PSA: Selby and Walker meet in Grasshopper final
April 27, 2013 - 4:29am
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Selby & Walker In Surprise Grasshopper Final
27 April 2013
RESULTS: PSA International 35 Grasshopper Cup, Zurich, Switzerland
Semi-finals:
[4] Alister Walker (BOT) bt [1] Borja Golan (ESP) 11-7, 11-8, 9-11, 14-12 (124m)
Daryl Selby (ENG) bt [3] Laurens Jan Anjema (NED) 6-11, 11-5, 11-5, 11-2 (68m)
Fourth seed Alister Walker and unseeded Daryl Selby, the defending champion, will meet in a surprise final of theGrasshopper Cup in Switzerland after a marathon victories over higher-seeded opponents in the PSA World Tour International 35 squash event at the Grasshopper Club in Zurich.
Englishman Selby faced third seed Laurens Jan Anjema. The Dutchman played a solid opening game and took the lead. After Selby, the 30-year-old world No14, drew level by taking the second, it was again left-hander Anjema who took the early advantage in game three to forge 5-2 ahead.
“There were some really hard rallies in the middle of the game which Daryl came out on top of and took nine points in a row against a tiring LJ,” explained event spokesman Mark Meyer. “Daryl was on top the whole way through the fourth and closed out the match 11-2.”
The 6-11, 11-5, 11-5, 11-2 win in 68 minutes takes Selby into his first Tour final since contesting the 2012 Grasshopper Cup climax – but the 18th of his career.
“Very happy with my performance tonight against an always strong @ljanjema,” tweeted Selby later. “Hoping I can play like that again tomorrow!!”
Walker survived an epic encounter against top seed Borja Golan, the world No9 from Spain who won their most recent Tour encounter in straight games.
Walker, the world No13 from Botswana, took the first two games before Golan reduced the deficit by taking the third.
“The fourth game was pure drama, both players getting gradually more tired and the let count increasing,” said Meyer. “The crowd were treated to an unbelievable game of squash that really could have gone either way.
“The last part of the match was a great advert for squash in two players fighting for everything and Ali was overjoyed to sneak the fourth 14-12 and the match in 124 minutes.”
Selby himself summed up the battle via Twitter: “Unbelievable match between @alisterWALKER and Borja. Big respect to both for the total commitment and fight to win a gruelling match.”
The 11-7, 11-8, 9-11, 14-12 victory takes Walker into the 13th PSA Tour final of his career – but his first of the year.
The final will be Selby and Walker’s fifth Tour clash since 2005 – with the current head-to-head record finely poised on two wins apiece!
Selby Secures Semi Slot In Zurich
26 April 2013
RESULTS: PSA International 35 Grasshopper Cup, Zurich, Switzerland
Quarter-finals:
[1] Borja Golan (ESP) bt [LL] Andrew Wagih Shoukry (EGY) 11-6, 11-2, 12-14, 11-3
[4] Alister Walker (BOT) bt [Q] Eddie Charlton (ENG) 11-9, 11-4, 11-7
[3] Laurens Jan Anjema (NED) bt Gregoire Marche (FRA) 11-5, 11-8, 11-9
Daryl Selby (ENG) bt Nicolas Mueller (SUI) 9-11, 6-11, 11-3, 11-9, 11-9 (98m)
England’s defending champion Daryl Selby became the only unseeded player to make the semi-finals of the Grasshopper Cup in Switzerland after a double fight-back over local hero Nicolas Mueller in the PSA World Tour International 35squash event at the Grasshopper Club in Zurich.
World No21 Mueller, the highest-ranked Swiss player of all-time and winner of a seventh successive Swiss national title at the weekend, is yet to beat the Englishman ranked seven places higher.
“Both athletes did their utmost and Nici was really asking for his first win against Daryl,” said event spokesman Mark Meyer. “He won the first two games 11-9 and 11-6, when Daryl gave a first sign of life by winning the third 11-3.
“And then the game went crazy. Daryl turned a 1-6 defeat to a 9-6 lead, finishing the game 11-9 in his favour. Nici took it easy and started with 8-0 run into the fifth. And Daryl came back again, taking eight points in a row and finishing the match with another 11-9 game.
“The match had everything you can ask for in the sport of Squash,” added Meyer of the 98-minute battle which was a repeat of the 2012 final.
Selby later admitted to his Twitter followers: “Not sure how I managed to win that match. Shows what can happen if you dig deep and hang in there.”
The 30-year-old from Chelmsford now faces Dutchman Laurens Jan Anjema after the third seed ended the brave run of Frenchman Gregoire Marche 11-5, 11-8, 11-9. The 23-year-old from Aix-en-Provence had reached the quarter-finals after a shock upset over England’s world No20 Adrian Grant.
Top seed Borja Golan will contest the other semi-final as predicted. But the world No9 was pushed all the way by Andrew Wagih Shoukry before beating the ‘lucky loser’ from Egypt 11-6, 11-2, 12-14, 11-3.
Golan will line up against Alister Walker, the No4 seed from Botswana who quashed English qualifier Eddie Charlton 11-9, 11-4, 11-7.
Semi-final line-up:
[1] Borja Golan (ESP) v [4] Alister Walker (BOT)
Daryl Selby (ENG) v [3] Laurens Jan Anjema (NED)
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