James Edges To Llanishen Squash Win In Scaccia Event

Llanishen SRC players James Jackson and Richard Sweetnam fought out a tough match on day one of the Ross Scaccia Squash Tournament.

They clashed in the C event with Jackson winning 11-9, 10-12, 11-4, 8-11, 11-7 and he now plays Lee Papworth in the quarter-finals today.

Top seed Mark Jukle defeated Phil Best 11-6, 9-11, 13-11, 11-5 and now plays Llanishen’s Chi Yau, while Alex Zhurov won 11-8, 15-13, 7-11, 11-5.

The reward for Zhukov is a quarter-final against Jeff Taylor, who clinched his place in the last eight by beating Phil Brailey 14-12, 13-11, 11-8.

There were two games played in the B event with Carlton Chivers and Craig Buck the winners.

The Ross Scaccia tournament trophy.

Chivers defeated Chris Banks 11-8, 118, 11-4 and plays Dale Guilford or Gary Carbis in the last eight.

Buck hit back from two games down to win 6-11, 11-13, 11-5, 11-6, 11-9 against Phil Eason and will now face Kevin Miller or Justin Nemeth.

The A event, with Rhiwbina’s Simon Dews top seed, starts this morning. Matches are being played at Llanishen Leisure Centre today, while the finals are to be played at St Mellons Country Club.

Squash Wales are paying tribute to one of their own at Llanishen Leisure Centre by organising the tournament in memory of Ross Scaccia, a leading member of the St Mellons and Llanishen clubs who passed away in December.

All profit will go to the British Heart Foundation.

Photographs at the Scaccia Squash Open.

Ross Scaccia tournament results:

B event: Carlton Chivers beat Chris Banks 11-8, 11-8, 11-5; Craig Buck beat Phil Eason 6-11, 11-13, 11-5, 11-6, 11-9.

C event: Mark Jukle beat Phil Best 11-6, 9-11, 13-11, 11-5; Chi Yau beat Lawrence Barry 11-6, 10-12, 11-6, 11-6; Alex Zhurov beat Ian Charles 11-8, 15-13, 7-11, 11-5; Jeff Taylor beat Phil Brailey 14-12, 13-11, 11-8; James Jackson beat Richard Sweetnam 11-9, 10-12, 11-4, 8-11, 7-11; Lee Papworth beat Alex Kelleher, walkover; Phil Mutter beat Dean Langdon 5-11, 11-4, 11-8, 11-8; Dan Walters beat Mike Gibbons 9-11, 11-2, 11-2, 11-7.

C event quarter-final draw: Mark Juke v Chi Yau; Alex Zhurov v Jeff Taylor; James Jackson v Lee Papworth; Phil Mutter v Dan Walters.

D event: Neil Morrissey beat Dan Smith 10-12, 13-11, 11-5, 2-11, 11-9; Oliver Cann beat Steffano Gallo 11-3, 11-2, 11-2; Gareth Rees beat Anthony Scaccia 11-3, 11-4, 11-6.

Ten of the World’s leading 100 players have entered the Welsh Open, which runs from Monday, May 7 until Saturday, May 12 at Rhiwbina SRC.

Rhiwbina’s Peter Creed is top seed for the Welsh Open.

Professional squash is being played in South Wales this month when the Welsh Open is held at Rhiwbina SRC, Cardiff.

Reigning champion George Parker returns to defend his title and is second seed with Caerphilly-born Creed, who played for Wales at the Commonwealth Games in Australia, number one.

Players from Brazil, Kuwait, Jamaica, Finland, Spain, Jordan, Pakistan, Malaysia, USA, England, Scotland and hosts Wales are in the draw.

Rhiwbina’s Owen Heyes is among the Welsh players in the qualifying event along with Owain Taylor, David Haley, Elliott Morris, and Lewis Poole.

The leading seeds are: 1 Peter Creed (Wales, World ranking 55), George Parker (England, 56), Richie Fallows (England, 62), Chris Hanson (USA, 76), Mahd Syafiq Kamal (Malaysia, 81), Ammar Altamimi (Kuwait, 86), Ahson Ayaz (Pakistan, 87), Mohammed Alsarraj (Jordan, 90), Patrick Rooney (England, 92), Jaymie Haycocks (England, 93), Carlos Cornes Ribadas (Spain, 104), Emyr EVans (Wales, 134).