Czech Open QF: Soares Continues Knockout Run

Less than 24 hours after taking out the tournament’s No.4 seed, Portugal’s Rui Soares defeated No.6 seed Cesar Salazar to make it into the semi-finals of the Czech Open in Brno.

The Portuguese No.1 came into the Challenger 30 level competition unseeded and he got the better of Egypt’s Karim El Hammamy in the second round. He then came up against Salazar on Saturday afternoon at the Centrum Viktoria in the Czech city of Brno, and secured another surprise win.

He won the first game of their contests 11-6, but saw the Mexican fight back to level the contest. The same pattern followed across the third and fourth game to send the match into a decider. The final game of their match went all the way to a tie-break, with Soares eventually coming out on top 13-11 to secure the win and to book his spot in the semis.

Soares will now take on top seed Nicolas Mueller after the World No.16 got the better of England’s George Parker in a four-game contest. The other semi-final will see Swiss No.2 Dimitri Steinmann take on German No.1 Raphael Kandra for a place in the final.

In the women’s event, Juliette Permentier took a surprise win to set up an all-Dutch last four clash. The tournament’s No.6 seed defeated Ukraine’s Anastasiia Kostiukova in a five game clash, coming from two games down to win. She lost both of the first two games 11-7, but fought back to win the third 11-8 and the fourth 11-9. By the time the deciding game came, the Dutchwoman had the momentum, and dropped just four points in the fifth to advance to the semi-finals. 

She will now take on compatriot and top seed Tessa ter Sluis on Sunday afternoon, after the World No.73 overcame Scotland’s Ellie Jones in four games, only losing the third game on a tie-break 13-11. The other semi-final will see England’s Torrie Malik and Scotland’s Alison Thomson take each other on in an all-British battle in Brno.

Men’s Quarter Final Results: Czech Open
[1] Nicolas Mueller (SUI) bt [5] George Parker (ENG) 3-1: 11-6, 9-11, 11-4, 11-9 (49m)\
Rui Soares (POR) bt [6] Cesar Salazar (MEX) 3-2: 11-6, 8-11, 11-9, 2-11, 13-11 (65m)
[8] Dimitri Steinmann (SUI) bt Curtis Malik (ENG) 3-1: 11-4, 8-11, 11-7, 11-3 (51m)
[2] Raphael Kandra (GER) bt [7] Nathan Lake (ENG) 3-1: 9-11, 11-6, 11-5, 11-6 (47m)

Men’s Semi-Final Draw: To Be Played Sunday, November 6
[1] Nicolas Mueller (SUI) v Rui Soares (POR)
[8] Dimitri Steinmann (SUI) v [2] Raphael Kandra (GER)

Women’s Quarter Final Results: Czech Open
[1] Tessa ter Sluis (NED) bt [8] Ellie Jones (SCO) 3-1: 11-6, 12-10, 11-13, 11-7 (36m)
[6] Juliette Permentier (NED) bt [4] Anastasiia Kostiukova (UKR) 3-2: 7-11, 7-11, 11-8, 11-9, 11-4 (45m)
[3] Alison Thomson (SCO) bt [5] Tamara Holzbauerova (CZE) 3-0: 11-7, 11-6, 11-2 (27m)
[2] Torrie Malik (ENG) bt Ona Blasco (ESP) 3-0: 11-5, 11-1, 11-1 (17m)

Women’s Semi-Final Draw: To Be Played Sunday, November 6
[1] Tessa ter Sluis (NED) v [6] Juliette Permentier (NED)
[3] Alison Thomson (SCO) v [2] Torrie Malik (ENG)