PSA Cognac RD1: Wildcards Pezzota and Nicolas Through

The opening day of the PSA Cognac saw some surprise results, with the wildcard duo of Robertino Pezzota and Brice Nicolas both securing their spots in the second round.

39-year-old Argentinian Pezzota has not played on Tour since 2019, and in his first appearance in three years, he got the better of New Zealand’s Anthony Lepper. The Argentinian dropped just twelve points in a straight games victory over the Kiwi to move through to the second round.

He will be joined in the last 16 by another wildcard, in Frenchman Brice Nicolas. Playing on home soil, Nicolas overcame compatriot Maceo Levy in straight games, winning 11-2, 11-3, 12-10. Laouenan Loaec, Manu Paquemar and Baptiste Bouin are the other Frenchmen into the second round.

The French success continued in the women’s event as well. The trio of Ana Munos, Ella Galova and Kara Lincou all secured victories to make it through to the second round in Cognac.

Munos got the better of England’s Isabel McCullough in the first round, but due to some late withdrawals, and a change in the draw, the Englishwoman will feature in the second round as the ‘lucky loser’, where she will take on Portugal’s Catarina Nunes.

The second round of the PSA Cognac, which will see the seeds enter the draw, will take place on Thursday, November 24 at Squash Cognac La Belle Allee. Action form the event will be streamed live on the club’s Facebook page. You can also keep up to date with live scores from the tournament here.

Men’s First Round Results: PSA Cognac
Lowie Delbeke (BEL) bt William Donnelly (NZL) 3-0: 11-5, 11-9, 11-4 (31m)
Laouenan Loaec (FRA) bt Pablo Dolz (ESP) 3-2: 10-12, 7-11, 11-8, 11-4, 11-6 (61m)
[WC] Brice Nicolas (FRA) bt Maceo Levy (FRA) 3-0: 11-2, 11-3, 12-10 (26m)
Nils Roesch (SUI) bt [WC] Aron Astray (ESP) 3-1: 9-11, 11-6, 11-3, 11-5 (43m)
[WC] Robertino Pezzota (ARG) bt Anthony Lepper (NZL) 3-0: 11-3, 11-3, 11-6 (34m)
Manu Paquemar (FRA) bt Vinicius Leao Rodrigues (BRA) 3-0: 11-7, 11-5, 12-10 (33m)
Finnlay Withington (ENG) bt [WC] Titouan Isambard (FRA) 3-0: 11-8, 11-4, 11-7 (24m)
Baptiste Bouin (FRA) bt Noah Meredith (ENG) 3-2: 9-11, 7-11, 11-8, 11-2, 11-2 (52m)

Men’s Second Round Draw: To Be Played Thursday, November 24
[1] Ivan Perez (ESP) v Lowie Delbeke (BEL)
Laouenan Loaec (FRA) v [5] Mohamed Nasser (EGY)
[7] Ondrej Vorlicek (CZE) v [WC] Brice Nicolas (FRA)
Nils Roesch (SUI) v [4] Valentin Rapp (GER)
[3] Aqeel Rehman (AUT) v [WC] Robertino Pezzota (ARG)
Manu Paquemar (FRA) v [6] Abdallah Elmasry (EGY)
[8] Toufik Mekhalfi (FRA) v Finnlay Withington (ENG)
Baptiste Bouin (FRA) v [2] Yannick Wilhelmi (SUI)

Women’s First Round Results: PSA Cognac
Ana Munos (FRA) bt Isabel McCullough (ENG) 3-2: 13-11, 6-11, 5-11, 11-6, 11-9 (41m)
Ella Galova (FRA) bt Sabrina Belliot (FRA) 3-0: 11-6, 11-4, 11-8 (21m)
[8] Sofia Aveiro Pita (POR) bt Sarah Soudan (EGY) 3-0: 11-8, 11-8, 11-8 (22m)
Sanne Veldkamp (NED) bt Maria Fernanda Rivera (MEX) 3-1: 7-11, 12-10, 11-4, 11-4 (35m)
Catarina Nunes (POR) bt Lilou Brevard-Belliot (FRA) 3-0: 11-7, 12-10, 11-4 (22m)
Kara Lincou (FRA) bt Kincso Szasz (HUN) 3-0: 11-7, 11-3, 11-4 (19m)
Ingy Hammouda (EGY) bt Rose Lucas Marcuzzo (FRA) 3-0: 11-6, 11-7, 11-0 (20m)
Ambre Allinckx (SUI) bt Ocean De Luca (FRA) 3-0: 11-6, 11-4, 11-1 (20m)

Women’s Second Round Draw: To Be Played Thursday, November 24
[1] Menna Hamed (EGY) v Ana Munos (FRA)
Ella Galova (FRA) v [4] Lea Barbeau (FRA)
[7] Ninon Lemarchand (FRA) v [8] Sofia Aveiro Pita (POR)
Sanne Veldkamp (NED) v [3] Akari Midorikawa (JPN)
[L] Isabel McCullough (ENG) v Catarina Nunes (POR)
Kara Lincou (FRA) v [5] Katriona Allen (SCO)
[6] Taba Taghavi (FRA) v Ingy Hammouda (EGY)
Ambre Allinckx (SUI) v [2] Nadeen Kotb (EGY)