: 11-9, 11-7, 11-1 (30m)
[6] Nathan Lake (ENG) bt Mahesh Mangaonkar (IND) 3-0: 11-6, 11-8, 11-8 (47m)
[4] Todd Harrity (USA) bt Martin Svec (CZE) 3-1: 9-11, 11-7, 11-2, 11-5 (55m)
[3] Youssef Soliman (EGY) bt Addeen Idrakie (MAS) 3-0: 11-6, 11-6, 11-9 (28m)
[2] Zahed Salem (EGY) bt Michael McCue (CAN) 3-0: 11-9, 11-2, 11-3 (22m)

Quarter-finals
[1] Saurav Ghosal (IND) bt [5] Karim El Hammamy (EGY) 3-0: 11-5, 11-7, 11-2 (46m)
[4] Todd Harrity (USA) bt [6] Nathan Lake (ENG) 3-2: 11-13, 11-7, 11-3, 5-11, 11-8 (65m)
Carlos Cornes Ribadas (ESP) bt [3] Youssef Soliman (EGY) 3-1: 12-14, 11-6, 11-8, 13-11 (70m)
[2] Zahed Salem (EGY) bt [7] Harinder Pal Singh Sandhu (IND) 3-2: 7-11, 11-4, 9-11, 11-8, 11-4 (73m)

Semi-finals
[1] Saurav Ghosal (IND) bt [4] Todd Harrity (USA) 3-0: 11-4, 11-7, 11-3 (41m)
[2] Zahed Salem (EGY) bt Carlos Cornes Ribadas (ESP) 3-0: 11-7, 11-3, 11-9

Final
[1] Saurav Ghosal (IND) bt [2] Zahed Salem (EGY) 3-2: 11-5, 8-11, 11-8, 11-13, 11-5 (86m)

APM Kelowna Open
Round One
Hugo Varela (ESP) bt Cory McCartney (CAN) 3-0: 12-10, 12-10, 11-6 (28m)
Mark Fuller (ENG) bt Jamie Ruggiero (USA) 3-0: 11-3, 11-7, 12-10 (25m)
Leandro Romiglio (ARG) bt Micah Franklin (BER) 3-2: 11-2, 10-12, 5-11, 11-8, 11-4 (54m)
Matias Tuomi (FIN) bt [L] Joey Forster (CAN) 3-0: 11-4, 11-7, 11-6 (19m)
Noah Browne (BER) bt Brock Janzer (CAN) 3-1: 11-8, 11-8, 9-11, 11-9 (44m)
Henrik Mustonen (FIN) bt [WC] Emilio Carrillo (CAN) 3-0: 11-3, 11-4, 11-0 (17m)
Cameron Seth (CAN) bt [L] Sarfaraz Ahmed (CAN) 3-1: 8-11, 11-4, 11-7, 11-9 (51m)
[WC] Marco Toriz-Caddó (MEX) bt Fernando Magdaleno (MEX) 3-1: 6-11, 11-5, 14-12, 11-9 (52m)

Round Two
[2] Vikram Malhotra (IND) bt Hugo Varela (ESP) 3-0: 11-9, 11-5, 11-4 (25m)
[5] Leonel Cardenas (MEX) bt Matias Tuomi (FIN) 3-0: 11-6, 11-4, 11-5 (47m)
Leandro Romiglio (ARG) bt [7] Andrew Schnell (CAN) 3-1: 11-8, 11-5, 5-11, 11-8 (58m)
[3] Shawn Delierre (CAN) bt Mark Fuller (ENG) 3-1: 9-11, 11-4, 11-9, 11-6 (44m)
[4] Robertino Pezzota (ARG) bt Noah Browne (BER) 3-1: 7-11, 11-2, 11-2, 11-4 (42m)
Henrik Mustonen (FIN) bt [8] Tristan Eysele (RSA) 3-0: 11-6, 11-5, 12-10 (31m)
[6] Nick Sachvie (CAN) bt Cameron Seth (CAN) 3-1: 11-7, 9-11, 11-8, 11-6 (65m)
[1] Charles Sharpes (ENG) bt [WC] Marco Toriz-Caddó (MEX) 3-0: 11-6, 11-8, 11-6 (43m)

