Gordon Comes Through Gruelling Battle in Resistencia Open First Round

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Number one seed Chris Gordon staved off a huge upset in the opening round of the Asociacion Chaquena de Squash Tour de las Americas – Regatas Resistencia Open, PSA M10 tournament after overturning a 2-1 deficit to defeat Mexico’s Edgar Zayas.

Gordon, who at 61 in the world is ranked 183 places above Zayas in the World Rankings, took the first game in comfortable style, before conceding the next two to leave him staring down the barrel of an unlikely defeat. But the 29-year-old dug in and used all of his 14 years of experience to mount a comeback, eventually claiming the win with an 11-6, 6-11, 5-11, 11-6, 11-9 scoreline to reach the next round.

Paraguay’s Nicolas Caballero, who received lucky loser status to advance past the qualifying stages, will go up against Gordon for a place in the last eight, after he dispatched Ireland’s Stuart Hadden in straight games.

Mexico’s Arturo Salazar is also into the last eight after cantering to victory against Argentina’s Juan Pablo Roude in a comfortable three-game salvo. He will do battle with Robertino Pezzota in the next round, with Pezzota currently in the midst of some of his best ever form, with title wins in his last three PSA World Tour events in addition to a current unbeaten streak of 19 matches after Juan Gomez Dominguez became the latest player to be put to the sword.

New Zealand’s Martin Knight moved beyond Bryan Cueto to seal his quarter-final berth and he will line up against Jonas Daehler for a place in the last four after the Swiss number five seed overcame Francisco Obregon in five.

Elsewhere, Leandro Romiglio and Federico Cioffi will face off in an all-Argentine affair after Romiglio saw off wildcard Gonzalo Miranda, and Cioffo upset Brazil’s Diego Gobbi.

Results – First Round: Asociacion Chaquena de Squash Tour de las Americas – Regatas Resistencia Open 2016
[1] Christopher Gordon (USA) bt Edgar Zayas (MEX) 3-2: 11-6, 6-11, 5-11, 11-6, 11-9 (80m)
[LL] Nicolas Caballero (PAR) bt [7] Stuart Hadden (IRL) 3-0: 12-10, 11-9, 11-4 (30m)
[5] Jonas Daehler (SUI) bt [Q] Francisco Obregon (ARG) 3-2: 11-8, 4-11, 11-9, 11-13, 11-7 (60m)
[3] Martin Knight (NZL) bt Bryan Cueto (MEX) 3-0: 11-5, 11-8, 11-7 (42m)
[4] Leandro Romiglio (ARG) bt [WC] Gonzalo Miranda (ARG) 3-1: 11-9, 11-7, 2-11, 11-7 (40m)
[Q] Federico Cioffi (ARG) bt [6] Diego Gobbi (BRA) 3-1: 11-8, 5-11, 11-6, 11-5 (45m)
[Q] Robertino Pezzota (ARG) bt [8] Juan Gomez Dominguez (MEX) 3-1: 11-9, 7-11, 11-5, 11-7 (60m)
[2] Arturo Salazar (MEX) bt [Q] Juan Pablo Roude (ARG) 3-0: 11-7, 11-3, 11-4 (28m)

Draw – Quarter-Final
[1] Christopher Gordon (USA) v [LL] Nicolas Caballero (PAR)
[5] Jonas Daehler (SUI) v [3] Martin Knight (NZL)
[4] Leandro Romiglio (ARG) v [Q] Federico Cioffi (ARG)
[Q] Robertino Pezzota (ARG) v [2] Arturo Salazar (MEX)