Top four in semis

MOVING ON: Gavin Cumberbatch beat the experienced Mark Sealy in straight games to move into the semi-finals. (Kenmore Bynoe)

Sat, July 07, 2012 - 12:03 AM

The top four seeds made it safely through to the semi-finals of the Men’s “A” draw when the First Citizens Barbados Squash Open continued on Thursday night at the Barbados Squash Club (BSC), Marine Gardens.

No. 1 seed and defending champion Richard Chin of Guyana comfortably defeated national representative Don Benn 11-4, 11-6, 11-1 and will now face Trinidadian Colin Ramasra in the second semi-final.

Ramasra defeated the ever improving Kevin Bailey of St Vincent & The Grenadines in four hard-fought games 6-11, 11-7, 12-10, 11-5.

The other semi-final will be contested between No. 2 seed and six-time former national champion Shawn Simpson and his close friend and rival, Gavin Cumberbatch.

Cumberbatch, the current Barbados national champion and a former Caribbean men’s champ, defeated former eight-time national champion Mark Sealy in straight games, 11-8, 11-5, 11-7, while Simpson repelled the challenge of Gavin’s younger brother Rhett in straight games, 11-6, 11-7, 11-3.

In the women’s semi-finals which were scheduled to be played last night, the top seed and defending champion Karen Meakins was up against fellow national team player Alex Jordan in a repeat of this year’s National Championship final.

No. 2 seed Cheri-Ann Parris and Nadia McCarthy, two former Caribbean Under-19 champions, were drawn in the other semi-final.

Today will be a day of title deciders and matches will begin from 1:45 p.m. at the BSC. (PR/SAT)

Other results

Men’s “A” Plate 1st round: Leon Truss def. Cliff Nolan 6-11, 11-7, 11-6, 11-7.

Ryan Foster def. Zaki Williams 6-11, 9-11, 11-8, 11-4, 11-3.

Stewart St John def. Jonathan O’Dowd 8-11, 11-8, 10-12, 11-8, 11-5.

Stuart Tippleston def. Craig Archer 11-13, 11-4, 6-11, 11-7, 11-9.

Men’s “B” quarter-final: Copeland Straker def. Andrew Nunes 11-9, 5-11, 11-4, 15-17, 8-9 (retired injured).

Christian Duncan def. Martin Bryan 11-5, 11-5, 11-5.

Jonathan Foster def. Martin Goddard 11-8, 7-11, 11-7, 11-9.

Peter Harris def. Michael Best 7-11, 12-10, 11-4, 11-5.

Men’s “B” Plate 1st round: Norman Rice def. Khamal Cumberbatch 11-9, 11-9, 11-9.