Top seeds Alex Arjoon and Richard Chin highlighted the semi-finals of Saturday night’s pre-finals round at the Georgetown Club Courts as the Senior Squash Championships draw to a close.
The pair stole the show in their respective matches, thus setting up a thriller in Sunday’s finals. Despite the brilliance, shot retrieval and athleticism of Nyron Joseph, the unrivalled patience and skill of Chin’s thoughtful, near-perfect execution and fortitude could not be overcome.
In a punishing five-game thriller, the lengthy rallies, interspersed with what would have at other times been sure winners, forced full use of the court and both players’ abilities.
Chin’s far from easy start saw an 11-5 first game victory, and his second closing in at 11-8. Turning the tables, Joseph answered back in the exact same vein with 11-8, 11-5 set wins before Chin closed off with a dominant 11-2 display.
The audience were silent for the most part – in awe, but the unison of the gasps, sounds of disbelief and sheer respect, for both players were evidence of their understanding that they were bearing witness to pure genius match play.
Richard Chin
In the other main draw match of the night, Arjoon held off a spirited Jason Khalil in a four-match bout, which ended in an 11-7, 11-4, 5-11, 11-5 victory for Arjoon. In a fast-paced, hard-hitting game, the two boys fought hard for their wins before Arjoon finished the task of a 3-1 win.
The women’s main draw held no surprise for professional Mary Fung-A-Fat as she shared the court with fast-improving Abosaide Cadogan. Cadogan was not yet ready to combat Fung-A-Fat’s level and succumbed to a 3-0 defeat. Taylor Fernandes made a clean sweep 3-0 over Ashley Khalil. Fernandes’ 11-6, 11-7, 11-6 triumph was testament to her disciplined training regime and game strategy.
The remaining semi-finals resulted in movement by Sarah Lewis, Shomari Wiltshire, Regan Pollard, Jonathan Antczak and Samuel Ince-Carvalhal into the finals.
Results – Saturday, June 30
Vets
Lloyd Fung-A-Fat beat Tony Farnum 6-11, 11-6, 11-5, 11-4.
Women’s Semi-Finals
Mary Fung-A-Fat beat Abosaide Cadogan 11-2, 11-2, 11-4.
Taylor Fernandes beat Ashley Khalil 11-6, 11-7, 11-6.
Classic Plate
Sarah Lewis beat Tian Edwards 11-2, 11-0, 11-1.
Men’s Semi-Finals
Alex Arjoon beat Jason Ray Khalil 11-7, 11-4, 5-11, 11-5.
Richard Chin beat Nyron Joseph 11-5, 11-8, 8-11, 5-11, 11-2.
Classic Plate
Shomari Wiltshire beat Damien Da Silva 11-7, 6-11, 11-6, 14-12.
Regan Pollard beat Robert Fernandes 11-8, 11-7, 11-5.
Plate
Jonathan Antczak beat Adam Alves 10-12, 14-12, 11-5, 8-11, 11-9.
Samuel Ince-Carvalhal beat Jason Van Dyk 12-10, 11-3, 11-2.
