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Razik Rallies To Record Success In Santa Barbara

Winner Shahier Razik and finalist Eric Galvez after their 2 hour final in Santa Barbara (photo: Robert Graham)

The top two seeds Shahier Razik and Eric Galvez contested a record-breaking 132-minute final of the SAL Santa Barbara Open Squash Championship, but it was favorite Razik who ultimately prevailed to become the first Canadian to win the established PSA Tour title in California since Graham Ryding in 1996.

Razik, 27, from Toronto, played the same metronomic steady slow-paced game that won him the semi-final, retrieving many apparent "winners", and keeping Galvez deep in the court - except when he used his backhand drop shot to move him forward occasionally.

Second seed Galvez, the 21-year-old Mexican No. 1 named recently by Egypt's world No. 12 Karim Darwish as one of the fittest players on the circuit, took the ball early and hit a number of excellent shots, always trying to increase the pace.

"Eventually, after over two hours, Galvez got tired and a few more errors crept in to his game. Razik just kept on going with the same tactics - amazing discipline," said tournament organizer Robert Graham.

Razik's 11-5 9-11 11-10 9-11 11-4 victory came at the end of the longest match on record since PSA changed its scoring system to 11-point games, including tie-breaks, in September last year. The win also marks the Cairo-born Canadian's third PSA title triumph this year, and the ninth of his career.

 

RESULTS:

SAL Santa Barbara Open Squash Championship, Santa Barbara, California, USA

Final:
[1] Shahier Razik (CAN) bt [2] Eric Galvez (MEX) 11-5, 9-11, 11-10 (2-0), 9-11, 11-4 (132m)