Final goes Bugeja's way
Rizzo reaches quarter-finals in men's tournament
The first ranking tournament of the year, organised by Malta Squash, was played last Saturday in front of a sizeable crowd at the LivingWell Health & Fitness Studio, St Julian's.
Ranking tournaments are becoming more popular with local players as a number of newcomers were figuring for the first time in such events. Three of them, Stephen Rizzo, Bryan Taylorson and Richard Reid left the best impression as they all made it to the quarter-finals of the tournament.
Taylorson went one better and fought his way to the semi-finals where he had to bow to current no.1 player in the rankings Ivan Balzan who went on to play in his third successive ranking tournament final.
At the other part of the draw, Bernard Bugeja was hitting the ball harder and keeping a certain level of consistency.
In last month's ranking tournament semi-final, Bugeja, the 2004 Malta Open champion, was surprisingly eliminated by Karl Grech Orr. However, this time Bugeja reversed the final score against the same opponent in his favour and went on to reach the final with a 3-0 win.
The final turned out to be the match of the tournament and did not disappoint those present. First and third games went to Bugeja, second and fourth games were won by Balzan.
The fifth and deciding game lasted almost 30 minutes. With both players locked at 5-5 it was Bugeja's superior fitness that proved the key as he went on to win his first national ranking tournament.
Meanwhile, organisers decided to have the women's national squad members again competing in the men's tournament as part of their preparation for an international tournament in Cyprus later this year.
All four played some really tough matches and the coach was surely delighted to see them all progressing to the second round.
Johanna Rizzo played on up to the quarter-finals where she put up an admirable challenge, only losing 3-2 to Balzan.
The next ranking tournament will be played on February 5. With newcomers figuring in the final stages last weekend, the competition at the Marsa Sports Club is bound to be closer than ever as all players will be training harder to maintain or improve their national ranking.