US-Based Aussie Zac Alexander Marks Injury Comeback with Rochester Pro-Am Title from PSA Media April 14, 2014
- Australia’s Zac Alexander marked his comeback after a seven-month
layoff in impressive style when he took the Rochester Pro-Am title in
Rochester, NY, USA, after surviving a marathon 90-minute final in the
PSA World Tour Challenger 5 squash event at the Goergen Athletic Center
at the University of Rochester. After undergoing hip
surgery in Australia last August, the US-based former World No.36 made
a tentative Tour comeback at the Oregon Open in Portland in January. Now ranked a
six-year-low 111, the Brisbane-born 25-year-old entered the Rochester
event as No.3 seed – and made a triumphant breakthrough in the
semi-finals where he defeated top-seeded Malaysian Muhd Asyraf Azan in
five games. In the final, his 19th
on the PSA Tour but first this year, Alexander faced local hero Todd
Harrity, the sixth seed from the USA who ousted Peter Creed, the No2
seed from Wales, in straight games in the other semi. The final was World
No.92 Harrity’s second in three weeks – and the Rochester crowd were
pinning their hopes on a first home winner in the event’s ten-year
history. Alexander battled back
from two games down – and then from 8-9, 9-10 and 10-11 in the decider
before finally clinching a mighty 3-11, 6-11, 11-4, 13-11, 13-11
victory after 90 minutes. “I’ve been off for a
while - had a hip operation in August back in Australia and spent six
months there recovering, with no squash or training really until
January,” Alexander recalled as he savoured his comeback triumph.
“It’s harder than I thought to get back to this level! “It’s great to win in Rochester – I had a fair few lucky escapes saving about 10 match balls in the semis and final! “I really need to
thank Rod Martin here in America for getting me back up to fitness –
and also Squash Australia for their support with my operation,” added
the new Rochester champion (pictured below, extreme left, with
runner-up Harrity, centre) after notching up the 12th PSA Tour title of
his career. RESULTS: Rochester Pro-Am, Rochester, NY, USA 1st round: [1] Muhd Asyraf Azan (MAS) bt [Q] Cameron Stafford (CAY) 6-11, 11-7, 11-7, 13-11 [Q] Ahmad Alzabidi (JOR) bt [5] Syed Hamzah Shah Bukhari (PAK) 11-9, 11-4, 8-11, 9-11, 11-7 [8] Aqib Hanif (PAK) bt [Q] Mario Yanez (MEX) 12-14, 11-5, 5-11, 11-2, 11-4 [3] Zac Alexander (AUS) bt [WC] Le Roy Leong (MAS) 11-3, 11-4, 11-3 [4] Lewis Walters (ENG) bt Thomas Brinkman (CAN) 11-13, 11-1, 11-6, 11-3 [6] Todd Harrity (USA) bt Shahjahan Khan (PAK) 11-9, 11-6, 11-8 [7] Michael McCue (CAN) bt [Q] Ryosei Kobayashi (JPN) 11-8, 11-13, 11-6, 12-10 [2] Peter Creed (WAL) bt Christopher Binnie (JAM) 11-7, 11-2, 11-3
