Corren equals record

07-Jun-2010 - Squash Australia

South Australian Mike Corren won a record equaling 26th Professional Squash Association title when he cruised to a straight games win over Queensland’s Nathan Stevenson in the final of the Golden Open in Kalgoorlie on Monday.
Corren downed second seeded Stevenson 11-9, 11-2, 11-4 to move alongside fellow Australian David Palmer and Egypt’s Amr Shabana on the highest number of PSA titles won by current players.
Stevenson was taken the distance in all his earlier rounds while Corren had an easier run to the final, and this became obvious when after a tight first game the top seed raced away with the second and third to clinch his second consecutive Golden Open.
The 36-year-old Corren has the chance to move ahead of Palmer and Shabana at this week’s South Australian Open, where he has been named as the second seed behind New South Welshman Matthew Karwalski.
While former top 40 player Corren is somewhat embarrassed when he is compared with his colleagues, both ex-world number ones, his achievement cannot be underestimated.
Corren won his first title in Hong Kong in 1996 and has been collecting them all over the world ever since, despite missing significant parts of his career through a series of injuries.
The colourful Corren, currently ranked 87th in the world, shows no signs of slowing down at a time when most of his earlier opponents have retired from the tour.
He claimed six titles in 2009 including the Golden Open, has already won two this year and been in the final of two others.
He has given himself a gruelling schedule this winter and has entered every tournament on the Australian Squash Tour.
His next target on the all-time winners’ list is Canadian Jonathan Power’s total of 37 PSA titles.

Final result – prefix denotes seeding:

1-Mike Corren (SA) bt 2-Nathan Stevenson (Qld) 11-9, 11-2, 11-4