RESULTS: National Capital Squash Open, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
Final:
[2] Shahier Razik (CAN) bt [6] Ryan Cuskelly (AUS) 12-10, 11-5, 11-6 (60m)
Canada’s Shahier Razik retained his National Capital Open crown in the USA after beating Australian Ryan Cuskelly in the final of the $16,875 PSA World Tour squash event in its third year at Bethesda Sport & Health Club in Bethesda in Maryland.
"Shahier won the title with a masterful display of accurate, defensive squash, seeing him to victory in three sets over an even hour," said Tournament Director Rod Barnes. "The beautifully executed strategy defused the attack that opponent Ryan Cuskelly had used successfully to reach the final."
Sixth seed Cuskelly earned his place in the final after two successive upsets, over top-seeded Colombian Miguel Angel Rodriguez in the quarter-finals, then New Zealand’s No3 seed Martin Knight in the semis.
The 22-year-old left-hander from New South Wales took Razik to a tie-break in the first game, and displayed patches of brilliance in the next two games - but the Canadian title-holder held off the challenge to record a 12-10, 11-5, 11-6 victory after 60 minutes.
The triumph marks Razik's first PSA Tour title of the year in his third final. But it also brings up the 20th PSA title of the 32-year-old from Toronto’s career since winning his first at the Sao Paulo Open in Brazil in 1999.
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