Julian Illingworth cruised to his second PSA World Tour title of the year at the Merritt Properties Open when he beat second-seeded Mexican Eric Galvez in the final of the $10,000 event at Merritt Athletic Club in Baltimore, MD.
The 25-year-old from New York, who won his fifth US National Championship trophy in March, reached the final without dropping a game—overcoming English qualifier Adrian Waller in the semifinals.
Galvez, the world No. 41 from Puebla, faced qualifiers in each round leading to the final—and was taken to four games by Colombian Bernardo Samper in the other semi.
Illingworth and Galvez last met exactly two years ago—when the then higher-ranked Mexican won in four games.
But Portland-born Illingworth has grown in stature since that time and dispatched his opponent 11-7, 11-5, 11-8 with a nearly flawless performance in the final to boost his chances of moving above his current career-high world ranking of 33.
Afterward, tournament director Lafika Regontse said, “Despite the economy, squash is still growing in Baltimore, and with the opening of our six new courts we hope the tournament will grow to become one of the best tournaments in the USA. We are extremely proud and fortunate to have the support from our sponsors and participants. We would like to thank Red Rose Photography, Merritt Properties, Capital Funding, Paul Assaiante and all the families that participated. The tournament also had a Junior Tournament and Skill Level tournament that attracted 110 players from all over the country. Baltimore has come a long way, and we are proud of our squash. Congratulations to all the winners and we are looking forward to seeing you again next year.”
