Squash: Bravo Restaurant competition |18 October 2017

Pragassen, Lewis cup champions

Number one players Klaus Pragassen and Selma Lewis were triumphant in the Bravo Restaurant-sponsored competition held last weekend at the Mont Fleuri courts.

It has been another fine season for Pragassen who has claimed all the titles in 2017 up to now to prove that he is still the best player locally and in the finals on Friday, Pragassen met his old foe and rival Rod Thorington as he attempted to win this title for the third consecutive year.

Thorington though was the better player in the first set which he won 11-6 but this only spurred Pragassen to change his tactics and ran his opponent ragged to win the ensuing three sets 11-4, 11-4 and 11-4 to make it a clean sweep once more as in the previous year.

Pragassen told Sports NATION after the final that he had to change his tactics to wear down his opponent who had made a bright start.

“I began quite slowly where I made too many mistakes but I changed my playing style in the following sets by getting my opponent to move more and tire him down and it worked to help me retain this title. But I’m disappointed with the number of players who took part in this competition and there were too many walkovers,” Pragassen told Sports NATION.

As for Thorington, he admitted after the encounter that his opponent was physically fitter which made the difference in this match and has been the case in their recent meetings.

“The result was no surprise for me as it always goes the same way when I meet Klaus, but I am happy to have reached the final as I have not been playing regularly and my physical level was the major factor in my loss,” Thorington explained to Sports NATION.

In the women’s final, the ever-improving Selma Lewis brushed aside the challenge of Veronique Dupont with a 3-0 (11-7, 11-6, 11-7) victory to lift her third title since making her comeback to this sport a year ago and she was happy with her success.

“I was quite confident of winning this title and I had no pressure as I knew my opponent’s level and I really enjoyed this competition which was not too tough as I did not have to play any male player,” Lewis said.

Houareau and Albert claim plate titles

Guillaume Albert survived a tough test from Adam Delport to win the men’s plate competition in five sets ‒ 3-2 (11-4, 5-11, 8-11, 11-7, 11-7).

Albert said he had to work really hard to win this title after having an average season but was happy to end it on a good note.

In the women’s plate final, Natalie Houareau defeated Aurore Arcambal in straight sets 3-0 (11-7, 11-5, 11-4) to take this crown and she was pleased with her victory.

“I have not been training regularly and was not in the best of shape but the competition went fine though I struggled a bit but I won comfortably in the final and I am happy,” Houareau noted.

Bravo Restaurant manager Daniel Siméon presented the cups and cash prizes to all the winners in this tournament as the organisers hope for more players in the final competition for the season sponsored by UCPS in early December.