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Eric Galvez, the tournament's No. 5 seed, upset No. 2 seed Reuben Phillips in a dramatic semifinal today at the Kiva Club Open in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
In the other semifinal match, Colombian Juan Camilo Vargas (the No. 1 seed) cruised to an easy win over No. 6 seed Miled Zarazua of Mexico, 3-0.
Galvez and Camilo Vargas will face each other in the final on Sunday at noon.
The Galvez-Phillips match featured the tournament's longest game. Several points ran for two minutes or more as the crowd gasped and applauded one fantastic "get" layered on top of an earlier astounding "get." The ball rocketed around the court, the players barely managing to get to it for a return before its second bounce off the floor.
While the final score was 3-0 in games, the first two games were extremely tight. It wasn't until near the end of the second game that either player managed a 3-point lead.
In the first game, the score tied 12 times and there were five "game" balls. The Mexican Galvez ultimately triumphed 16-14 in 25 minutes.
The second game started off the same as the first -- until the 33-year-old Galvez eked out a 9-6 lead. He then won that game 11-7 in 10 minutes.
The third and final game was a seasaw. Galvez jumped to a 5-0 lead, but then the 25-year-old Phillips, who was born in England but lives in Atlanta, Georgia, won four points, almost getting back to even. Soon Galvez expanded his slim lead to 8-5, and then he finished out the game -- and the match -- 11-5, in 11 minutes
In the other semifinal match, Colombian Juan Camilo Vargas (the No. 1 seed) cruised to an easy win over No. 6 seed Miled Zarazua of Mexico, 3-0.
Galvez and Camilo Vargas will face each other in the final on Sunday at noon.
The Galvez-Phillips match featured the tournament's longest game. Several points ran for two minutes or more as the crowd gasped and applauded one fantastic "get" layered on top of an earlier astounding "get." The ball rocketed around the court, the players barely managing to get to it for a return before its second bounce off the floor.
While the final score was 3-0 in games, the first two games were extremely tight. It wasn't until near the end of the second game that either player managed a 3-point lead.
In the first game, the score tied 12 times and there were five "game" balls. The Mexican Galvez ultimately triumphed 16-14 in 25 minutes.
The second game started off the same as the first -- until the 33-year-old Galvez eked out a 9-6 lead. He then won that game 11-7 in 10 minutes.
The third and final game was a seasaw. Galvez jumped to a 5-0 lead, but then the 25-year-old Phillips, who was born in England but lives in Atlanta, Georgia, won four points, almost getting back to even. Soon Galvez expanded his slim lead to 8-5, and then he finished out the game -- and the match -- 11-5, in 11 minutes