Golan Battles To Upset Ryding In Hometown Toronto

The prospect of an all-Canadian quarter-final in the Pace Canadian Classic was quashed by Spanish qualifier Borja Golan in the first round of the $50,000 PSA Tour event in Toronto when he upset fifth seed Graham Ryding in a 76-minute five-game marathon at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.

Ryding, the world No19 from Toronto, twice drew level against the 22-year-old from Santiago DC, but Golan dug deep to win 11-5 8-11 11-8 9-11 11-7 and earn an unexpected place in the last eight - against top-seeded Canadian Jonathon Power.

Power had to contend with some Italian emotion, as well as his opponent's skill, in taking a straight games victory over Italian champion Davide Bianchetti, ranked 34 in the world. In the first game Power was ruthless, winning 11-1 and leaving Bianchetti realising that he had to change his approach.

"You cannot open up the court with Power because he will play a winner. And you cannot match him in pace. So in the second game, I had to slow the game down and play tighter," said the Italian qualifier after the match, his first-ever meeting with Power.

The strategy worked and Bianchetti played well enough to hold two game points before Power managed to win the tie break 14-12. The 31-year-old from Montreal continued his domination in the third and despite some impassioned pleas from Bianchetti when the referee made decisions he thought unjust, Power kept that magic wrist working, cutting shots from all angles and playing a game that he has made uniquely his own.

"Nobody else plays like Power," Bianchetti explained. "He does so much with very little wrist movement and you cannot read his shot."

For his part Power said he felt the court was very slow and found it hard to get the ball to the back, although he enjoyed the venue. "This theatre is better for the players, not so much through traffic and more room for the players to warm up. I really like it," Power said.

France's Jean-Michel Arcucci caused the other upset on day one in Toronto when he despatched sixth-seeded Welshman Alex Gough 6-11 11-7 11-4 11-6 in 82 minutes - the longest match of the day. The 30-year-old from Aix-en-Provence, a qualifier, now goes on to meet fellow Frenchman Gregory Gaultier, the third seed, for a place in the semi-finals.

1st round:
[1] Jonathon Power (CAN) bt [Q] Davide Bianchetti (ITA) 11-1, 11-10 (4-2), 11-7 (47m)
[Q] Borja Golan (ESP) bt [5] Graham Ryding (CAN) 11-5, 8-11, 11-8, 9-11, 11-7 (76m)
[3] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) bt Shahier Razik (CAN) 11-5, 11-7, 11-9 (59m)
[Q] Jean-Michel Arcucci (FRA) bt [6] Alex Gough (WAL) 6-11, 11-7, 11-4, 11-6 (82m)
[8] Mohammed Abbas (EGY) bt Mark Chaloner (ENG) 11-7, 11-4, 11-3 (27m)
[4] Karim Darwish (EGY) bt [Q] Alister Walker (ENG) 11-8, 11-10 (2-0), 11-4 (30m)
[7] Wael El Hindi (EGY) bt Jonathan Kemp (ENG) 10-11 (1-3), 11-4, 11-8, 10-11 (3-5), 11-8 (62m)
[2] Amr Shabana (EGY) bt Laurens Jan Anjema (NED) 11-7, 11-3, 11-10 (3-1) (36m)