DAC Pro Squash Classic RD2: Gilis Downs No.3 Seed Chinappa to Reach Quarters

Round two of the DAC Pro Classic was completed yesterday at the Detroit Athletic Club, as the top eight seeds came into the draw at the PSA Bronze event.

Belgium’s Tinne Gilis caused an upset to the seedings as she defeated India’s Joshna Chinappa 3-1 to reach her first quarter final at a Bronze event since the 2020 Cincinnati Cup. Chinappa was slow out of the blocks losing the first game 11-1 before coming back to take the second 11-8. But Gilis proved to be too strong on the day as she went on to win the third and fourth game 11-9 11-2 to book her place in the next round.

Gilis will face Malaysia’s Sivasangari Subramaniam in the next round after she defeated England’s former World No.3 Alison Waters in four games.

Meanwhile, the top two seeds, Nouran Gohar and Joelle King, both got off to winning starts. Gohar battled past France’s Melissa Alves in four games, 11-8 11-4 8-11 11-7 in 41 minutes. Gohar will now face No.6 seed Nele Gilis, who defeated wildcard Lucy Beecroft in a 27 minute 3-0. Whilst King had a more straightforward match, defeating Hong Kong’s Lui Tsz-Ling 11-5 11-2 11-8 in 23 minutes.

King has now set up a match with England’s Georgina Kennedy, who produced a stunning comeback against home favourite Sabrina Sohby. Sohby got off to the perfect start by racing out to a 2-0 lead, winning the second game 11-3. But the spirited Kennedy fought back to level the match at 2-2 before eventually winning the fifth game 11-6 to compete the comeback and advance to her first Bronze quarter final.

Home hopes now solely lie with No.4 seed Olivia Clyne after the American got past Australian Donna Lobban 11-4 11-5 7-11 11-7 in 34 minutes. Clyne will play Wales’ Tesni Evans in the quarter finals after she defeated Egypt’s Hana Moataz in round two. Clyne and Evans last met at the CIB Black Ball Open in Egypt last year, with Evans getting the better of Clyne that day in an hour long 3-2, but Clyne will be looking to get her revenge on home soil.

You can follow live scores from the DAC Pro Squash Classic here.

Results – Second round: DAC Pro Squash Classic

Sivasangari Subramaniam (MAS) bt [8] Alison Waters (ENG )3-1: 11-9 2-11 11-7 11-6 (37m)
[1] Nouran Gohar (EGY) bt Melissa Alves (FRA) 3-1: 11-8 11-4 8-11 11-7 (41m)
[2] Joelle King (NZL) bt Lui Tsz-Ling (HKG) 3-0: 11-5 11-2 11-8 (23m)
Georgina Kennedy (ENG) bt [7] Sabrina Sohby (USA) 3-2: 10-12 3-11 11-8 11-4 11-6 (56m)
[5] Tesni Evans (WAL) bt Hana Moataz (EGY) 3-1: 11-9, 11-9, 7-11, 11-8
Tinne Gilis (BEL) bt Joshna Chninappa (IND) 3-1: 11-1, 8-11, 11-9, 11-2 (46m)
[4] Olivia Clyne (USA) bt Donna Lobban (AUS) 3-1: 11-4, 11-5, 7-11, 11-7 (34m)
[6] Nele Gilis (BEL) bt [WC] Lucy Beecroft (ENG) 3-0: 12-10, 11-6, 11-3 (27m)

Draw – Quarter Finals: DAC Pro Squash Classic

[1] Nouran Gohar (EGY) v [6] Nele Gilis (BEL)
[4] Olivia Clyne (USA) v [5] Tesni Evans (WAL)
Tinne Gilis (BEL) v Sivasangari Subramaniam (MAS)
[2] Joelle King (NZL) v Georgina Kennedy (ENG)