Greenwich Open: Tarek and Lai Take Titles

Egypt’s Marwan Tarek and Malaysia’s Wen Li Lai were the two winners at the Greenwich Open this week in the United States.

Tarek came into the tournament unseeded, and started his campaign in the opening round with a win against New Zealand’s Elijah Thomas. He defeated the Kiwi in a four-game battle, fighting back after losing the opening game of their contest on Wednesday.

Wins then followed against No.8 seed Hamza Sharif, No.2 seed Abhishek Agarwal and compatriot Karim Elbarbary, who was also unseeded. He won all three of those matches without dropping a game to make it through to the final of the Challenger 5 level competition.

In the final, the Egyptian took on Colombia’s Andres Herrera, the tournament’s top seed. Tarek dropped just 15 points in the contest, claiming a comfortable 11-4, 11-7, 11-4 to secure the title, in his first event on Tour in over twelve months.

After receiving a bye in the opening round of the women’s event, No.2 seed Wen Li Lai started her campaign in Greenwich with a come-from-behind victory against Mexico’s Sarahi Lopez. The Malaysian lost the first game 11-8, but came through to win in four to advance to the quarter finals. 

There, she defeated No.6 seed Ninon Lemarchand in straight games, before going on to down the unseeded Emma Trauber in three as well, ending any American hopes of home success in the competition.

The final saw Lai take on top seed Alicia Mead for the title, and after two tight games, it was the Malaysian who had full control of the contest. She went on to win in straight games to secure the victory, her third on Tour.

Results: Greenwich Open
Men’s Final
Marwan Tarek (EGY) bt [1] Andres Herrera (COL) 3-0: 11-4, 11-7, 11-4 (43m)

Women’s Final
[2] Wen Li Lai (MAS) bt [1] Alicia Mead (ENG) 3-0: 11-8, 12-10, 11-2 (39m)

Men’s Semi-Finals
Marwan Tarek (EGY) bt Karim Elbarbary (EGY) 3-0: 11-7, 11-7, 11-4 (38m)
[1] Andres Herrera (COL) bt [6] Abdelrahman Nassar (EGY) 3-2: 11-7, 8-11, 13-11, 4-11, 11-5 (73m)

Women’s Semi-Finals
[1] Alicia Mead (ENG) bt [4] Alina Bushma (UKR) 3-2: 3-11, 11-6, 9-11, 11-2, 11-7 (48m)
[2] Wen Li Lai (MAS) bt Emma Trauber (USA) 3-0: 11-6, 11-6, 11-7 (36m)

Men’s Quarter Finals
Marwan Tarek (EGY) bt [2] Abhishek Agarwal (IND) 3-0: 11-6, 12-10, 11-8 (29m)
Karim Elbarbary (EGY) bt [3] Ricardo Toscano (GUA) 3-0: 11-3, 11-8, 11-1 (27m)
[6] Abdelrahman Nassar (EGY) bt [4] Babatunde Ajagbe (NGR): Walkover
[1] Andres Herrera (COL) bt Carlos Vargas (MEX) 3-1: 8-11, 13-11, 11-3, 11-1 (58m)

Women’s Quarter Finals
[1] Alicia Mead (ENG) bt [7] Margot Prow (ENG) 3-0: 13-11, 11-9, 13-11 (34m)
[4] Alina Bushma (UKR) bt Hana Ismail (EGY) 3-0: 11-8, 11-6, 11-5 (30m)
Emma Trauber (USA) bt Noa Romero (ESP) 3-2: 11-9, 11-13, 7-11, 11-6, 11-8 (55m)
[2] Wen Li Lai (MAS) bt [6] Ninon Lemarchand (FRA) 3-0: 11-4, 11-6, 11-5 (23m)

