E.M. Noll Classic RD1: Quartet Down Seeds On Opening Day

There were several surprise results on the opening day of the E.M. Noll Classic, as the Challenger 5 and 10 level draws got underway at the Racquet Club of Philadelphia on Thursday.

The biggest of those surprise results came in the men’s event, as England’s Charlie Lee overcame rising Hong Kong star Tsz Kwan Lau, the tournament’s No.3 seed, in just 32 minutes. The Englishman took the first two games of their first round contest, and although he dropped the third, he was able to regroup to book his spot in the quarter finals, where he will face American in the last eight, No.8 seed Timothy Brownell.

One of the other Americans in the tournament was part of the other surprise result on Thursday in Philadelphia, as Pakistan’s Ahsan Ayaz defeated No.7 seed Chris Hanson, also in four games. He got the better of the former World No.60 in four games, and will now face the men’s top seed, Faraz Khan, in the last eight.

Elsewhere in the men’s draw, there is bound to be a Hong Kong representative in the last four, as No.2 seed Henry Leung and No.5 seed Max Lee will do battle on Friday in the quarter finals. England’s Sam Todd and the final American, Spencer Lovejoy, will meet in the other last eight clash.

In the women’s draw, Chan Sin Yuk took a shock win over compatriot, and the tournament’s No.5 seed, Tsz-Wing Tong, to book her spot in the quarter finals of the E.M. Noll Classic. After losing the first game, the World No.70 fought back to win the second on a tie-break, before then carrying that momentum into the last two games, winning 3-1. She will now face England’s Jasmine Hutton, the No.2 seed, in the quarter finals.

The other shock result of the opening day was perhaps the least surprising, as the unseeded Fayrouz Aboelkheir continued her great form to get the better of compatriot, and No.7 seed, Hana Moataz. After winning the first two games, the young Egyptian saw Moataz fight back to send the match into a decider, but Aboelkheir was able to keep her composure to take the fifth, and claim another impressive victory. She will now face Hong Kong’s Tze Lok Ho in the last eight.

Top seed Lucy Turmel will take on compatriot Julianne Courtice for the second straight week, having done battle at the Equinox Women’s Boston Open, while another Englishwoman, in Lily Taylor, is also into the quarter finals. She will take on Hong Kong’s Liu Tsz-Ling for a place in the last four on Friday.

Men’s First Round Results: E.M. Noll Classic
[1] Faraz Khan (USA) bt Velavan Senthilkumar (IND) 3-0: 11-6, 11-4, 11-5 (34m)
Ahsan Ayaz (PAK) bt [7] Chris Hanson (USA) 3-1: 11-7, 11-7, 9-11, 11-5 (41m)
[6] Sam Todd (ENG) bt [WC] James Asher (ENG) 3-0: 11-2, 11-5, 11-3 (22m)
[4] Spencer Lovejoy (USA) bt Noor Zaman (PAK) 3-1: 13-11, 8-11, 11-7, 11-6 (42m)
Charlie Lee (ENG) bt [3] Tsz Kwan Lau (HKG) 3-1: 11-7, 11-4, 5-11, 11-4 (32m)
[8] Timothy Brownell (USA) bt Nick Sachvie (CAN) 3-1: 11-7, 8-11, 13-11, 11-6 (43m)
[5] Max Lee (HKG) bt Chi Him Wong (HKG) 3-0: 11-9, 11-7, 11-9 (37m)
[2] Henry Leung (HKG) bt Babatunde Ajagbe (NGR) 3-0: 11-8, 11-5, 11-7 (28m)

Men’s Quarter Final Draw: To Be Played Friday, February 4
[1] Faraz Khan (USA) v Ahsan Ayaz (PAK)
[6] Sam Todd (ENG) v [4] Spencer Lovejoy (USA)
Charlie Lee (ENG) v [8] Timothy Brownell (USA)
[5] Max Lee (HKG) v [2] Henry Leung (HKG)

Women’s First Round Results: E.M. Noll Classic
[1] Lucy Turmel (ENG) bt Kaitlyn Watts (NZL) 3-0: 11-8, 11-7, 11-8 27m)
[6] Julianne Courtice (ENG) bt Anna Kimberley (ENG) 3-1: 8-11, 11-9, 12-10, 11-6 (38m)
[8] Lily Taylor (ENG) bt Diana Garcia (MEX) 3-0: 11-5, 11-4, 11-5 (23m)
[4] Liu Tsz-Ling (HKG) bt Amna Fayyaz (PAK) 3-0: 11-2, 11-2, 11-3 (18m)
[3] Tze Lok Ho (HKG) bt Nardine Garas (EGY) 3-1: 10-12, 11-6, 11-3, 11-5 (36m)
Fayrouz Aboelkheir (EGY) bt [7] Hana Moataz (EGY) 3-2: 11-9, 11-9, 8-11, 5-11, 11-4 (41m)
Chan Sin Yuk (HKG) bt [5] Tsz-Wing Tong (HKG) 3-1: 6-11, 14-12, 11-8, 11-9 (34m)
[2] Jasmine Hutton (ENG) bt Ali Loke (WAL) 3-0: 11-6, 11-3, 11-5 (20m)

Women’s Quarter Final Draw: To Be Played Friday, February 4
[1] Lucy Turmel (ENG) v Julianne Courtice (ENG)
[8] Lily Taylor (ENG) v [4] Liu Tsz-Ling (HKG)
[3 Tze Lok Ho (HKG) v Fayrouz Aboelkheir (EGY)
Chan Sin Yuk (HKG) v [2] Jasmine Hutton (ENG)