Windy City Side Court Action: Alves, Metwally and Lobban All Through In Five

The evening session on day one of the Windy City Open presented by the Walter Family saw twelve more matches played on the side courts at the University Club of Chicago.

Come the end of the evening, twelve more players would make it through to the second round of the PSA World Tour Platinum event. Here is how the evening’s action went.

French Duo of Alves and Aumard Through, Wee Wern Downs Hutton

Melissa Alves and Coline Aumard both took victories in the first set of matches in the evening session, and both made it difficult for themselves en route to the last 32.

Alves allowed Egypt’s Zeina Mickawy to take a quick-fire two game lead, with the Frenchwoman only managing to score eleven points across the first two games.

However, she bounced back, and after saving three match balls in the third game, came through to win in five, battling back from 2-0 down to win 3-2. The Frenchwoman will now face England No.1 Sarah-Jane Perry in the second round.

“I was 10-7 down in the third so I had to save three match balls. I have never played a match like that on the PSA World Tour before, so it feels really good. The win is important,” Alves admitted.

“I lost the first and second really easily, I was telling myself that I could not come all this way and lose without putting up a fight. I could not lose in three games in 20 minutes and then go back home.

“Whenever you play a top ten player, that is what we train for, so I am excited for tomorrow against SJ [Perry] and I cannot wait to play tomorrow!”

Coline Aumard was cruising in her clash with wildcard Hana Moataz, winning the first two games at a canter, 11-6 and 11-4. However, the Egyptian fought back, and took the third game to a lengthy tie-break, before eventually winning it 16-14.

It would be the Frenchwoman that eventually took the victory in their first round clash, though, as she recovered to take the fourth 11-8, booking her place in the last 32, and setting up a meeting with No.12 seed Salma Hany.

Malaysia’s Low Wee Wern eventually got the better of England’s Jasmine Hutton, after a 77-minute encounter that went back and forth, and even included an injury break as well.

It was the Englishwoman who took the early lead in the match, as she came flying out of the blocks to take the first 11-5, but Wee Wern fought back to win the next two games to go 2-1 up, despite spending ten minutes during the third game dealing with an injury after she fell and hit the floor hard on court.

Hutton fought back to take the fourth to push the match into a deciding game, and it would be one that went all the way through to a tie-break. It would be the Malaysian that eventually took the win, though, booking her place in the second round, where she will face World No.2 Nouran Gohar.

Results
Melissa Alves (FRA) bt Zeina Mickawy (EGY) 3-2: 7-11, 4-11, 13-11, 11-9, 11-8 (51m)
Coline Aumard (FRA) bt [WC] Hana Moataz (EGY) 3-1: 11-6, 11-4, 14-16, 11-8 (47m)
Low Wee Wern (MAS) bt Jasmine Hutton (ENG) 3-2: 5-11, 11-8, 11-5, 6-11, 14-12 (77m)

Lobban Saves 5 Match Balls To Win, Waller and Pajares Through

Scotland’s Greg Lobban came back from the brink of defeat against Hong Kong’s Max Lee to take an improbable victory, sending him through to the second round of the Windy City Open.

The Scot took the early lead after winning the first game 11-9, but soon found himself 2-1 down in the match, as the Hong Kong star found his rhythm, and put away some clinical winners.

Lee led 10-5 in the fourth game, but Lobban was able to save all five match balls, before also winning the next two points to take the fourth 12-10, sending the match into a decider. He won that as well, booking his place in the second round, where he will face World No.5 Paul Coll.

“I was in a real negative state of mind at that point in the fourth game. I kept thinking I was going out early, and things like that can creep in during a match. To get through that is pleasing, especially from a mental point of view,” Lobban explained.

“If that switch of momentum happens in a match, it is very tough to stop it. I knew I had to still get a good start in the fifth because Max can roll out a few quick winners, but that was the turning point in the match, it goes without saying.”

England’s Adrian Waller is into the last 32 in Chicago, after he got the better of Malaysia’s Eain Yow Ng in straight games at the University Club.

