[14] Emyr Evans (WAL) 3-1 [3] Cesar Salazar (MEX) 11-8, 11-9, 6-11, 11-9 (61m)
We are spoiled I have to say. Another cracker between two fair players, clever and fighting so hard, but with sportsmanship and panache. I truly loved what I managed to see!
Emyr praised yesterday, in his quote, how great it was to have the qualifying back to allow lower-ranked players. It was obvious to me today how pumped up the Welsh was about that chance to get to the big events, and I’m not at all surprised he is grabbing it with both hands.
It will be interesting to see what he manages to do tomorrow against a young Egyptian – it should be logically the new World Junior Champ Zacharia….
Emyr : I’m so happy to start the season the way I finished it.
The first two I played really well but I found in the fourth that I won how hard it makes it. He guesses and anticipates a lot to the front.
I was 7/3 down in the 4th, I was in a bit of a deficit, I came out 7/6, and then noticed a leak on the court. Someone said to me ‘watch out, he is clever like you stop and he’s going to take it in short, cut the rallies. And that’s what I’m probably the happiest with, the stop/start, coming bout on, and mentally find a way but it’s what you’ve got to do at that level really if you want to get through.
It feels like I’m probably a bigger match player maybe than some people. Maybe the bigger the occasion, the bigger the crowd, the bigger the stage, for Wales in particular, I’ve done it for the Commonwealth, and I’ve had big wins when I’ve got in bigger events. You’ve got to beat those people to get there, but I feel like I belong here when I’m here.
False alarm on first match ball – the Squash equivalent of VAR !
