Barker & Moverley Celebrate English Santiago Successes
15 Nov 2009
Top seeds had mixed successes in the Santiago Open "Trofeo Concello de Santiago" where Fiona Moverley upset favourite Lauren Siddall in the women's final, but No1 seed Peter Barker prevailed in the men's climax to produce an English squash double in the international events at Shopping Center Area Central in Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
Third seed Moverley, from Hull in East Yorkshire, reached the final of the women's $6,800 WISPA World Tour event after upsetting New Zealand's No2 seed Kylie Lindsay.
After dropping the first game in the final to experienced Yorkshire compatriot Lauren Siddall, the 22-year-old battled back to take the lead - but world No39 Siddall recovered to take the match into a fifth game decider.
However, Moverley stuck to her task and closed out the match 6-11, 11-8, 11-8, 9-11, 11-7 to record her maiden title triumph on the WISPA Tour.
Peter Barker faced his England team-mate Adrian Grant, the No2 seed, in the climax of the men's $41,000 4-star PSA World Tour event - in a match that was not only the fifth Tour meeting of the pair's career, but also their second in a Tour final this year.
Predictably, the two left-handers from London fought out an evenly-contested encounter - with only two world ranking positions separating the pair.
But it was eventually world number nine Barker who clinched victory, beating Grant 11-9, 11-7, 9-11, 11-9 in 78 minutes.
The triumph marked the 14th Tour title of Barker's career, his second of the year - but the Londoner's first in Spain.
Men's final:
[1] Peter Barker (ENG) bt [2] Adrian Grant (ENG) 11-9, 11-7, 9-11, 11-9 (78m)
Women's final:
[3] Fiona Moverley (ENG) bt [1] Lauren Siddall (ENG) 6-11, 11-8, 11-8, 9-11, 11-7 (29m)