Optasia Championships 2024 – Day One: Afternoon Roundup

England’s Millie Tomlinson overturned a 2-0 deficit to progress to the second round of the Optasia Championships.

The World No.56 trailed to Nardine Garas as the Egyptian stormed into a 2-0 lead, before Tomlinson went on to level the match by taking the next two games.

In the pair’s first-ever meeting on the PSA World Tour, it was Tomlinson who prevailed as she completed a superb comeback to book her place in the next round, taking the fifth 12-10.

“I’m very happy with that, to be honest,” she said afterwards.

“I’ve had a few tough tournaments and a few little injuries and niggles, so I was due a good win. I was very pleased to come from 2-0 down fighting through that one.

“I had Ally Thomson coaching me and she was telling me to be a bit more positive. I was trying to stay motivated mentally and execute that game plan.

“I was getting chopped in the first two games, so it was definitely a slow start. I’m not sure why but she came out and played very well, she’s coming off a tournament win so has plenty of confidence and she just played amazing in the first two games.”

On Court 4, England’s Alicia Mead held off her compatriot Asia Harris to win 3-2 for a second round spot.

Mead was 2-1 up before Harris equalised in the fourth, but it was Mead who managed to book her place in round two as she edged the fifth in a tiebreak with a 12-10 success.

Mead’s fellow countrywoman Katie Malliff will join her in round two after overcoming Marta Dominguez 3-1.

Despite drawing first blood, Malliff squandered five game balls as Dominguez surged back. However Malliff was able to seal the tiebreak 13-11.

Dominguez was rewarded for a fightback in the first game with an 11-5 victory in the second to level the match, but Malliff responded well, winning 11-8 and 11-2 in the third and fourth games.

Malliff will take on top seed Nele Gilis tomorrow evening.

“I’m feeling pretty confident. It’s the first time I’ve not felt back pain in a while so I feel like I’m moving well,” Malliff said afterwards.

“I’ve been doing lots of ghosting so I feel more confident, especially in the front corners. It’s nice to not have to worry about it anymore.

“The glass courts, especially this one, is particularly dead. You have to be a lot sharper and a lot quicker. It’s about keeping your feet moving and making sure you do a proper warm up.”

Chan Sin Yuk cruised into round two after downing Nadia Pfister 3-0 in just 23 minutes.

In the men’s draw, World No.54 Todd Harrity produced one of the biggest shocks of the afternoon session as he also came back from 2-0 down to defeat World No.22 Nicolas Mueller 3-2.

Mueller, boasting a 100 per cent record over Harrity on the PSA World Tour coming into today’s meeting, made a strong start as he went 2-0 up with only 16 minutes played.

Harrity reduced the arrears by clinching the third 11-8 before rounding off an impressive comeback to take the fourth and fifth games 11-4.

On the glass court, Raphael Kandra saw off Simon Herbert 3-1 in the first men’s match of the day.

Kandra came through a five-game battle with Herbert at the British Open last season, and the German made a bright start with a 2-0 lead before Herbert halved the deficit.

However Kandra was back on top in the fourth, taking a dominant 11-3 victory to set up a second round clash with Mostafa Asal tomorrow.

“I was quite confident in the middle of the first game, but the start of the third game was a bit scrappy from both of us,” he said.

“We were trying to hit it short and hit winners too early and the quality wasn’t really there. Once I got into the game, I felt quite comfortable until the third game where I let it go, I was a bit too defensive and he started to attack the shots.

“He flipped it around and I knew I had to come back strong in the fourth. I did it and I’m proud of that.”

Spain’s Iker Pajares will meet Joel Makin in the second round tomorrow evening following his 3-1 victory against England’s George Parker.

Pajares nudged ahead with an 11-8 victory in the opening game, before Parker provided the perfect riposte with a dominant 11-1 win in the second.

Nothing much separated Pajares and Parker in the third, but ill discipline from the Englishman proved costly when a conduct stroke against Parker at game ball for Pajares saw the Spaniard regain his advantage.

In another closely fought battle in the fourth, Pajares did enough to hold off Parker – who saved two match balls – before it was third time lucky for Pajares.

“I’m very happy with my win in four,” he said.

“It’s the first or second time I’ve played George [Parker] on the PSA World Tour. I think the last we played was seven or eight years ago, but I tried to play my game and be mentally strong and physically strong.

“George is the kind of player that you need to spend an hour to beat as he’s going to fight for every single ball. I’m very happy to make it in four.”

Elsehwere, Leandro Romiglio dispatched Shahjahan Kahn 3-0 inside 18 minutes.

Results:

Men’s
Raphael Kandra (GER) bt Simon Herbert (ENG) 3-1: 11-4, 11-4, 6-11, 11-3 (39m)
Iker Pajares (ESP) bt George Parker (ENG) 3-1: 11-8, 1-11, 11-9, 11-8 (64m)
Leandro Romiglio (ARG) bt Shahjahan Khan (USA) 3-0: 11-1, 11-4, 11-5 (18m)
Todd Harrity (USA) bt Nicolas Mueller (SUI) 3-2: 4-11, 9-11, 11-8, 11-4, 11-4 (47m)

Women’s
Katie Malliff (ENG) bt Marta Dominguez (ESP) 3-1: 13-11, 5-11, 11-8, 11-2 (46m)
Alicia Mead (ENG) bt Asia Harris (ENG) 3-2: 6-11, 14-12, 11-9, 9-11, 12-10 (52m)
Chan Sin Yuk (HKG) bt Nadia Pfister (SUI) 3-0: 11-9, 11-8, 11-4 (23m)
Millie Tomlinson (ENG) bt Nardine Garas (EGY) 3-2: 4-11, 4-11, 11-8, 11-5, 12-10 (40m)