BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, July 3, 2016
BTMI Barbados Squash Open. The result of the men’s final on July 2, 2016 was:
BTMI Barbados Squash Open. The result of the men’s final on July 2, 2016 was:
Joe Green (ENG) 3-1 Micah Franklin (BER) 11-9, 10-12, 11-9, 11-6 (64 min.)
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BSA President, Monty Cumberbatch, congratulating 2016 BTMI B’dos Squash Open champion, Joe Green (r), on his maiden PSA tour title.
Joe Green, the third seeded 21-year old from London, England proved that he was the best player in this event with an impressive four game victory in the final over the gallant Bermudian fourth seed, Micah Franklin, who is two years his senior. The match itself was a classic; one of the very best ever seen in Barbados, and was played with wonderful sportsmanship by two excellent players who made every effort to get to and play the ball in every pulsating rally. The 17 minute first game was played at a fast and furious pace, with long punishing rallies and with both players regularly retrieving apparent winners from their opponent with ease. The left-handed Englishman led nearly all the way, but allowed Franklin to recover from a 5-9 deficit to 9-all before closing it out 11-9.
A similar pattern was established in the second game as the frenetic pace dropped somewhat as both players tried slowing things down by using high cross court lobs to catch their breath. Green was 10-8, game ball up, before Franklin took the next four points to win 12-10 and even things up after 35 minutes. The 14 minute third game was crucial as Franklin visibly began to tire. Green pushed on to 10-5, game ball, with the help of a couple of unforced errors by his opponent, especially on the drop-shot. Franklin pulled back to 9-10 before another unforced error from him into the tin gifted Green the third game 11-9.
The Englishman then knew he had his opponent on the ropes and increased the tempo in the fourth once again to finish him off. The pressure he applied was relentless, and with Green’s parents and younger brother urging him on in the packed gallery the Englishman led from start to finish in this final game: from 3-0, then to 7-2, then to 9-4. Franklin pulled back two points before Green ended the contest by claiming the final two rallies to win the game 11-6 and the match by three games to one.
It was Green’s first ever Professional Squash Association (PSA) World Tour title win and he dedicated the victory to his late friend and fellow player, Harry Faulkner, who had collapsed suddenly three years earlier while playing back home in England.
President of the Barbados Squash Association (BSA), Mr. Monty Cumberbatch, noted in the trophy presentation that followed that there were 28 entrants this year
in the inaugural BTMI Barbados Squash Open, PSA M5 who represented 12 different
countries, and both he and BSA Council Member, Mrs. Alison Smith-Padmore
thanked the players for participating, their friends and families and guests
for coming to Barbados and attending, as well as the main sponsors:
countries, and both he and BSA Council Member, Mrs. Alison Smith-Padmore
thanked the players for participating, their friends and families and guests
for coming to Barbados and attending, as well as the main sponsors:
the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc., the Tourism Development Corporation, the Barbados Olympic Association, as well as the local and international media and the friends of squash who assisted with the billeting of some of the players. It is hoped that next year’s event will be bigger and better as the Green family and Franklin have already promised to be back again to enjoy more Barbadian hospitality.
