Mathieu Castagnet -26- (FRA) def Cameron Pilley -23- (AUS)
Match recap from Squash Announcer Andy Taylor, Voice of the Qatar Classic.
[vector_icon icon=”fas fa-check-circle”] Round-2 Final: 16-14, 11-2, 11-8 (48m)
For the past 10-years, “Castagnet vs. Pilley” clashes have always been physical, blue-collar matches featuring punishing extended-rallies. Today’s 2nd-Round battle was no different. Again, the French Muskateer earned victory, but he’ll need an ice-bath and decent recovery to be ready for the Round of 16 tomorrow.
A look at Mathieu and Cameron’s previous five matches:
► Mar 16 – Canary Wharf Classic (SF) – Mathieu Castagnet | Score: 11-9, 11-13, 11-1, 13-11 (87m)
► Oct 14 – Montreal Open (SF) – Mathieu Castagnet | Score: 11-8, 6-11, 11-7, 12-10 (85m)
► Mar 12 – Montreal Open (QF) – Mathieu Castagnet | Score: 8-11, 11-6, 11-4, 11-6
► Dec 10 – World Championship (R1) – Mathieu Castagnet | Score: 11-3, 8-11, 11-9, 11-5 (65m)
► Feb 08 – National Capital Open – Cameron Pilley | Score: 11-9 12-10, 11-7 (49m)
Still on the road to recovery after off-season ankle surgery, Cameron Pilley should be happy with how the limb held up versus Castagnet today. Hopefully we’ll see the former World #11 return to making deep runs at PSA Platinum events by season’s end. Which is not an easy ask when the body hits the mid-30’s!
Each player’s announcer introduction for today’s Round-2 match…
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Mathieu Castagnet -26- (FRA)
At 31-years-old, this 3-time French Nationals Champion won his 4th PSA Tour title last March at the Wimbledon Club Open. A 10-time Finalist on Tour, he’s been ranked as high as World #6 – and in 2016, reached his first Platinum-level Semifinal at the Tournament of Champions in New York. That season, he finished in the top-8 on the Road to Dubai and made his PSA World Tour Finals debut, where he earned his first career victory over squash legend Nick Matthew. An 8-time Platinum Quarterfinalist, he is competing in his 6th Qatar Classic Squash Championship, and reached today’s 2nd-Round match with a 4-game victory over Youssef Soliman on Saturday. From France, please welcome Mathieu Castagnet.
▲ R1 — def Youssef Soliman -37- (EGY) | Score: 11-8, 11-9, 9-11, 11-5 (58m) | RECAP
Last year, Mathieu Castagnet finally won his first match here in Doha, defeating qualifier Alan Clyne in the 1st-Round. In Round-2, he fell to Nick Matthew in 3-games.
Cameron Pilley -23- (AUS)
This hard-hitting, 2-time Commonwealth Games Gold Medalist is back on-court after off-season ankle-surgery in June. A 29-time Finalist on Tour, he owns 13 PSA titles and has been ranked as high as #11 in the World. In the 2015-16 season, he reached his first Platinum-level Final at the Hong Kong Open, and qualified for the PSA World Tour Finals for the first time – defeating Omar Mosaad, Simon Rösner and Mohamed ElShorbagy to reach the championship match in his Dubai debut. A Quarterfinalist here in 2011 and 2016, he’s competing in his 13th Qatar Classic, and reached today’s 2nd-Round match with a 3-game victory over Wild Card Abdulrahman Al-Malki. From Australia, please welcome Cameron “Pistol” Pilley.
▲ R1 — def [WC] Abdulrahman Al-Malki -250- (QAT) | Score: 11-7, 11-3, 11-5 (26m) | RECAP
