Sharp Shoots For Academy Hat-Trick

Canadian squash star Dane Sharp extended his unbeaten run in the Smart Centre PACE Credit Union National Squash Academy Open to 12 matches when he won the PSA World Tour Challenger 5 event at the National Squash Centre in Toronto for the third year in a row.

The Toronto-based 28-year-old reached the third Tour final of his career after overcoming third-seeded Australian Scott Arnold in four games.

His opponent Jan Koukal, the top seed from the Czech Republic, was marking his third Tour final in a row - and the 42nd of his career - after another four-game semi-final win over England's Tom Pashley.

Unseeded Pashley, a 25-year-old from Sussex, made his breakthrough after surviving a 75-minute five-game quarter-final over local hero Michael McCue.

It took just 34 minutes for second seed Sharp, the world No83, to upset world No71 Koukal 11-5, 11-6, 11-4 to retain his status as the only ever winner of the Toronto event.