Baltazar Ferreira Reaches Final In Bogotá

Colombia's second seed Miguel Angel Rodriguez will lead local interest in the final of the XI Abierto Colombian Open as expected - but his surprise opponent in the climax of the $30,000 PSA Tour squash event will be Jorge Isaac Baltazar Ferreira after the unseeded Mexican staged his third upset in a row at Club El Nogal in the country's capital Bogotá.

Baltazar Ferreira, the world No76 from Mexico City, caused the event's biggest upset in the quarter-finals with a straight games defeat of England's top seed Adrian Grant, ranked 14 in the world.

In the semis, the 25-year-old battled for 84 minutes to earn his first Tour win over Eric Galvez, beating his third-seeded fellow countryman 11-8, 3-11, 11-9, 14-12.

After losing the first game, world No36 Galvez changed his tactics in the second to draw level. But a series of unforced errors by the higher-ranked Mexican in the next two games led Baltazar to secure a place in his ninth PSA Tour final.

The other semi was also a marathon affair, in which Rodriguez twice had to come from behind before beating surprise opponent Arturo Salazar, the No7 seed from Mexico.

Indeed the third game alone lasted 44 minutes. "It featured a vibrating tie break that seemed eternal at times," commented event spokesman Juan Carlos Santacruz. "Just when all the public thought the game was going to be won by the Colombian, the Mexican displayed his utmost level and courage to win the game!"

But 22-year-old Rodriguez struck back to take the next two games to claim his dramatic 9-11, 11-0, 16-18, 11-5, 11-4 victory after 99 minutes - to earn a place in the 16th Tour final of his career, and a second time in the Bogotá event's final in three years.

Semi-finals:
Jorge Isaac Baltazar Ferreira (MEX) bt [3] Eric Galvez (MEX) 11-8, 3-11, 11-9, 14-12 (84m)
[2] Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL) bt [7] Arturo Salazar (MEX) 9-11, 11-0, 16-18, 11-5, 11-4 (99m)