2nd PWC Open: Tournament Preview

The 2nd PWC Open takes place this week, with the first round in Frick, Switzerland, beginning today as players compete for a place at the PSA World Championships.

In addition to a share of the $5,500 prize fund on offer across both the men’s and women’s draws, the winners of the PSA Challenger Tour event will also secure themselves a place at the prestigious PSA World Championships, which will be held in Chicago next year.

Australia’s World No.61 Sarah Cardwell headlines the draw which will see a number of the world’s top 100 female players go head to head for a chance to win the title and secure their place in Chicago next year.

Cardwell – along with the other top eight seeds – receives a bye into the second round and will face either Switzerland’s Celina Walser or Wales’ Lowri Roberts, depending on who wins their opening encounter.

Seeded at the opposite end of the draw is Egypt’s World No.72 Menna Hamed. The Egyptian will take on either Czech Republic’s Eva Fertekova or Swiss wildcard Sarah Ludin in round two at the Squash Club Fricktal.

Other big contenders for the title include Lativa’s Ineta Mackevica, South Africa’s Milnay Louw, France’s Chloe Mesic and English trio Rachael Chadwick, Jasmine Hutton and Grace Gear who all complete the top eight seeds at the tournament.

Following the announcement of the new PSA structure at the beginning of April, the 2018/19 PSA World Championships – which will become the first tournament in professional squash to offer a prize purse of $1 million – will be held in February and will feature a 64-player draw.

The draw will consist of 56 PSA entrants and a wildcard, with the other places being granted to winners of selected ‘qualifier’ tournaments on the PSA Challenger Tour, of which the 2nd PWC Open is one, and WSF invitees.

Round one action starts from 17:00 local time (CET). You can also watch the live stream here:

Draw – Round One: To be played November 14
[1] Sarah Cardwell (AUS) [Bye]
Celine Walser (SUI) v [9/16] Lowri Roberts (WAL)
[9/16] Lily Taylor (ENG) v Georgina Adderley (SCO)
[8] Grace Gear (ENG) [Bye]
[5] Rachael Chadwick (ENG) [Bye]
[WC] Jasmin Ballmann (SUI) v [9/16] Taba Taghavi Rafsanjani (IRI)
[9/16] Cindy Merlo (SUI) v [WC] Ambre Allinckx (SUI)
[4] Milnay Louw (RSA) [Bye]
[3] Ineta Mackevica (LAT) [Bye]
Karina Tyma (POL) v [9/16] Sanne Veldkamp (NED)
[9/16] Emilia Korhonen (FIN) v Paulina Krzywicka (POL)
[7] Jasmine Hutton (ENG) [Bye]
[6] Chloe Mesic (FRA) [Bye]
[I] Nadine Frey (SUI) v [9/16] Riina Koskinen (FIN)
[9/16] Eva Fertekova (CZE) v [WC] Sarah Ludin (SUI)
[2] Menna Hamed (EGY) [Bye]