It was not a good day for many of the top seeds in the Torneo Internacional Sporta Open, the men’s and women’s international squash circuit event at Sporta in Santa Catarina Pinula in Guatemala.
Mexican Cesar Salazar produced the biggest shock in the opening round of the men’s PSA World Tour Challenger 15 event when he removed second seed Ryan Cuskelly.
The Australian led 2/1 – but the unseeded Salazar recovered the advantage to win 11-7, 6-11, 6-11, 11-2, 11-6.
The 23-year-old world No57 will now face Campbell Grayson after the unseeded New Zealander despatched Mexican qualifier Gerardo de Paul Garcia 11-4, 11-6, 11-3.
Cesar will join his twin brother in the last eight after Arturo Salazar, the top-ranked Mexican, beat fellow countryman Alfredo Avila 2-11, 11-8, 5-11, 11-5, 11-9.
England’s third seed Chris Simpson also failed to progress beyond the first round after losing to a Mexican. The Guernsey-born 24-year-old went down 11-5, 13-11, 4-11, 11-3 to Mexican number four Eric Galvez.
The favourite was the biggest casualty in the women’s WISPA World Tour 4 championship. Unseeded Kristen Lange, the world No 158 from the USA, twice came from behind to overcome top seed Milou van der Heijden, the world No58 from the Netherlands, 9-11, 11-2, 8-11, 11-3, 11-8.
The 22-year-old Lange will now face Canadian Samantha Cornett, the fifth seed from Ottawa who defeated Mexican qualifier Diana Elisa Garcia Fierro 11-8, 14-12, 11-2.
RESULTS: Torneo Internacional Sporta Open, Santa Catarina Pinula, Guatemala
Men's 1st round:
[1] Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL) bt Kamran Khan (MAS) 11-3, 14-12, 12-10
Jorge Isaac Baltazar Ferreira (MEX) bt [Q] Adam Murrills (ENG) 14-12, 11-7, 12-10
[Q] Clinton Leeuw (RSA) bt Jose Mendez (MEX) 14-12, 11-5, 11-5
[4] Arturo Salazar (MEX) bt [Q] Alfredo Avila (MEX) 2-11, 11-8, 5-11, 11-5, 11-9
Eric Galvez (MEX) bt [3] Chris Simpson (ENG) 11-5, 13-11, 4-11, 11-3
Yann Perrin (FRA) bt Erik Tepos Valtierra (MEX) 11-2, 11-6, 11-8
Campbell Grayson (NZL) bt [Q] Gerardo de Paul Garcia (MEX) 11-4, 11-6, 11-3
Cesar Salazar (MEX) bt [2] Ryan Cuskelly (AUS) 11-7, 6-11, 6-11, 11-2, 11-6
Women’s 1st round:
Kristen Lange (USA) bt [1] Milou van der Heijden (NED) 9-11, 11-2, 8-11, 11-3, 11-8
[5] Samantha Cornett (CAN) bt [Q] Diana Elisa Garcia Fierro (MEX) 11-8, 14-12, 11-2
[3] Ivonne Diaz (MEX) bt Alex Clark (SCO) 11-9, 8-11, 11-9, 11-9
[8] Elpiniki Clement (USA) bt [Q] Maria Fernanda Rivera (MEX) 11-7, 11-4, 7-11, 12-10
Graciela Lopez Perez (MEX) bt [6] Karina Heredia Gonzalez (MEX) 11-7, 11-3, 11-2
[4] Nayelly Hernandez (MEX) bt Nicole Anckermann (GUA) 11-7, 11-6, 11-0
[7] Imelda Salazar Martinez (MEX) bt Pamela Anckermann (GUA) 11-5, 11-9, 11-3
[2] Thaisa Serafini (BRA) bt Genevieve Lessard (CAN) 11-7, 11-6, 11-5
Men’s quarter-final line-up:
[1] Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL) v Jorge Isaac Baltazar Ferreira (MEX)
[4] Arturo Salazar (MEX) v [Q] Clinton Leeuw (RSA)
Eric Galvez (MEX) v Yann Perrin (FRA)
Cesar Salazar (MEX) v Campbell Grayson (NZL)
Women’s quarter-final line-up:
Kristen Lange (USA) v [5] Samantha Cornett (CAN)
[3] Ivonne Diaz (MEX) v [8] Elpiniki Clement (USA)
[4] Nayelly Hernandez (MEX) v Graciela Lopez Perez (MEX)
[2] Thaisa Serafini (BRA) v [7] Imelda Salazar Martinez (MEX)