Lavigne Survived While Chifunda Cheered In Virginia

The first round of the 2008 Davenport Professional Squash Championship held at the University of Richmond provided a mixed bag of players and competition. In the most competitive match of the day in the $77,500 PSA Tour event in its fifth year in the US state of Virginia, Renan Lavigne of France survive a spirited comeback from Ireland's Liam Kenny, who pushed the Frenchman to a tie break in the fifth game.

Despite the gap in rankings - Lavigne is world number 26 while Kenny has slipped to 52 - the players were equal in most things and played a similar game, matching each other in both defence and attack.

Kenny looked the better armed and always seemed on the brink of breaking away, but Lavigne always managed to contain Kenny's spirited attacking. In the decider, Kenny came back from 0-3 down to lead 6-4 - but the 30-year-old from Dublin could not stop Lavigne's constant supply of energy.

Kenny saved two match balls, then got to match ball himself at 11-10, but it was Lavigne who persevered that little bit more to win 11-6, 8-11, 11-7, 6-11, 11-10 (3-1) in 88 minutes.

It took Patrick Chifunda, a wild card local entry, to get the crowd roaring - even before he'd struck a ball. Born in Zambia, educated in South Africa, Chifunda now coaches at the Country Club of Richmond. His popularity had the packed galleries roaring him on as he tried to bamboozle world number 26 Cameron Pilley, a lanky Australian. Chifunda's speed and acrobatics almost paid off in the third game as he led 7-4 and then was tied at 9-9 with a real chance at taking the game. But an error put Pilley at match ball and he took the final point with a backhand drop. The players left the court to more roars of approval.

"I just play my best squash and don't worry about the rankings," said the smiling 32-year-old Zambian. "I just like to hassle these players as much as I can and try enjoy myself."

English qualifier Robbie Temple managed to give Thierry Lincou a bit of a fright in their first round match. Temple had knocked out the up and coming Ryan Cuskelly of Australia in the qualifying round - a good win for a player who has just entered the top 100. Left-handed Temple plays his backhand with two hands, a la Peter Marshall - and like Marshall, can keep his opponents guessing as to which way the ball is going.

Lincou, now ranked seven in the world, had it all his own way in the first two games - but suddenly found himself 6-1 down in the third. The Frenchman managed to climb back into the game only because Temple made four unforced errors which allowed Lincou to draw level and then go on to take the game to close out the match 11-6, 11-8, 11-9 in 31 minutes.

"Concentration," responded Lincou when asked what happened in the third game. "I just lost my concentration and when he got five quick points, I panicked."

Australia's David Palmer, who now lives in Boston, cruised to a two game lead over Mexican Eric Galvez, ranked 36 in the world. But the world number four and former world champion suddenly lost his flowing game in the third to allow his opponent to hustle and bustle his way to win it 11-9. One of the most experienced men on the circuit, Palmer firmly shut the door on the Mexican in the fourth to win 11-5, 11-3, 9-11, 11-5 and assure his second round berth.

1st round results (bottom half of draw):
[16] Renan Lavigne (FRA) bt [Q] Liam Kenny (IRL) 11-6, 8-11, 11-7, 6-11, 11-10 (3-1)
[7] John White (SCO) bt [Q] Wade Johnstone (AUS) 11-8, 11-9, 9-11, 11-7 (38m)
[11] Olli Tuominen (FIN) bt Rafael F Alarcon (BRA) 11-8, 10-11 (1-3), 8-11, 11-6, 11-5 (56m)
[3] David Palmer (AUS) bt Eric Galvez (MEX) 11-5, 11-3, 9-11, 11-5 (47m)
[10] Mohammed Abbas (EGY) bt [Q] Julien Balbo (FRA) 11-7, 11-5, 11-3 (37m)
[5] Thierry Lincou (FRA) bt [Q] Robbie Temple (ENG) 11-6, 11-8, 11-9 (31m)
[15] Cameron Pilley (AUS) bt Patrick Chifunda (ZAM) 11-8, 11-5, 11-10 (2-0) (40m)
[2] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) bt Yasser El Halaby (EGY) 11-8, 11-5, 11-6 (33m)