Razik Returns To Reap North American Open Title

The runner-up twelve months ago, Canada's Shahier Razik returned to San Francisco to go one better and win the Tennyson West North American Open after defeating England's third seed Mark Chaloner in the final of the $20,000 PSA Tour event at the San Francisco Bay Club.

"Chaloner was in the match and kept fighting until the end, but never really had enough weapons at the front of the court to unsettle the Canadian," said Mark Allen, head squash coach at the Bay Club after Razik's 11-7 9-11 11-7 11-4 victory in 70 minutes.

Throughout the tournament, the 28-year-old fourth seed from Toronto relied on his quickness and fitness to wear down opponents. In a spectacular semi-final, Razik overcame a two-game deficit to defeat second-seeded Welshman Alex Gough 7-11 7-11 11-1 11-7 11-4.

"It took me two years, but I did it," said Razik, who was runner-up in last year's Fog City Open, losing to Australia's Cameron Pilley in a hard fought five-game final match. "It's such a good event and a great city. I definitely look forward to coming back here."

In 2006, tournament organisers hope to again double the prize fund to $40,000 and hold the main draw in a glass court erected at a prominent downtown location. The 2006 Tennyson West North American Open will feature the top ten players in the world with plans to add a professional women's event, according to the organisers.

Formerly known as the Tennyson West Fog City Open, the United States Squash Racquets Association (USSRA) this year granted tournament organisers the rights to the name "North American Open", thus reviving is one of the oldest squash titles in the game. The North American Open, born out of a merger between the US Open and the Canadian Open in 1966, became one of the pre-eminent hardball championships in the western hemisphere - boasting such past winners as Sharif Khan, Mark Talbot and Jahangir Khan, the greatest squash player of all time.

USSRA CEO Kevin Klipstein said reviving the North American Open offered the USSRA an opportunity to elevate the profile of the sport in the United States, as well as "promote cause-related work much the way the PGA Tours does for golf.

"With the US Open firmly established on the East Coast, we felt it was important to help establish a major pro championship on the West Coast and we found the Bay Area to be a perfect fit," said Klipstein.

Final:
[4] Shahier Razik (CAN) bt [3] Mark Chaloner (ENG) 11-7, 9-11, 11-7, 11-4 (70m)