Mexican Arturo Salazar successfully retained his Torneo Internacional Sporta Open title at Sporta Guatemala in the Guatemala capital Guatemala City after beating compatriot Eric Galvez in the final of the men’s PSA World Tour Challenger 15 squash event for the second year in a row.
Fourth seed Salazar reached the final after upsetting top-seeded Colombian Miguel Angel Rodriguez in a five-game semi-final battle.
But the 23-year-old Mexican number one, ranked 44 in the world, showed no signs of his toils 24 hours earlier when he despatched former top-ranked Mexican Galvez 14-12, 11-8, 11-2.
The triumph marked Salazar’s sixth title win in seven Tour finals.
But the final was a major disappointment for former world No33 Galvez, who has now finished as runner-up in the Guatemala event for the third year in a row.
Canada’s Samantha Cornett prevented a Mexican double when she beat Graciela Lopez Perez in the final of the women’s WISPA World Tour 4 championship.
But the fifth seed from Ottawa had to battle for five games – and twice come from behind – before beating unseeded teenager Perez, ranked 153 in the world, 7-11, 11-6, 10-12, 11-3, 11-3.
The victory marks 20-year-old world No68 Cornett’s maiden WISPA title.
RESULTS: Torneo Internacional Sporta Open, Guatemala City, Guatemala
Men's Final:
[4] Arturo Salazar (MEX) bt Eric Galvez (MEX) 14-12, 11-8, 11-2
Women’s Final:
[5] Samantha Cornett (CAN) bt Graciela Lopez Perez (MEX) 7-11, 11-6, 10-12, 11-3, 11-3