He was in complete control over the first two games, but the third was much more difficult, as Ng tried to fight back to keep his place in the tournament. However, after a tie-break, in which the Malaysian did save three match balls, it would be Waller that made his way into the second round, where he will face Egypt’s Zahed Salem.

Iker Pajares made it two Spaniards through to the second round of the Windy City Open, as he downed Scotland’s Alan Clyne in straight games to advance.

Pajares seemed in complete control of the match throughout as he took the victory 11-7, 11-9, 11-5 in 44 minutes to book his place in the second round of the PSA World Tour Platinum event, setting up a clash with either Campbell Grayson or Arturo Salazar.

Results
Greg Lobban (SCO) bt Max Lee (HKG) 3-2: 11-9, 9-11, 7-11, 12-10, 11-7 (65m)
Adrian Waller (ENG) bt Eain Yow Ng (MAS) 3-0: 11-7, 11-5, 13-11 (49m)
Iker Pajares (ESP) bt Alan Clyne (SCO) 3-0: 11-7, 11-9, 11-5 (44m)

Metwally Wins In Five, Gilis and Tomlinson Advance

Egypt’s Mariam Metwally won one of the quickest ever five-gamers, as she came from 2-1 down to win 3-2 against South Africa’s Alexandra Fuller in the first round of the Windy City Open.

The match lasted just 35 minutes on one of the traditional courts at the University Club of Chicago, with the South African winning both the first and third games to take the 2-1 advantage.

However, it would be Metwally that would go through to the second round, as she restricted Fuller to just four points in the final two games, winning them 11-1 and 11-3 to set up a clash with World No.3 Camille Serme.

Tinne Gilis ensured there would be two Belgians in the second round of the tournament as she got the better home hope Haley Mendez in straight games.

The Belgian No.2 restricted the American to just 14 points across the entire match as she cruised to victory in just 26 minutes. Gilis will now play World No.10 Hania El Hammamy in the last 32.

England’s Millie Tomlinson was the last woman to book her place in the second round draw at the side courts, as she defeated Hong Kong’s Tze Lok Ho.

The Englishwoman took just 40 minutes to get the job done, winning out in straight games against the World No.45, booking her place in the last 32, where she will face Belgium’s Nele Gilis.

Results
Mariam Metwally (EGY) bt Alexandra Fuller (RSA) 3-2: 6-11, 11-8, 9-11, 11-1, 11-3 (35m)
Tinne Gilis (BEL) bt Haley Mendez (USA) 3-0: 11-4, 11-4, 11-6 (26m)
Millie Tomlinson (ENG) bt Tze Lok Ho (HKG) 3-0: 11-7, 11-9, 11-8 (40m)

Kandra, James, Salazar End Evening With Victories

Germany’s Raphael Kandra is through to the last 32 of the Windy City Open after downing fellow European Edmon Lopez in the first round of the tournament.

The German No.2 was in cruise control for the first two games, winning them both 11-4, but the third was much more difficult, as Lopez won six of the first seven points. However, Kandra took it 11-8 to set up a clash with World Champion Tarek Momen on Friday.

England’s Declan James booked his spot in the second round after he dispatched Hong Kong’s Tsz Fung Yip in straight games, taking the victory in 42 minutes.

The Englishman was in complete control throughout the match, as he won out 11-6, 11-5, 11-7 to set up a second round clash with Qatari No.1 Abdulla Mohd Al Tamimi.

The final match of the evening saw Arturo Salazar defeat New Zealand’s Campbell Grayson, despite going behind after losing the first game comprehensively.

Grayson allowed his opponent just two points in the first game, but from there on, the Mexican was able to wrestle back control of the match, going on to win 3-1. He took the second and third games comfortably, before needing a tie-break to finish the job in the fourth. He will now play Spain’s Iker Pajares in the last 32.

Results
Raphael Kandra (GER) bt Edmon Lopez (ESP) 3-0: 11-4, 11-4, 11-8 (25m)
Declan James (ENG) bt Tsz Fung Yip (HKG) 3-0: 11-6, 11-5, 11-7 (42m)
Arturo Salazar (MEX) bt Campbell Grayson (NZL) 3-1: 2-11, 11-6, 11-4, 13-11 (49m)