(updated 2-aug-10 12:55

Rodriguez Wins Pachuca Prize

Colombian Miguel Angel Rodriguez claimed his second successive title on the PSA World Tour when he beat Julian Illingworth in the final of the inaugural $16,175 Bicentenario Pachuca Squash Open at Silver Squash in Pachuca in the Mexican state of Hidalgo.

The 24-year-old from Bogota, Colombia's highest-ranked player of all-time, is currently enjoying one of the best runs of his career. The world No31 followed his victory in the Tortugas Open in Argentina by winning the gold medal in the Central America & Caribbean Games for the first time last month.

After surviving two punishing matches in Pachuca, each lasting more than an hour, top seed Rodriguez faced US rival Illingworth, the No2 seed, in the final.

The Colombian took the first two games for the loss of only seven points when New Yorker Illingworth was forced to concede the match due to injury.

The success marks Rodriguez's 14th PSA Tour title.

 

RESULTS: Bicentenario Pachuca Open, Pachuca, Hidalgo, Mexico
Quarter-finals:
[1] Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL) bt [8] Jorge Isaac Baltazar Ferreira (MEX) 11-9, 5-11, 11-4, 11-7 (65m)
[4] Arturo Salazar (MEX) bt [5] Eric Galvez (MEX) 11-2, 9-11, 9-11, 11-9, 11-9 (105m)
[3] Rafael F Alarcon (BRA) bt [6] Cesar Salazar (MEX) 11-7, 4-11, 11-8, 11-8 (72m)
[2] Julian Illingworth (USA) bt Erik Tepos Valtierra (MEX) 11-8, 11-5, 11-3 (25m)
Semi-finals:
[1] Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL) bt [4] Arturo Salazar (MEX) 11-9, 13-11, 6-11, 11-9 (115m)
[2] Julian Illingworth (USA) bt [3] Rafael F Alarcon (BRA) 12-10, 11-4, 11-5 (50m)
Final:
[1] Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL) bt [2] Julian Illingworth (USA) 11-2, 11-5 ret.