Mirabelles RD1: French and English Duo Cause Shocks

The opening day of L’International des Mirabelles threw up some surprises, with a French duo making it through to the last eight in the women’s event.

The Challenger 3 level event got underway at Squash Le Reve on Thursday afternoon. Elise Romba, who we spoke to prior to the tournament, took on Austria’s Jacqueline Peychar, in the first round.

The Frenchwoman came into the event unseeded, but she started strongly against the Austrian, winning the first game on a tie-break 12-10. Romba then won the second game to double her advantage, but Peychar fought back. The Austrian won both the third and fourth games to send the match into a decider. It was the 25-year-old Romba that won it though, taking the final game 11-3 to set up a clash with top seed Sofia Mateos in Friday’s quarter finals.

The other surprise result in the women’s event on Thursday also came from a Frenchwoman, as Ninon Lemarchand downed the No.2 seed. She took on Scotland’s Katriona Allen in the opening round and dropped just 14 points in their clash. Lemarchand won 11-3, 11-7, 11-4 to move into the quarters, where she will take on England’s Kiera Marshall.

There were also a pair of surprise results in the men’s event, with England’s Aaron Allpress and Noah Meredith both advancing after beating seeded players at Squash Le Reve on Thursday evening.

Meredith took on the No.4 seed, and new Irish No.1, Sam Buckley in his first round clash, and won a tight match in four. The Englishman won a crucial third game on a tie-break 13-11, before going on to win the fourth 11-8. He secured his spot in the last eight, where he will now face Switzerland’s No.7 seed Nils Roesch.

Meanwhile, Allpress had to come through a five-game battle, one in which he gave up a two-game lead. The Englishman took the opening two games quite comfortably, but saw Germany’s Tobias Weggen fight back to send the match into a decider. However, it was Allpress that came out on top, winning the fifth 11-8 to book his spot in the next round. He will now take on another German in the quarters, in top seed Yannik Omlor.

Elsewhere in the men’s event, both Germany’s No.3 seed Valentin Rapp and Frenchman Edwin Clain had to scrape through in five. The home favourite, who claimed his maiden Tour title earlier this year, overcame Zimbabwean No.1 Blessing Muhwati in a match that ebbed and flowed. Meanwhile, Rapp recovered from losing the fourth game of his match with England’s Jack Mitterer on a lengthy tie-break to win the fifth and advance to the last eight.

The quarter finals of L’International des Mirabelles will take place on Friday, September 30, with the last eight in both draws doing battle to try and reach the semi-finals of the Challenger 3 level tournament.

Men’s First Round Results: L’International des Mirabelles
[1] Yannik Omlor (GER) bt Paul Gonzalez (FRA) 3-1: 14-12, 4-11, 11-6, 11-6
Aaron Allpress (ENG) bt [8] Tobias Weggen (GER) 3-2: 11-5, 11-8, 2-11, 9-11, 11-8
[6] Edwin Clain (FRA) bt Blessing Muhwati (ZIM) 3-2: 13-11, 5-11, 11-6, 8-11, 11-7
[3] Valentin Rapp (GER) bt Jack Mitterer (ENG) 3-2: 8-11, 11-5, 11-6, 14-16, 11-9
Noah Meredith (ENG) bt [4] Sam Buckley (IRL) 3-1: 11-9, 2-11, 13-11, 11-8
[7] Nils Roesch (SUI) bt Hasnaat Farooqi (ENG) 3-0: 11-4, 11-8, 11-6
[5] Elliott Morris Devred (WAL) bt Jordan Warne (ENG) 3-0: 11-8, 11-8, 11-4
[2] Robert Downer (ENG) bt Lowie Delbeke (BEL) 3-1: 11-9, 11-7, 6-11, 11-7 

Men’s Quarter Final Draw: To Be Played Friday, September 30
[1] Yannik Omlor (GER) v Aaron Allpress (ENG)
[6] Edwin Clain (FRA) v [3] Valentin Rapp (GER)
Noah Meredith (ENG) v [7] Nils Roesch (SUI)
[5] Elliott Morris Devred (WAL) v [2] Robert Downer (ENG)

Women’s First Round Results: L’International des Mirabelles
[1] Sofia Mateos (ESP) bt Ana Munos (FRA) 3-1: 11-2, 11-6, 9-11, 11-8
Elise Romba (FRA) bt [5] Jacqueline Peychar (AUT) 3-2: 3-2: 12-10, 11-6, 8-11, 6-11, 11-3
[6] Asia Harris (ENG) bt Ella Galova (FRA) 3-0: 12-10, 11-2, 11-7
[3] Klara Moller (DEN) bt Ellie Jones (SCO) 3-1: 9-11, 11-3, 11-5, 11-7
[4] Katie Wells (ENG) bt Polly Clark (ENG) 3-0: 11-8, 11-9, 11-4
[7] Caroline Lyng (DEN) bt Tamara Holzbauerova (CZE) 3-0: 11-5, 11-5, 15-13
[8] Kiera Marshall (ENG) bt Marie Van Riet (BEL) 3-0: 11-5, 11-4, 11-5
Ninon Lemarchand (FRA) bt [2] Katriona Allen (SCO) 3-0: 11-3, 11-7, 11-4

Women’s Quarter Final Draw: To Be Played Friday, September 30
[1] Sofia Mateos (ESP) v Elise Romba (FRA)
[6] Asia Harris (ENG) v [3] Klara Moller (DEN)
[4] Katie Wells (ENG) v [7] Caroline Lyng (DEN)
[8] Kiera Marshall (ENG) v Ninon Lemarchand (FRA)