Quarter-finals
[2] Vikram Malhotra (IND) bt [5] Leonel Cardenas (MEX) 3-1: 9-11, 12-10, 15-13, 13-11 (68m)
Leandro Romiglio (ARG) bt [3] Shawn Delierre (CAN) 3-2: 11-9, 12-14, 11-8, 7-11, 12-10 (118m)
[4] Robertino Pezzota (ARG) bt Henrik Mustonen (FIN) 3-1: 11-8, 9-11, 14-12, 14-12 (74m)
[6] Nick Sachvie (CAN) bt [1] Charles Sharpes (ENG) 3-2: 8-11, 11-6, 11-4, 6-11, 11-6 (70m)

Semi-finals
[2] Vikram Malhotra (IND) bt Leandro Romiglio (ARG) 3-1: 10-12, 11-8, 11-4, 11-9 (60m)
[4] Robertino Pezzota (ARG) bt [6] Nick Sachvie (CAN) 3-0: 13-11, 11-1, 11-7 (54m)

Final
[2] Vikram Malhotra (IND) bt [4] Robertino Pezzota (ARG) 3-2: 11-9, 6-11, 11-7, 11-13, 11-7

Swiss Open
Round One
Miko Aijanen (FIN) bt Tarek Shehata (EGY) 3-2: 6-11, 7-11, 11-9, 11-9, 11-8 (82m)
Jakub Solnicky (CZE) bt David Zeman (CZE) 3-0: 11-4, 12-10, 12-10 (44m)
Tom Walsh (ENG) bt Julian Tomlinson (ENG) 3-2: 12-10, 2-11, 8-11, 11-9, 11-4 (85m)
Viktor Byrtus (CZE) bt Ondrej Vorlícek (CZE) 3-1: 11-4, 11-9, 6-11, 11-4 (33m)
Omar Elkattan (EGY) bt Amadeo Costa (SUI) 3-2: 9-11, 11-4, 11-7, 15-17, 12-10 (60m)
Roman Allinckx (SUI) bt [WC] Andreas Dietzsch (SUI) 3-1: 11-7, 11-13, 11-9, 11-8 (35m)
Robin Gadola (SUI) bt [WC] Jakob Känel (SUI) 3-0: 11-5, 11-4, 11-3 (22m)
[WC] Cédric Kuchen (SUI) bt Nick Mulvey (ENG) 3-2: 8-11, 11-5, 11-9, 9-11, 14-12 (76m)

Round Two
[5] Youssef Ibrahim (EGY) bt [WC] Cédric Kuchen (SUI) 3-1: 11-6, 11-8, 4-11, 11-9 (36m)
[6] Jami Aijanen (FIN) bt Roman Allinckx (SUI) 3-1: 11-7, 11-7, 3-11, 11-2 (37m)
Jakub Solnicky (CZE) bt [7] Valentin Rapp (GER) 3-0: 11-9, 11-9, 12-10 (37m)
[2] Patrick Rooney (ENG) bt Viktor Byrtus (CZE) 3-0: 11-3, 11-4, 11-5 (25m)
[4] Kristian Frost (DEN) bt Omar Elkattan (EGY) 3-2: 7-11, 11-7, 11-9, 9-11, 11-8 (67m)
[3] Rui Soares (POR) bt Tom Walsh (ENG) 3-0: 12-10, 11-7, 11-6 (28m)
[8] Stuart Macgregor (ENG) bt Robin Gadola (SUI) 3-0: 11-9, 11-9, 20-18 (74m)
[1] Dimitri Steinmann (SUI) bt Miko Aijanen (FIN) 3-0: 11-7, 13-11, 11-3 (32m)

Quarter-finals
[3] Rui Soares (POR) bt [6] Jami Aijanen (FIN) 3-0: 11-5, 11-4, 11-6 (32m)
[5] Youssef Ibrahim (EGY) bt [2] Patrick Rooney (ENG) 3-2: 8-11, 5-11, 11-1, 11-8, 12-10 (57m)
[4] Kristian Frost (DEN) bt [8] Stuart Macgregor (ENG) 3-0: 11-7, 11-7, 11-5 (45m)
[1] Dimitri Steinmann (SUI) bt Jakub Solnicky (CZE) 3-0: 11-4, 11-5, 11-3 (32m)

Semi-finals
[5] Youssef Ibrahim (EGY) bt [3] Rui Soares (POR) 3-2: 7-11, 7-11, 13-11, 11-6, 11-1 (54m)
[1] Dimitri Steinmann (SUI) bt [4] Kristian Frost (DEN) 3-0: 11-9, 11-6, 11-2 (30m)

Final
[5] Youssef Ibrahim (EGY) bt [1] Dimitri Steinmann (SUI) 3-1: 11-5, 10-12, 11-3, 11-9 (63m)