HSC Open: Salazar Claims First Tour Title In Five Years

Mexico’s Arturo Salazar took the victory at the HSC Open – presented by Cotidie after defeating compatriot Alfredo Avila to win for the first time on Tour since his victory at the Manitoba Open back in 2017.

Salazar came into the Challenger 5 level competition as the top seed, and after receiving a bye through the opening day’s action, the Mexican got the better of Canadian Salah Eltorgman in straight games to get his campaign underway.

The World No.63 then defeated Pakistan’s No.7 seed Waqas Mehboob, also in straight games to move through to the semi-finals where he took on No.4 seed and compatriot Alejandro Reyes. In the first of two all-Mexican clashes for Salazar, he dropped just 11 points to win in 25 minutes, advancing to the final.

The final saw Salazar take on fellow Mexican Alfredo Avila, the No.2 seed, and he was able to continue his incredible run through the event without dropping a game, beating his compatriot in straight games in just 35 minutes, securing his first title since 2017, and the twelfth overall of his career.

Results: HSC Open – presented by Cotidie
Final
[1] Arturo Salazar (MEX) bt [2] Alfredo Avila (MEX) 3-0: 11-8, 11-8, 11-9 (35m)

Semi-Finals
[1] Arturo Salazar (MEX) bt [4] Alejandro Reyes (MEX) 3-0: 11-3, 11-3, 11-5 (25m)
[2] Alfredo Avila (MEX) bt [3] Abhishek Agarwal (IND) 3-1: 11-6, 9-11, 11-4, 11-7 (60m)

Quarter Finals
[1] Arturo Salazar (MEX) bt [7] Waqas Mehboob (PAK) 3-0: 11-2, 11-8, 11-9 (26m)
[4] Alejandro Reyes (MEX) bt [6] Allan Nunez (MEX) 3-2: 11-9, 10-12, 6-11, 11-6, 11-4 (73m)
[3] Abhishek Agarwal (IND) bt Muhammad Hufaiza Ibrahim (PAK) 3-1: 11-7, 4-11, 11-7, 15-13 (73m)
[2] Alfredo Avila (MEX) bt Jeremias Azana (ARG) 3-0: 13-11, 11-3, 11-1 (21m)

Round Two
[1] Arturo Salazar (MEX) bt Salah Eltorgman (CAN) 3-0: 11-6, 11-7, 11-8 (33m)
[7] Waqas Mehboob (PAK) bt Vandrick Inman-Benavente (3-0: 11-3, 11-3, 11-4 (20m)
[6] Allan Nunez (MEX) bt Jamie Ruggiero (USA) 3-1: 11-8, 10-12, 12-10, 11-9 (45m)
[4] Alejandro Reyes (MEX) bt Alister Walker (BOT) 3-2: 11-3, 13-15, 11-9, 4-11, 11-4 (55m)
[3] Abhishek Agarwal (IND) bt Muhammad Farhan Hashmi (PAK) 3-1: 12-10, 11-8, 6-11, 11-4 (48m)
Muhammad Hufaiza Ibrahim (PAK) bt [5] Hamza Sharif (PAK) 3-1: 11-6, 11-7, 7-11, 11-9 (41m)
Jeremias Azana (ARG) bt [8] Asyraf Azan (MAS) 3-1: 11-6, 11-7, 8-11, 11-8 (38m)
[2] Alfredo Avila (MEX) bt Mehran Javed (PAK) 3-0: 11-6, 11-4, 11-3 (24m)

Round One
Salah Eltorgman (CAN) bt Muhammad Ibrahim Noorani (PAK) 3-0: 11-1, 11-2, 11-7 (16m)
Vandrick Inman-Benavente (USA) bt Salman Rafique (USA) 3-0: 11-2, 11-5, 11-2 (18m)
Jamie Ruggiero (USA) bt [WC] Karamatullah Khan (PAK) 3-0: 11-6, 13-11, 11-6 (40m)
Alister Walker (BOT) bt Faisal Riaz (USA) 3-0: 11-3, 11-2, 11-2 (18m)
Muhammad Farhan Hashmi (PAK) bt [WC] Waleed Khalil (USA) 3-1: 9-11, 13-11, 11-6, 11-5 (43m)
Muhammad Hufaiza Ibrahim (PAK) bt Qadeer Gul (PAK) 3-0: 11-2, 11-2, 11-4 (18m)
Jeremias Azana (ARG) bt Wajiullah Nasim (USA) 3-0: 11-2, 11-5, 11-1 (17m)
Mehran Javed (PAK) bt [WC] Muhammad Sami Ullah (UAE) 3-2: 7-11, 11-6, 11-4, 9-11, 11-7 (54m)