London Open: Khan Wins to Set up Willstrop Clash

World junior champion Hamza Khan set up a mouthwatering clash with former World No.1 James Willstrop at the London Open, beating Miles Jenkins in round one. 

Still just 18 years of age, Khan came into this event as a wild card, but displayed plenty of the talent that carried him to junior world glory in Melbourne a few months ago, beating the 28-year-old Jenkins 3-0. 

Khan showcased his skills particularly well in game three, when he hit a host of impressive winners, including a cross-court forehand on the stretch which brought up match ball. 

He closed out victory with a forehand drop, booking a second-round clash with Willstrop, which is a true battle of generations. 

Willstrop is 22 years Khan’s senior, and was crowned world junior champion himself in 2002, more than two decades before the Pakistani youngster got his hands on the same prize. 

He is still comfortably inside the world’s top 100, and is a three-time champion of this London Open, so will undoubtedly be in no mood to be charitable. 

Elsewhere in the men’s draw, Emyr Evans continued where he left off in the USA a fortnight ago, recording a 3-0 win over Abdelrahman Abdelkhalek. 

The Welshman claimed the biggest title of his career at the Oregon Open 11 days ago, and carried that form into this one, winning 11-7, 11-6, 11-4. 

There was also an impressive round-one win for Stuart Macgregor, who overcame Belgium’s Joeri Hapers 11-5, 14-12, 11-9. 

Macgregor was only added to the tournament yesterday, following George Parker’s withdrawal, but is actually now ranked higher than Hapers, having climbed the rankings with his win at the Oban Open, and showed he was more than worthy of his place with the victory here. 

In the women’s draw, Asia Harris came through a physical battle with the Czech Republic’s Tamara Holzbauerová. 

The 18-year-old edged the first game 12-10 but looked in control from there on in, winning 3-0 in a match that featured its fair share of controversy and disruption. 

Harris will now play Swiss No.6 seed Nadia Pfister, who was in the crowd for much of day one’s action, with her compatriot Ambre Allinckx among the other winners on day one. 

Allinckx beat the Netherlands’ Juliette Permentier while Lea Barbeau also recorded a comfortable win, but there will be no place in round two for England’s Kiera Marshall. 

The 22-year-old was beaten by Wales’ Lowri Roberts, who will now face No.7 seed Torrie Malik for a quarter-final berth. 

Results: Men’s Round One 

Owain Taylor (WAL) bt Brett Schille (CAN) 3-1: 8-11, 11-6, 11-4, 11-4 (50m) 
Dewald van Niekerk (RSA) bt Darren Rahul Pragasam (MAS) 3-0: 11-9, 11-6, 11-4 (36m) 
Emyr Evans (WAL) bt Abdelrahman Abdelkhalek (EGY) 3-0: 11-7, 11-6, 11-4 (39m) 
James Peach (ENG) bt [WC] Ayaan Vaziralli (IND) 3-0: 11-6, 11-4, 11-7 (21m) 
Stuart Macgregor (ENG) bt Joeri Hapers (BEL) 3-0: 11-5, 14-12, 11-9 (40m) 
Noor Zaman (PAK) bt [WC] Anthony Rogal (ENG) 3-0: 11-9, 11-6, 12-10 (30m) 
[WC] Hamza Khan (PAK) bt Miles Jenkins (ENG) 3-0: 11-8, 11-9, 11-3 (30m) 
Daniel Mekbib (CZE) bt Sam Buckley (IRL) 3-1: 10-12, 11-6, 11-9, 11-6 (52m) 

Results: Women’s Round One 

Official results from round one of the women’s competition are still TBC. Please check back again later.