Krajcsak Cruises To Kecskemet Win

While top-seeded Hungarian Mark Krajcsak delighted home supporters with his opening victory in the Primavera Open, it was a good day for qualifiers in the first round of the inaugural Super Satellite PSA Tour squash event in Kecskemet, the eighth largest city in Hungary.

Action took place on an all-glass court erected in the city's Main Square, sited between the Town Hall and a Church. "Maybe some of the players will be looking at the Church during their matches and hoping for divine intervention," commented event organiser Colin White.

Krajcsak, the world No52 from Budapest, faced 'lucky loser' Bart Ravelli - and beat the Dutchman 11-3, 11-3, 11-5 in 23 minutes. But, instead of meeting fellow countryman Marton Szaboky in the next round, the favourite will take on qualifier Neil Cordell after the 18-year-old Englishman upset his sixth-seeded opponent 11-8, 11-7, 11-5.

The first match was an all-French affair, in which qualifier Joan Lezaud battled hard to upset his fellow countryman and room-mate Yann Perrin.

"The 75-minute match started in good humour, but quickly turned into a lot of discussions between the two friends as both battled for a spot in the quarter-finals," said White. In the end, it was Lezaud who prevailed, fighting back from 2/1 down to beat the third seed 11-8, 7-11, 9-11, 11-9, 11-7.

Qualifier Olivier Pett made sure of a certain English semi-finalist when he upset Austria's eighth seed Jakob Dirnberger 11-6, 11-8, 11-9. The 19-year-old from Sussex will now come up against fellow countryman Ben Ford, the No2 seed from Kent who defeated compatriot Chris Truswell 8-11, 11-3, 11-8, 11-6.

1st round:
[1] Mark Krajcsak (HUN) bt Bart Ravelli (NED) 11-3, 11-3, 11-5 (23m)
[Q] Neil Cordell (ENG) bt [6] Marton Szaboky (HUN) 11-8, 11-7, 11-5 (32m)
[Q] Joan Lezaud (FRA) bt [3] Yann Perrin (FRA) 11-8, 7-11, 9-11, 11-9, 11-7 (75m)
[7] Neil Hitchens (ENG) bt Aron Balogh (HUN) 11-8, 11-2, 11-3 (24m)
[5] Morten W Sorensen (DEN) bt [Q] Henrik Mustonen (FIN) 11-8, 11-8, 16-14 (40m)
[4] Rob Sutherland (WAL) bt Joe Lee (ENG) 11-13, 11-3, 6-11, 11-7, 17-15 (85m)
[Q] Olivier Pett (ENG) bt [8] Jakob Dirnberger (AUT) 11-6, 11-8, 11-9 (35m)
[2] Ben Ford (ENG) bt Chris Truswell (ENG) 8-11, 11-3, 11-8, 11-6 (50m)