Pader Open: Kandra & Mead Lift Titles In Paderborn

The Pader Open concluded yesterday in Germany with top seeded home interest Raphael Kandra claiming the men’s title and England’s Alicia Mead claiming her biggest title to date.

There are 50 places between Kandra and Byrtus in the PSA World Rankings but after both secured places in the final with emphatic 3-0 semi-final wins, the stage was set for the title decider with two in-form players.

Kandra has been inside the world’s top 30 for the last four years and showed his quality as he worked the ball into all four corners prolifically, using good deception and height to always give his opponent something to think about. Byrtus remained competitive in all games and despite the ranking deficit, pushed Kandra in all three games but the German was too strong as he won the first two games 11-8 then clinched the win in the third game winning 11-9 to claim his 15th title.

England’s Alicia Mead had to battle through a 50-minute 3-2 clash with Egypt’s Haya Ali to set up a final match with Spain’s Marta Dominguez Fernandez. The Spaniard drew first blood in the final as she took game one 11-8. Mead bounced back strongly however and started to get in front of the No.4 seed and find winners, she levelled at 1-1.

The pair would repeat the scores from the first two games in the following games as the final went into a fifth and final game with both players eager to capture the Challenger 12 title. Despite her 3-2 match in the semi-finals, it was Mead who was the stronger in the final game and she bounced around the court, picking off the loose shots of Fernandez with ease. She won the game 11-5 to clinch her third career title.

Result: Men’s Final
[1] Raphael Kandra (GER) bt [2] Viktor Byrtus (CZE) 3-0: 11-8, 11-8, 11-9 (37m)

Result: Women’s Final
[6] Alicia Mead (ENG) bt [4] Marta Dominguez Fernandez (ESP) 3-2: 8-11, 11-7, 8-11, 11-7, 11-5 (57m)