Hinds Rises To Estarreja Challenge

Top seed Joel Hinds survived an all-English challenge in the final of the City Hall PSA Challenger Estarreja to win the inaugural PSA Challenger 5 squash event at the Complexo de Desporto e Lazer de Estarreja in Estarreja, Portugal.

Hinds reached the final after defeating third-seeded Frenchman Geoffrey Demont in the semi-finals - a win which took the Birmingham-based 27-year-old into his 12th Tour final.

Second seed Ford, fresh from his Tour title triumph last week at the Anadia Challenger also in Portugal, had to see off compatriot Alex Ingham, the No.6 seed, in the other semi.

27 ranking positions separated the two finalists as they took to the court - with World No.72 Hinds eager to avenge his shock defeat by the lower-ranked Ford in the Anadia semi-finals.

Hinds led throughout the first two games, and scored five points in a row from 6-8 down in the third to claim his 11-7, 11-9, 11-8 revenge win.

"The athletes received their awards and Joel Hinds, on behalf of the athletes, highlighted the good organization, his happiness of winning in Estarreja, the pleasure of having faced Tom in the final and the fact that Estarreja provided a good week," said tournament spokesman Paulo Pinto.

The win marked the fifth PSA World Tour title of Hinds' career, and his second this year.