Rory Stewart wins PSA Bordeaux Gradignan Open

October 30 2022

Rory Stewart claimed his 9th PSA World Tour career title with victory over Benjamin Aubert of France in the final of the PSA Bordeaux Gradignan Squash Open at Squash Bad 33, Gradignan in France.

The 3rd seed from Scotland was leading two games to one when Benjamin Aubert was forced to retire in the fourth game with a foot injury.

Rory Stewart’s latest tournament win, his third PSA title of 2022, is likely to see the young Scotsman rise to a career-high position in the PSA World Rankings.

The Scot came into PSA Bordeaux Gradignan Squash Open as the No.3 seed & after receiving a bye in the 1st round, defeated home hope Edwin Clain in straight games 11-6 11-5 11-5.

In the quarter-finals, Rory overcame fellow #teamunsquashable player Iván Pérez in a tightly contested straight games win. The third game went deep into a tie-break which Rory eventually won 15-13 to earn a hard-fought 51-minute 11-9 11-8 15-13 victory.

The semi-finals saw Rory Stewart up against Portuguese No.1 Rui Soares who he beat 11-8 9-11 11-5 11-5.

The eagerly awaited final saw Frenchman Benjamin Aubert, the home favourite, take the first game 12-10, however Rory Stewart responded quickly to win the next two games, each by an 11-4 score line, before Aubert eventually retired with an ankle injury.

Rory Stewart continues to enjoy a rich vein of form after winning the PSA St Louis Squash Open in September.

PSA Bordeaux Gradignan Open Final:
[3] Rory Stewart (SCO) bt. Benjamin Aubert (FRA) 10-12 11-4 11-4 1-0 retired

PSA Bordeaux Gradignan Open, Semi-Finals:
Rory Stewart of Scotland will face Benjamin Aubert in today’s final of the PSA Bordeaux Gradignan Squash Open.

The 3rd seeded Scot followed-up his earlier wins over Edwin Clain of France & Spain’s Iván Pérez with a hard-fought 51-minute 11-8 9-11 11-5 11-5 semi-final victory over Portugal No.1 Rui Soares at Squash Bad 33, Gradignan in France.

PSA Bordeaux Gradignan Squash Open, Quarter-Finals:
Rory Stewart of Scotland defeated fellow #teamunsquashable player Iván Pérez of Spain in the quarter-finals of the PSA Bordeaux Gradignan Open being staged at Squash Bad 33, Gradignan in France.

The 3rd seeded Scot battled hard to open-up a two-game lead & held his nerve in a tight third game tiebreak to close-out a 53-minute 11-9 11-8 15-13 win to progress to the semi-finals where he will face Portugal No.1 Rui Soares.

Stuart MacGregor of England, who defeated 7th seed Emyr Evans of Wales in the 2nd round, was unable to repeat his heroics & was beaten by Benjamin Aubert of France 11-6 11-5 11-1.

PSA Bordeaux Gradignan Squash Open, 2nd Round:
Iván Pérez will play fellow #teamunsquashable player Rory Stewart in the quarter-finals of the PSA Bordeaux Gradignan Open in France.

Whilst Rory Stewart of Scotland progressed with a straight games 29-minute 11-6 11-5 11-5 victory over Edwin Clain, Spain’s Iván Pérez was forced to battle for 84 minutes before eventually overcoming Mohamed Nasser of Egypt 10-12 9-11 11-4 11-3 12-10.

Spain’s Ivan Perez had to survive an epic five-game thriller to make his way through. The Spaniard came up against Egypt’s Mohamed Nasser & found himself two games down. He fought back to win the third & fourth games quite easily, but the deciding salvo went to a tie-break. Eventually, Perez took it 12-10 to win after 84 minutes, earning the right to meet No.3 seed & fellow UNSQUASHABLE player Rory Stewart in the quarter-finals.

Stuart MacGregor of England followed-up his 11-6 11-5 11-3 win over Wild Card Laszlo Godde of France in the 1st round with an impressive 51-minute 12-10 13-11 11-3 win over 7th seed Emyr Evans to reach the quarter-finals where he will play Frenchman Benjamin Aubert. The last 16 contest between Stuart MacGregor & Emyr Evans was a very tight battle with both of the first two games going to tie-breaks with the Englishman, ranked World No.153, winning both. The first was claimed 12-10, before Stuart went on to win the second 13-11. From there, it was a cruise, with MacGregor dropping just three points in the third to win in straight games.

Elliott Morris Devred of Wales beat Joshua Phinera of France 12-10 11-5 11-9 in his opening match but was denied a place in the quarter-finals by 5th seed Daniel Mekbib of the Czech Republic.