It was quarter-final night on Thursday at the Georgetown Courts when the Guyana Squash Association’s Bounty Farm-sponsored handicap tournament continued and in the match between David Fernandes and Allan Downes no quarter was asked for an none was given.

The titanic battle between the two players had the spectators on tenterhooks and in the end it was Downes who triumphed 17-14 in the final set.

Fernandes started the contest with a +12 handicap to Downes’ +6.

In the first game, however, Downes quickly made up the handicap and got to game point at 14-13 before Fernandes leveled the score at 14-14 and claimed the set 15-14. In the second set the battle seemed all over when Fernandes got to match point at 14-7 but Downes clawed his way back by fighting off seven match points to get to 14-14.

Downes eventually managed to take the second set 17-16.

The third started with Downes going on a three point run before Fernandes won two of the next four rallies to get to match point again at 14-11. Downes buckled down and survived several scares to make it to the semifinal after taking the final set 17-14.

In other results, Michael Atherly (+10) defeated Victoria Arjoon (+10), Joven Benn (+10) defeated Joe Mekdeci (+6), and Andrew Arjoon (+10) defeated Jason Ray Khalil (-15) in the open category.

Regan Pollard (-25) defeated Keisha Jeffrey (+2), Alexander Arjoon (-25) defeated Oliver Downes (-20) and Brian Yong (+10) defeated Kayla Jeffrey (+4) in the Open Category Consolation while Dominique Noel (+8), Patrick Fraser (-4) and Stefan John (+8) got past Taylor Fernandes (+4), Ryan Whitehead (-8) and Alexandra Phang (+10).

The tournament will wrap up tonight at the same venue with the first game commencing at 6pm.