ROWAN DAMMING again came from behind to win the country’s first professional squash tournament on Saturday night at the QPCC (Queen’s Park Cricket Club) Indoor Racquet Center at Queen’s Park Oval.
After losing eight straight points from three all out to hand the first set carefully to top seed Andres Herrera, the junior world No.1 went on to prevail 11-8, 14-12, 11-8 in the final of the QPCC Premiere Professional . Pumpkin Association (PSA) Tournament.
It was the first time in his four matches that Damming was not forced into a deciding fifth set, while the 155th-ranked Colombian – the only player in the world’s top 200 at the tournament – also had a very difficult week, which included two fives and no set wins.
Both players had pushed their bodies to the extreme when they were forced to come from two sets to love the night before in the marathon semi-final and it was surprising that they were still able to produce such a quality race in front of a very appreciative crowd. .
The 26-year-old Herrera, who reached a career-high world ranking of 115 at the start of 2017, has struggled to finish the job recently as this was his third silver medal in his last four tournaments in PSA Challenger Tour.
It was only the third pro tournament for Damming, who was ranked #205 and ranked third when entries closed a few weeks ago.
The 18-year-old hit a career high of #174 soon after and will surely be in the top 150 after Saturday night’s win.
After losing to Finnlay Whitington in the U-19 final of the European Junior Championships in April, Damming turned the tables on the Briton in August when he became the first player from the Netherlands to win gold at the World Junior Championships.
That victory ended an incredible streak of 27 consecutive victories by Egyptian players in all forms of World Cup finals – men’s, women’s, youth and team.
A total of 24 players from 11 countries—Barbados, Bermuda, Canada, Colombia, England, France, Germany, Guyana, Mexico, New Zealand and Trinidad and Tobago—competed in the five-day QPCC tournament.
Fourteen of them, including Bermuda’s Taylor Carrick (#666) are ranked in the world and the top eight seeds were in the top 275.
All seven T&T players—Colin Ramasra, Seth Thong, Brandon de Montrichard, Zachary Loquan, Joel Augustine, Nicholas Lequay, Marc Pontifex—were eliminated in the first round last Tuesday.
There was also supposed to be a women’s event, but it was canceled after all participants withdrew over a month ago.
Barbados, Bermuda and the Cayman Islands are the Caribbean countries that have hosted professional tournaments over the years.
