Monte Carlo Classic: Alves Claims Biggest Win Since 2019

Frenchwoman Melissa Alves secured her biggest win on Tour in three years, as she downed Rana Ismail to claim the Monte Carlo Classic title on Friday evening.

Alves, the World No.30, came into the Challenger 20 level competition at the Monaco Squash Club as the No.2 seed, and she started off her week with a bye through the opening day’s action.

He first match of the competition came in the second round, where she got the better of compatriot Elise Romba inside 20 minutes, dropping just eleven points in an 11-3, 11-4, 11-4 victory.

She then also won in straight games against England’s No.5 seed Torrie Malik, before taking down the unseeded Nour Heikal. The young Egyptian had already caused a couple of upsets in the early rounds, but Alves made sure there would not be another, winning in four to book her place in the final.

The final saw the Frenchwoman taken on No.8 seed Rana Ismail, who had gotten the better of another Frenchwoman, in Marie Stephan, in the last four. Alves won the opening game 11-7, but saw the young Egyptian fight back to take the second on a tie-break. Alves regrouped, though, to win the third 11-7, before moving through to win the fourth as well to claim the title.

The win is the joint-biggest of the World No.30’s career, and is her seventh overall. It is the second Challenger 20 level crown that Alves has won, following her success at the Nash Cup in 2019.

Results: Monte Carlo Classic
Final
[2] Melissa Alves (FRA) bt [8] Rana Ismail (EGY) 3-1: 11-7, 10-12, 11-7, 11-9 (50m)

Semi-Finals
[8] Rana Ismail (EGY) bt [4] Marie Stephan (FRA) 3-1: 11-9, 11-6, 8-11, 11-3 (35m)
[2] Melissa Alves (FRA) bt Nour Heikal (EGY) 3-1: 6-11, 14-12, 11-4, 11-5 (44m)

Quarter Finals
[8] Rana Ismail (EGY) bt [1] Lucy Turmel (ENG) 3-1: 11-5, 7-11, 11-7 rtd (33m)
[4] Marie Stephan (FRA) bt [7] Alicia Mead (ENG) 3-0: 11-9, 11-7, 11-7 (33m)
Nour Heikal (EGY) bt [6] Menna Hamed (EGY) 3-0: 11-9, 11-5, 11-8 (28m)
[2] Melissa Alves (FRA) bt [5] Torrie Malik (ENG) 3-1: 9-11, 11-5, 11-4, 11-4 (40m)

Second Round
[1] Lucy Turmel (ENG) bt Taba Taghavi (FRA) 3-0: 11-6, 11-6, 11-6 (26m)
[8] Rana Ismail (EGY) bt Ali Loke (WAL) 3-0: 11-7, 11-4, 11-6 (17m)
[7] Alicia Mead (ENG) bt Léa Barbeau (FRA) 3-0: 11-7, 11-3, 11-3 (21m)
[4] Marie Stephan (FRA) bt Katerina Tycova (GER) 3-1: 8-11, 11-5, 11-7, 11-7 (47m)
Nour Heikal (EGY) bt [3] Emilia Soini (FIN) 3-0: 11-7, 11-6, 11-7 (20m)
[6] Menna Hamed (EGY) bt [WC] Nour Ramy (EGY) 3-0: 11-7, 11-9, 11-9 (29m)
[5] Torrie Malik (ENG) bt Jacqueline Peychär (AUT) 3-0: 11-6, 11-7, 11-8 (24m)
[2] Melissa Alves (FRA) bt Elise Romba (FRA) 3-0: 11-3, 11-4, 11-4 (20m)

First Round
Taba Taghavi (FRA) bt Sofía Mateos (ESP) 3-0: 11-8, 11-4, 11-3 (27m)
Ali Loke (WAL) bt Caroline Lyng (DEN) 3-0: 11-4, 11-4, 12-10 (28m)
Léa Barbeau (FRA) bt Bruna Marchesi Petrillo (BRA) 3-0: 11-1, 11-3, 11-6 (28m)
Katerina Tycova (GER) bt [WC] Ella Galova (FRA) 3-1: 11-9, 9-11, 11-3, 11-9 (52m)
Nour Heikal (EGY) bt Klara Møller (DEN) 3-0: 11-2, 11-3, 11-1 (14m)
[WC] Nour Ramy (EGY) bt Akari Midorikawa (JPN) 3-1: 11-8, 6-11, 11-7, 11-9 (30m)
Jacqueline Peychär (AUT) bt Au Yeong Wai Yhann (SGP) 3-0: 11-6, 11-6, 11-9 (25m)
Elise Romba (FRA) bt Ninon Lemarchand (FRA) 3-0: 12-10, 11-6, 11-6 (25m)