Becerril Fills out All-Mexico Finals
Oct 27 2005, by Rob Dinerman      [Jamaica Main Draw]
Squashtalk Independent News; © 2005 SquashTalk LLC

Jose Angel Becerril overcame a match ball against him in his quarterfinal with American Julian Illingworth and then upset Argentina's second seed Roberto Pezzota in the semi-finals of the Panamerican Squash Championships to set up an all-Mexican men's final in the El Salvador capital San Salvador.

Becerril, a 3/4 seed, beat Pezzota 9-7 7-9 9-4 9-4, while compatriot Eric Galvez, the top seed, also dropped a game in his 9-0 9-5 4-9 9-4 victory over Brazil's Rafael F Alarcon in the other semi-final at the Maya Country Club.

The women's final will feature the top two seeds after favourite Samantha Teran, the 24-year-old Mexican going for her third title, beat USA's Louisa Hall 9-6 9-4 9-4, and Canada's No2 seed Alana Miller despatched unseeded Brazilian Karen Redfern 9-0 9-1 9-1.

The quarter- and semi-final rounds of the 2005 Pan American Fed Cup saw the elimination of all five Americans to reach the quarters.

Three of the U. S. representatives---Carlin Wing, Louisa Hall and Chris Gordon---were ousted by the top seeds in their respective flights (Mexicans Samantha Teran and Eric Galvez), with Hall providing the only semifinal advance for the American contingent.

Michael Puertas could not stay with his much younger (and second-seeded) Argentine counterpart Roberto Pezzota, but the lone remaining U. S. quarterfinalist, Yale senior Julian Illingworth, held a match-ball at 9-all in the fifth against Jose Becimil of Mexico, who hit a loose ball into the middle of the court. Perhaps nonplussed by the host of options at his disposal, Illingworth tried to run around his backhand in order to deliver a crushing forehand winner but instead nailed a crosscourt directly into the tin. Thus reprieved, Becimil proceeded to convert the match-ball opportunity Illingworth's tin had presented to finish off the American team's last chance to crack the men's semis. The team competition will directly follow the individuals finals tomorrow in this compressed five-day tournament format, and many of these match-ups may therefore recur later on this week.

RESULTS:        Panamerican Squash Championships, San Salvador, El SalvadorMen's quarter-finals:
[1] Eric Galvez (MEX) bt Christopher Gordon (USA)     9-1, 9-6, 9-1
[3/4] Rafael F Alarcon (BRA) bt Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL)   9-2, 9-0, 9-7
[3/4] Jose Angel Becerril (MEX) bt Julian Illingworth (USA)     5-9, 9-1, 6-9, 9-1, 10-9
[2] Roberto Pezzota (ARG) bt Michael Puertas (USA)    9-2, 9-1, 9-3

Semi-finals:
[1] Eric Galvez (MEX) bt [3/4] Rafael F Alarcon (BRA)   9-0, 9-5, 4-9, 9-4
[3/4] Jose Angel Becerril (MEX) bt [2] Roberto Pezzota (ARG) 9-7, 7-9, 9-4, 9-4

Women's quarter-finals:
[1] Samantha Teran (MEX) bt Carlin Wing (USA)    9-1, 9-4, 9-1
[3/4] Louisa Hall (USA) bt Pamela Anckermann (GUA)      9-3, 9-0, 9-3
Karen Redfern (BRA) bt Thaisa Serafini (BRA) 9-3, 9-5, 9-3
[2] Alana Miller (CAN) bt Carolina Vega (ESA)   9-1, 9-3, 9-4

Semi-finals:
[1] Samantha Teran (MEX) bt [3/4] Louisa Hall (USA)    9-6, 9-4, 9-4
[2] Alana Miller (CAN) bt Karen Redfern (BRA)    9-0, 9-1, 9-1

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