Holtrand comes down to wild finish
It’s a long way from Hong Kong to Medicine Hat, but Tsz Fun Yip is sure glad he came.
The 23-year-old squash pro clinched the Holtrand Pro Am championship Sunday at the downtown YMCA with a grueling five-set victory (8-11, 11-8, 811, 12-10, 12-10) over Qatar’s Abdulla Mohd Al-Tamimi. After falling 2-1 after three sets, Yip gained the upper hand with a pair of nailbiters before a referee’s decision gave him the match-winner to complete the comeback.
“To be honest I started a bit weak because I didn’t move well,” said Yip. “I wasn’t feeling comfortable at first but I just tried to stay focused and tell myself to hang in there, one point by one point. I don’t even know what happened, but I came back.”
While Al-Tamimi was visibly frustrated by the referee’s decision to award Yip a point on a potential let-play in the corner, after a brief period of reflection he says a fifth set wasn’t a situation he should have been in to begin with.
“I can’t complain about that. There were only one or two calls all match,” said Al-Tamimi. “It’s one of those matches you’ve got to learn from. You don’t have to get to that point.”
Yip added he feels very lucky to have pulled out the championship, especially after what he considers a mediocre start to the weekend. But the 35th ranked Professional Squash Association athlete improved game-by-game before sealing the title.
“I think I didn’t start too well in the competition, like today, I didn’t start quick enough but I’m happy that gradually I’m getting better,” said Yip, adding he truly had his hands full with AlTamimi. “He’s a very good player, very fast and he played really well. I’d just say I’m lucky today.”
Al-Tamimi hadn’t dropped a single set entering Sunday’s championship match. The 38th ranked pro managed to upset top seeded Diego Elias in the semifinal on Saturday, but conceded he wasn’t impressed by his game in the final.
“I felt a little flat during the match. I wasn’t as sharp as I was yesterday or all week but I tried to find a way to play the right game and win,” said Al Tamimi. “I knew he would be tough. He’s really improved lately and he had been playing really well. He’s quick to the ball and off the ball … He deserves the win, he played really well and I’m looking forward to more battles in the future.”