Dutch squash star Laurens Jan Anjema scored his second successive PSA World Tour win over Daryl Selby in a week in Canada when he beat the Englishman in straight games in the final of the $20,000 Winnipeg Building & Decorating Manitoba Open title at Winnipeg Squash Racquet Club in Winnipeg.
The two top seeds, who had earlier contested the final of the National Bank Financial Group International in Montreal, reached the Winnipeg climax in contrasting styles – Anjema brushing aside seventh-seeded Mexican Arturo Salazar in 55 minutes, while second seed Selby was stretched for 98 minutes before overcoming local hero Shahier Razik, the fourth seed and a twice former champion, in five games.
But Selby, the world No12 who was celebrating his second year in a row in the Manitoba final, was unable to take advantage of his superior ranking over the five times Dutch champion from The Hague, ranked 15 in the world.
Anjema, who only dropped a single game en-route to the final, made up for the disappointment of finishing as runner-up in 2007 by despatching Selby 11-7, 11-6, 11-5 in 55 minutes to pick up his second Tour final of the year – but the tenth of his career.
Final:
[1] Laurens Jan Anjema (NED) bt [2] Daryl Selby (ENG) 11-7, 11-6, 11-5 (55m)
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Anjema & Selby Line Up For Second Tour Final In Canada
Just a week after contesting the climax of the National Bank Financial Group International in Montreal, England’s Daryl Selby and Dutchman Laurens Jan Anjema will line-up in a second PSA World Tour squash final in Canada when they battle it out for the $20,000 Winnipeg Building & Decorating Manitoba Open title at Winnipeg Squash Racquet Club in Winnipeg.
Also for the second time since Montreal, it was Canada’s top-ranked player Shahier Razik that tried to stop Selby reaching the finale – and this time the 32-year-old world No32 from Toronto extended the Englishman to five games in his home soil Tour bid.
But second seed Selby, aged 27 and ranked 12 in the world, dug deep to finally overcome the third-seeded local hero 10-12, 11-3, 2-11, 13-11, 11-6 in 98 minutes.
The other semi-final saw world No15 Anjema take on surprise opponent Arturo Salazar, the No7 seed from Mexico who reached the last four after removing Egypt’s third seed Hisham Mohd Ashour in a dramatic five-game quarter-final encounter.
And the 22-year-old from San Luis Potosi, ranked 54 in the world, tested the top-seeded Dutchman from The Hague for 55 minutes before Anjema finally emerged victorious 11-3, 7-11, 11-6, 11-2 to reach the 23rd Tour final of his career.
Selby will be looking for revenge – and hoping to prove the current world rankings correct – as he takes on the five-time Dutch national champion in his 13th PSA final.
Semi-finals:
[1] Laurens Jan Anjema (NED) bt [7] Arturo Salazar (MEX) 11-3, 7-11, 11-6, 11-2 (55m)
[2] Daryl Selby (ENG) bt [4] Shahier Razik (CAN) 10-12, 11-3, 2-11, 13-11, 11-6 (98m)
Quarter-finals:
[1] Laurens Jan Anjema (NED) bt [8] Jan Koukal (CZE) 11-6, 11-8, 11-3
[7] Arturo Salazar (MEX) bt [3] Hisham Mohd Ashour (EGY) 6-11, 11-1, 9-11, 11-8, 13-11
[4] Shahier Razik (CAN) bt [6] Eric Galvez (MEX) 13-11, 11-8, 11-9
[2] Daryl Selby (ENG) bt [5] Martin Knight (NZL) 6-11, 11-8, 11-5, 11-4
1st round:
[1] Laurens Jan Anjema (NED) bt [Q] Zac Alexander (AUS) 11-8, 11-1, 11-4
[8] Jan Koukal (CZE) bt [Q] Wade Johnstone (AUS) 6-11, 10-12, 11-7, 11-9, 11-4
[3] Hisham Mohd Ashour (EGY) bt Bernardo Samper (COL) 11-6, 6-11, 11-4, 11-7
[7] Arturo Salazar (MEX) bt Robbie Temple (ENG) 6-11, 11-8, 11-4, 11-1
[6] Eric Galvez (MEX) bt [Q] Shawn Delierre (CAN) 11-6, 11-9, 11-6
[4] Shahier Razik (CAN) bt [Q] Eddie Charlton (ENG) 10-12, 11-6, 11-4, 11-9
[5] Martin Knight (NZL) bt Thomas Brinkman (CAN) 11-4, 8-11, 11-7, 11-9
[2] Daryl Selby (ENG) bt Cesar Salazar (MEX) 8-11, 10-12, 11-8, 11-8, 11-4