Men’s Second Round
[2] Abhishek Agarwal (IND) bt Muhammad Farhan Hashmi (PAK) 3-0: 11-7, 11-8, 13-11 (44m)
Marwan Tarek (EGY) bt [8] Hamza Sharif (PAK) 3-0: 11-9, 11-6, 11-2 (32m)
Karim Elbarbary (EGY) bt [7] Francesco Marcantonio (PAR) 3-0: 11-7, 11-7, 11-8 (50m)
[3] Ricardo Toscano (GUA) bt [WC] Ricardo Lopez (MEX) 3-0: 11-3, 11-5, 11-9 (26m)
[4] Babatunde Ajagbe (NGR) bt [WC] Tristan Eysele (RSA) 3-1: 11-7, 4-11, 11-2, 11-7 (31m)
[6] Abdelrahman Nassar (EGY) bt [WC] David Beeson (USA) 3-1: 11-4, 12-10, 7-11, 11-6 (41m)
Carlos Vargas (MEX) bt [5] Sanjay Jeeva (MAS) 3-2: 5-11, 12-10, 5-11, 11-7, 12-10 (66m)
[1] Andres Herrera (COL) bt Mohamed Nabil (EGY) 3-1: 15-13, 11-6, 9-11, 11-8 (82m)

Women’s Second Round
[1] Alicia Mead (ENG) bt Grace Fazzinga (USA) 3-0: 11-3, 11-3, 11-7 (17m)
[7] Margot Prow (ENG) bt Charlotte Pastel (USA) 3-0: 11-6, 11-2, 11-9 (25m)
Hana Ismail (EGY) bt [8] Sohaila Ismail (EGY) 3-2: 11-9, 11-9, 3-11, 12-14, 11-7 (68m)
[4] Alina Bushma (UKR) bt Madeleine Hylland (NOR) 3-0: 11-4, 11-8, 11-6 (27m)
Noa Romero (ESP) bt [3] Hannah Blatt (CAN) 3-2: 13-11, 7-11, 9-11, 11-8, 11-2 (44m)
Emma Trauber (USA) bt [5] Elise Romba (FRA) 3-0: 11-5, 11-8, 11-3 (23m)
[6] Ninon Lemarchand (FRA) bt Ella Schoonmaker (USA) 3-1: 9-11, 11-6, 11-7, 12-10 (35m)
[2] Wen Li Lai (MAS) bt Sarahi Lopez (MEX) 3-1: 8-11, 11-5, 11-4, 11-6 (51m)

Men’s First Round
Muhammad Farhan Hashmi (PAK) bt [WC] Lockie Munro (CAN) -1: 11-6, 6-11, 11-9, 11-6 (39m)
Marwan Tarek (EGY) bt Elijah Thomas (NZL) 3-1: 7-11, 11-9, 11-4, 13-11 (55m)
Karim Elbarbary (EGY) bt Muhammad Ibrahim Noorani (PAK) 3-0: 11-7, 11-4, 11-5 (17m)
[WC] Ricardo Lopez (MEX) bt Nicolas Serna (COL) 3-1: 11-5, 8-11, 11-4, 11-9 (69m)
[WC] Tristan Eysele (RSA) bt Saeed Abdul (PAK) 3-0: 11-6, 11-9, 11-9 (35m)
[WC] David Beeston (USA) bt Petr Nohel (CZE) 3-0: 11-7, 13-11, 11-8 (32m)
Carlos Vargas (MEX) bt Darosham Khan (CAN) 3-0: 11-2, 11-6, 11-7 (16m)
Mohamed Nabil (EGY) bt Abdul Malik Khan (PAK) 3-2: 9-11, 11-4, 11-7, 6-11, 11-9 (50m)

Women’s First Round
Grace Fazzinga (USA) bt Madeleine Oh (USA) 3-0: 11-3, 11-7, 11-9 (15m)
Hana Ismail (EGY) bt Ella Miller (USA) 3-0: 11-2, 11-3, 11-3 (16m)
Noa Romero (ESP) bt Annistno Mahaffy (USA) 3-0: 11-2, 11-6, 11-2 (16m)
Emma Trauber (USA) bt Nayelly Hernandez (MEX) 3-1: 11-5, 11-4 7-11, 11-6 (28m)
Ella Schoonmaker (USA) bt Sana Bahadar (PAK) 3-0: 11-8, 11-6, 11-8 (25m)
Sarahi Lopez (MEX) bt Adele Sammons (USA) 3-0: 11-6, 11-4, 11-5 (20m)