Williams Through to Bendigo Quarters

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Title favourite Evan Williams moved through to the last eight of the Bendigo International, PSA M5 tournament courtesy of a 3-0 triumph over South Korea’s Jong Myoung Park in Australia.

The New Zealander had received a bye in the opening round and came into his second round fixture against Park with fresh legs. Game one went in Williams favour by a narrow margin, but he eased to victory in the second game to double his advantage.

Williams then held off an improved Park in the third to wrap up the win by an 11-9, 11-3, 11-8 margin and set up a quarter-final clash with Malaysia’s Mithran Selvaratnam, who saw off Remo Handl.

Second seed Elvinn Keo will join compatriot Selvaratnam in the next round after he overcame World No.245 Luke Jones. Both players took a game apiece in the early stages before Keo found his rhythm and pulled away in games three and four to ensure that he will take on Switzerland’s Patrick Miescher, with Miescher axing Syed Azlan Amjad in straight games.

Meanwhile, India’s World No.273 Sandeep Ramachandran came up with a surprise victory over Ben Grinrod to advance, despite Grindrod sitting 121 places above Ramachandran in the World Rankings. The 19-year-old progresses to face France’s Vincent Droesbeke for a place in the semi-final after he defeated Ko Youngjo 3-2.

Dimitri Steinmann and Mohamed Saeed will contest the other quarter-final fixture after respective wins against Daehoon Jeong and Lachlan Coxsedge, the latter of whom was the only Australian left in the tournament.

Results – Second Round: Bendigo International 2016
[1] Evan Williams (NZL) bt Jong Myoung Park (KOR) 3-0: 11-9, 11-3, 11-8 (25m)
[8] Mithran Selvaratnam (MAS) bt Remo Handl (SUI) 3-1: 11-5, 5-11, 11-7, 11-6 (35m)
Vincent Droesbeke (FRA) bt [7] Ko Youngjo (KOR) 3-2: 11-8, 1-11, 11-8, 8-11, 11-8 (60m)
Sandeep Ramachandran (IND) bt [3] Ben Grindrod (NZL) 3-1: 13-11, 13-15, 11-9, 11-9 (50m)
[4] Dimitri Steinmann (SUI) bt Daehoon Jeong (KOR) 3-0: 11-5, 11-6, 11-7 (31m)
Mohamed Saeed (EGY) bt Lachlan Coxsedge (AUS) 3-1: 11-8, 8-11, 11-5, 11-7 (45m)
[6] Patrick Miescher (SUI) bt Syed Azlan Amjad (QAT) 3-0: 11-5, 11-2, 11-8 (23m)
[2] Elvinn Keo (MAS) bt Luke Jones (NZL) 3-1: 11-5, 6-11, 11-5, 11-4 (32m)

Draw – Quarter-Final
[1] Evan Williams (NZL) v [8] Mithran Selvaratnam (MAS)
Vincent Droesbeke (FRA) v Sandeep Ramachandran (IND)
[4] Dimitri Steinmann (SUI) v Mohamed Saeed (EGY)
[6] Patrick Miescher (SUI) v [2] Elvinn Keo (MAS)