Alarcon Races To Curitiba Quarters

Rafael F Alarcon single-handedly led local interest through to the quarter-finals of the Curitiba Open after romping to a 17-minute first round victory in the $15,000 PSA Tour squash event being staged in Curitiba, the largest city in Southern Brazil, for the first time since 1994.

Alarcon, the 30-year-old second seed from Sao Paolo, despatched fellow countryman Glaucio Novack, a qualifier, 11-4, 11-5, 11-6 and will now take on Englishman Tom Richards for a place in the semi-finals at the Barigui Shopping Mall.

The No8 seed from Surrey needed 55 minutes to overcome Spaniard David Vidal 11-9, 8-11, 11-5, 11-4.

Alarcon is expected to meet Miguel Angel Rodriguez in an all-South American final on Sunday. The top seed from Colombia defeated Brazilian Fabio Cechin 11-10 (2-0), 11-3, 11-5.

1st round:
[1] Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL) bt Fabio Cechin (BRA) 11-10 (2-0), 11-3, 11-5 (29m)
[5] Christopher Gordon (USA) bt Rob Sutherland (WAL) 11-9, 7-11, 4-11, 11-9, 11-10 (3-1) (70m)
[4] Dylan Bennett (NED) bt [Q] Manoel Pereira (BRA) 11-8, 11-7, 11-9 (36m)
[6] Robin Clarke (CAN) bt [Q] Antonio Jose Christovam Junior (BRA) 11-9, 11-8, 8-11, 11-4 (56m)
[7] Arturo Salazar (MEX) bt Regardt Schonborn (RSA) 11-10 (3-1), 11-5, 11-2 (46m)
[3] Jan Koukal (CZE) bt [Q] Tiago Cabral (BRA) 11-5, 11-6, 11-4 (30m)
[8] Tom Richards (ENG) bt David Vidal (ESP) 11-9, 8-11, 11-5, 11-4 (55m)
[2] Rafael F Alarcon (BRA) bt [Q] Glaucio Novack (BRA) 11-4, 11-5, 11-6 (17m)