It took Eric Galvez 75 minutes, 50 points and five games to win the final match at the Kiva Club Open Professional Squash Association tournament Sunday in Santa Fe.
He beat No. 1 seed Juan Camilo Vargas; Galvez was the No. 5 seed.
Galvez, a 33-year-old Mexican, was the tournament's oldest and most experienced player. This was his 176th PSA tournament and his 15th PSA title.
The Colombian Vargas is a decade younger than Galvez at age 25, and this was his 15th tournament. He holds one PSA title.
This was the third annual Kiva Club Open. The tournament included both professional and amateur play.
The professional tournament had a main draw of 16 players and a purse of $5,000. It was sponsored by Gemini Rosemont Commercial Real Estate and the Kiva Club.
Previous professional winners of the Kiva Club Open are England’s Jaymie Haycocks (2016) and American Chris Hanson (2015). Haycocks is currently ranked No. 76 in the world; Hanson is No. 84.
In the marathon final, Vargas took the first game, 11-6, but the game seemed closer than the score, with rallies that lasted several minutes and required 20 to 30 shots by each player.
Galvez came back to take the second game, 11-9, with equally long rallies.
In the third game, Galvez jumped out to a 5-0 lead and seemed to have taken control of the match. But Vargas counterpunched his way back to the lead and an eventual 13-11 win.
By this point, both players were tiring and gasping for air.
But Galvez retook the momentum, winning the fourth game, 11-4, and then the fifth, 11-6.
Here are results from the tournament's amateur play:
A doubles
Champions: Todd Lopez and Grant Robinson (Kiva). Finalists: Don Kirby and Drewe Williams (Kiva)
B doubles
Champions: Josiah Child (Kiva) and Ben Gillock (Montezuma, NM). Finalists: Chris Fontes and Dick Silbar (Los Alamos).
5.5 singles
Champion: Chris Fontes (Los Alamos). Finalist: Tom Abrams (Kiva)
4.5 singles
Champion: Neil Solomon (San Francisco). Finalist: Ben Gillock (Montezuma, NM)
3.5 singles
Champion: Jon Bender (Dallas). Finalist: Derek Bohannan (Albuquerque)
4.5 hardball singles
Champion: Grant Robinson (Kiva). Finalist: Walter Burke (Kiva)
He beat No. 1 seed Juan Camilo Vargas; Galvez was the No. 5 seed.
Galvez, a 33-year-old Mexican, was the tournament's oldest and most experienced player. This was his 176th PSA tournament and his 15th PSA title.
The Colombian Vargas is a decade younger than Galvez at age 25, and this was his 15th tournament. He holds one PSA title.
This was the third annual Kiva Club Open. The tournament included both professional and amateur play.
The professional tournament had a main draw of 16 players and a purse of $5,000. It was sponsored by Gemini Rosemont Commercial Real Estate and the Kiva Club.
Previous professional winners of the Kiva Club Open are England’s Jaymie Haycocks (2016) and American Chris Hanson (2015). Haycocks is currently ranked No. 76 in the world; Hanson is No. 84.
In the marathon final, Vargas took the first game, 11-6, but the game seemed closer than the score, with rallies that lasted several minutes and required 20 to 30 shots by each player.
Galvez came back to take the second game, 11-9, with equally long rallies.
In the third game, Galvez jumped out to a 5-0 lead and seemed to have taken control of the match. But Vargas counterpunched his way back to the lead and an eventual 13-11 win.
By this point, both players were tiring and gasping for air.
But Galvez retook the momentum, winning the fourth game, 11-4, and then the fifth, 11-6.
Here are results from the tournament's amateur play:
A doubles
Champions: Todd Lopez and Grant Robinson (Kiva). Finalists: Don Kirby and Drewe Williams (Kiva)
B doubles
Champions: Josiah Child (Kiva) and Ben Gillock (Montezuma, NM). Finalists: Chris Fontes and Dick Silbar (Los Alamos).
5.5 singles
Champion: Chris Fontes (Los Alamos). Finalist: Tom Abrams (Kiva)
4.5 singles
Champion: Neil Solomon (San Francisco). Finalist: Ben Gillock (Montezuma, NM)
3.5 singles
Champion: Jon Bender (Dallas). Finalist: Derek Bohannan (Albuquerque)
4.5 hardball singles
Champion: Grant Robinson (Kiva). Finalist: Walter Burke (Kiva)
