Spain’s Borja Golan celebrated the biggest squash title of his career when he upset top seed Laurens Jan Anjema in the final of the Winnipeg Building and Decorating Ltd Manitoba Open, the PSA World Tour International 35 event in its ninth successive year at Winnipeg Squash Racquet Club in Winnipeg, Canada.
The 42-minute 11-4, 11-5, 11-1 victory over the world No9 from the Netherlands – his second triumph over a higher-ranked opponent in 24 hours – emphatically marks Golan’s comeback from a career-threatening knee injury which took the Spaniard out of the game for eight months two years ago.
“My game plan was to try and get a lead in each game so that LJ couldn’t gain confidence in his attacking shots,” explained the former world No10, currently ranked just outside the top 20.
“I also did a very good job of getting LJ out of the T and keep control of it myself.
“The greatest thing that I was proud of was my concentration,” added the 29-year-old from Santiago de Compostela. “I was able to stay focused all the way through the match and especially at the end of each game.
“This was a very good match for me and a very good win,” exclaimed Golan, whose PSA Tour title tally has now risen to 26.
A despondent Anjema tweeted later: “Lost badly in the final today. This is not how you want to play a final. You don’t want to be flat vs the hurricane. Congrats to BG!”
PSA International 35 Winnipeg Building and Decorating Ltd Manitoba Open, Winnipeg, Canada
Final:
[4] Borja Golan (ESP) bt [1] Laurens Jan Anjema (NED) 11-4, 11-5, 11-1 (42m)Semi-finals:
[1] Laurens Jan Anjema (NED) bt [3] Tom Richards (ENG) 11-5, 11-6, 11-5 (52m)
[4] Borja Golan (ESP) bt [2] Cameron Pilley (AUS) 11-3, 11-8, 11-6 (50m)Quarter-finals:
[1] Laurens Jan Anjema (NED) bt [Q] Raphael Kandra (GER) 11-2, 11-7, 11-8 (40m)
[3] Tom Richards (ENG) bt Alan Clyne (SCO) 11-7, 11-7, 11-5 (35m)
[4] Borja Golan (ESP) bt Jonathan Kemp (ENG) 11-6, 11-4, 11-9 (42m)
[2] Cameron Pilley (AUS) bt [Q] Shawn Delierre (CAN) 11-6, 9-11, 14-12, 11-5 (75m)1st round:
[1] Laurens Jan Anjema (NED) bt Mathieu Castagnet (FRA) 11-5, 11-7, 3-11, 11-7 (75m)
[Q] Raphael Kandra (GER) bt Martin Knight (NZL) 12-10, 8-11, 8-11, 14-12, 11-7 (110m)
Alan Clyne (SCO) bt [Q] Anthony Graham (ENG) 9-11, 11-4, 11-6, 11-5 (35m)
[3] Tom Richards (ENG) bt Jan Koukal (CZE) 6-11, 11-6, 11-5, 11-4 (35m)
[4] Borja Golan (ESP) bt [Q] Steven Finitsis (AUS) 12-10, 11-1, 4-11, 11-6 (60m)
Jonathan Kemp (ENG) bt Thomas Brinkman (CAN) 11-9, 11-6, 11-6 (42m)
[Q] Shawn Delierre (CAN) bt Andrew Schnell (CAN) 11-8, 11-5, 11-8 (60m)
[2] Cameron Pilley (AUS) bt Mohammed Abbas (EGY) 9-11, 11-9, 11-8, 11-7 (75m)Qualifying finals:
Steven Finitsis (AUS) bt Arturo Salazar (MEX) 11-3, 11-0 ret.
Raphael Kandra (GER) bt Eric Galvez (MEX) 11-2, 11-4, 11-1 (25m)
Shawn Delierre (CAN) bt David Letourneau (CAN) 11-9, 11-5, 12-10 (40m)
Anthony Graham (ENG) bt Andrew Schnell (CAN) 9-11, 11-8, 11-3, 11-4 (45m)