Galifi Grinds Out Phoenix Triumph
15 Oct 2010
After coming through an hour-long semi-final, Italian favourite Stephane Galifi battled for 96 minutes to beat second seed Mark Krajcsak in the final of the Don Thomas Phoenix Open to become the first winner of the inaugural $11,925 PSA World Tour squash event at Foley Squash in Phoenix, USA.
Galifi, ranked 41 in the world, twice led Krajcsak - but twice the Hungarian, ranked ten places lower, fought back to draw level.
The decider was a close-fought affair - but it was 32-year-old Galifi who ultimately prevailed, winning 11-5, 5-11, 11-6, 12-14, 11-9.
The victory takes the Aix-en-Provence-based Italian to his ninth career Tour title - but the first of the year after finishing as runner-up in two earlier finals in 2010.
1st round:
[1] Stephane Galifi (ITA) bt Matthew Serediak (CAN) 11-7, 10-12, 11-6, 11-7 (55m)
Rex Hedrick (AUS) bt [7] Nathan Stevenson (AUS) 13-11, 11-6, 6-11, 10-12, 11-6 (75m)
[4] Gregoire Marche (FRA) bt [Q] Geoffrey Demont (FRA) 11-3, 11-3, 11-5 (24m)
[Q] Dane Sharp (CAN) bt [8] Chris Truswell (ENG) 11-5, 11-7, 11-8 (40m)
[6] Wade Johnstone (AUS) bt Fred Reid (CAN) 11-8, 11-6, 11-4 (24m)
[3] Yann Perrin (FRA) bt [Q] Anthony Graham (ENG) 11-9, 11-9, 11-7 (49m)
[5] Joel Hinds (ENG) bt Josh Cardwell (AUS) 9-11, 11-9, 11-2, 11-5 (47m)
[2] Mark Krajcsak (HUN) bt [Q] Philip Nightingale (ENG) 11-3, 14-12, 12-10 (52m)
Quarter-finals:
[1] Stephane Galifi (ITA) bt Rex Hedrick (AUS) 11-2, 11-5, 11-7 (31m)
[4] Gregoire Marche (FRA) bt [Q] Dane Sharp (CAN) 11-4, 11-4, 11-3 (30m)
[3] Yann Perrin (FRA) bt [6] Wade Johnstone (AUS) 11-4, 11-4, 12-14, 11-4 (58m)
[2] Mark Krajcsak (HUN) bt [5] Joel Hinds (ENG) 9-11, 11-3, 11-6, 11-9 (68m)
Semi-finals:
[1] Stephane Galifi (ITA) bt [4] Gregoire Marche (FRA) 11-2, 7-11, 15-13, 11-5 (64m)
[2] Mark Krajcsak (HUN) bt [3] Yann Perrin (FRA) 11-4, 11-4, 11-7 (44m)
Final:
[1] Stephane Galifi (ITA) bt [2] Mark Krajcsak (HUN) 11-5, 5-11, 11-6, 12-14, 11-9 (96m)
