RC Pro Series RD1: Five Seeds Fall On Opening Day

The opening day of the RC Pro Series saw several surprises, with five of the seeded players being knocked out of the tournament.

The Challenger 10 competition is being held for the first time since 2020, with a men’s draw being featured at the event for the first time in eight years. 

14 matches took place on the opening day, with four surprises coming in the women’s draw. Due to a couple of late withdrawals, the top two seeds, Nour Aboulmakarim and Kenzy Ayman, both received first round byes, with six matches being played in the tournament.

Egypt’s Haya Ali joined her compatriots in the second round, as she downed No.3 seed Millie Tomlinson. The Egyptian is currently at a career-high World No.89 after winning her first Tour title in the Netherlands earlier this month.

In the opening round of the RC Pro Series in St Louis, Ali celebrated turning 19 with a straight games victory over England’s Tomlinson, who sits 32 places above her in the world rankings. The World No.89 won 11-6, 11-7, 11-8 to book her place in the quarter finals.

She will now take on Ukraine’s Alina Bushma in the quarters of the Challenger 10 level competition. The Ukrainian No.2 overcame the challenge of Singaporean Au Yeong Wai Yhann. She recovered after losing a second game tie-break 15-13 to win in four, and to move through to the last eight.

Malaysia’s Ainaa Amani and England’s Saran Nghiem were the other two unseeded women to make it through. The pair both beat Australian opposition to reach the last eight. The Malaysian downed Jessica Turnbull, while Nghiem defeated Sarah Cardwell in straight games.

In the men’s draw, there was just a single surprise. Pakistani Noor Zaman took down Malaysia’s No.4 seed Ivan Yuen in three games. The pair were on court for only 21 minutes, with Zaman winning 11-6, 11-9, 11-9 to book his spot in the quarter finals.

Elsewhere, the Egyptian duo of Seif Shenawy and Yassin Elshafei both had to go the distance in their opening matches of the week. Elshafei, who has won twice this month already, survived a two-game fightback from Guatemala’s Josue Enriquez, while Shenawy defeated Colombian Andres Herrera.

The quarter finals of the RC Pro Series will take place on Thursday, April 27, and you can keep up to date with daily updates from the tournament on the PSA Challenger Tour’s Twitter and Facebook. Live scores are available on the PSA World Tour website here.

Men’s First Round Results: RC Pro Series
[1] Cesar Salazar (MEX) bt Jeremias Azana (ARG) 3-0: 11-5, 11-8, 12-10 (28m)
[5] Addeen Idrakie (MAS) bt [WC] Alex Ingham (ENG) 3-0: 11-9, 11-7, 11-9 (27m)
[7] Seif Shenawy (EGY) bt Andres Herrera (COL) 3-2: 6-11, 11-8, 11-6, 4-11, 11-6 (53m)
Noor Zaman (PAK) bt [4] Ivan Yuen (MAS) 3-0: 11-6, 11-9, 11-9 (21m)
[3] Leandro Romiglio (ARG) bt Mohamed Nasser (EGY) 3-1: 16-14, 11-6, 7-11, 7-11, 11-7 (80m)
[6] Yassin Elshafei (EGY) bt Josue Enriquez (GUA) 3-2: 13-11, 11-2, 7-11, 6-11, 11-8 (45m)
[8] Mohammad Syafiq Kamal (MAS) bt Mark Broekman (ENG) 3-1: 8-11, 11-6, 11-7, 11-9 (35m)
[2] Juan Camilo Vargas (COL) bt Muhammad Ashab Irfan (PAK) 3-1: 14-12, 9-11, 11-8, 11-5 (55m)

Men’s Quarter Final Draw: To Be Played Thursday, April 27
[1] Cesar Salazar (MEX) v [5] Addeen Idrakie (MAS)
[7] Seif Shenawy (EGY) v Noor Zaman (PAK)
[3] Leandro Romiglio (ARG) v [6] Yassin Elshafei (EGY)
[8] Mohammad Syafiq Kamal (MAS) v [2] Juan Camilo Vargas (COL)

Women’s First Round Results: RC Pro Series
Ainaa Amani (MAS) bt [5] Jessica Turnbull (AUS) 3-1: 12-10, 5-11, 11-8, 11-3 (33m)
Alina Bushma (UKR) bt [8] Au Yeong Wai Yhann (SGP) 3-1: 11-2, 13-15, 11-5, 11-3 (33m)
Haya Ali (EGY) bt [3] Millie Tomlinson (ENG) 3-0: 11-6, 11-7, 11-8 (24m)
[4] Salma Eltayeb (EGY) bt Taba Taghavi (FRA) 3-0: 11-4, 11-3, 11-3 (14m)
Saran Nghiem (ENG) bt [6] Sarah Cardwell (AUS) 3-0: 11-7, 11-4, 11-6 (25m)
[7] Diana Garcia (MEX) bt Bruna Marchesi Petrillo (BRA) 3-0: 11-1, 11-2, 11-5 (18m)

Women’s Quarter Final Draw: To Be Played Thursday, April 27
[1] Nour Aboulmakarim (EGY) v Ainaa Amani (MAS)
Alina Bushma (UKR) v Haya Ali (EGY)
[4] Salma Eltayeb (EGY) v Saran Nghiem (ENG)
[7] Diana Garcia (MEX) v [2] Kenzy Ayman (EGY)