Dutchman Laurens Jan Anjema launched his 2010 PSA World Tour campaign in fine style in Canada where he won the National Bank Financial Group International after beating England’s Daryl Selby in straight games in the final of the $40,000 squash event at Midtown Le Sporting Club Sanctuaire in Montreal.
After surviving a 96-minute quarter-final against lower-ranked Englishman Tom Richards, third seed Anjema made his breakthrough in the next round where he upset second seed Adrian Grant, the world No10, also from England.
And the 27-year-old from The Hague continued his dominant form against Englishmen in the final with Selby, the fourth seed from Essex who is ranked three places below Anjema in the PSA world list.
The world No15 got the better of Selby in the first two close games, then raced to victory for the loss of just a single further point as he celebrated his 11-9, 11-8, 11-1 title triumph after 65 minutes.
The win follows Anjema’s fifth successive Dutch National title success in February – and takes the left-hander’s PSA Tour title tally to nine since his first in October 2002.
Final:
[3] Laurens Jan Anjema (NED) bt [4] Daryl Selby (ENG) 11-9, 11-8, 11-1 (65m)
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Quarter-finals:
[7] Shahier Razik (CAN) bt [Q] Gilly Lane (USA) 11-6, 11-3, 11-9 (45m)
[4] Daryl Selby (ENG) bt [5] Olli Tuominen (FIN) 6-11, 11-4, 11-7, 11-2 (54m)
[3] Laurens Jan Anjema (NED) bt [8] Tom Richards (ENG) 11-4, 9-11, 6-11, 11-6, 11-8 (96m)
[2] Adrian Grant (ENG) bt [Q] Scott Arnold (AUS) 11-8, 11-6, 11-8 (46m)
Semi-finals:
[4] Daryl Selby (ENG) bt [7] Shahier Razik (CAN) 11-8, 11-4, 7-11, 11-5 (88m)
[3] Laurens Jan Anjema (NED) bt [2] Adrian Grant (ENG) 11-5, 11-8, 7-11, 11-6 (72m)
Selby & Anjema To Contest Surprise Montreal Final
Third seed Laurens Jan Anjema and fourth seed Daryl Selby will contest an unexpected final of the National Bank Financial Group International in Canada after both prevailed in four-game semi-finals of the $40,000 PSA World Tour squash event at Midtown Le Sporting Club Sanctuaire in Montreal.
Selby, the world No12 from England, dashed local hopes when he overcame seventh seed Shahier Razik in an 88-minute marathon.
Razik, the world No32 from Toronto looking for his second Tour win in North America this year, had reached the semis after ending the giant-killing run of Gilly Lane, the US number two who ousted event favourite Peter Barker in the opening round.
Selby secured the 12th PSA Tour final appearance of his career – and his second in Canada this year – after beating Razik 11-8, 11-4, 7-11, 11-5.
Fresh winning his fifth successive Dutch national title in Amsterdam, world number 15 Anjema battled for 72 minutes to upset second seed Adrian Grant 11-5, 11-8, 7-11, 11-6. It was the 27-year-old from The Hague’s first win over London Grant, the world No10, in five Tour meetings since 2003.
The win takes Anjema to his 22nd Tour final.