Tournament of Champions Challenger RD1: Trio Of First Round Surprises

The J.P. Morgan Tournament of Champions Challenger got underway on Wednesday evening in New York, and there were a trio of surprise results on the opening day, including one of the top three seeds being knocked out of the event at the first hurdle.

Egypt’s Aly Abou Eleinen took down No.3 seed Henry Leung in the men’s draw at the Challenger 10 level tournament, winning in four games to cause a surprise result and move through. The pair were tied at one game apiece, before the Egyptian pushed on, and won the next two games quite comfortably. The 3-1 win over the Hongkonger sees Eleinen move into the quarters, where he will face England’s No.7 seed Sam Todd.

The other upset in the men’s event saw Timothy Brownell overcome Christopher Gordon in the all-American encounter of the opening day. Brownell won in straight games to book his spot in the last eight, and he will now face Hong Kong’s Tsz Kwan Lau on Thursday evening.

Elsewhere, the top two seeds, in USA’s Faraz Khan and Qatar’s Abdulla Mohd Al Tamimi, both safely made it through to the quarters, winning in straight games. The American downed Australia’s Joseph White, while Al Tamimi got the better of Nigerian No.1 Babatunde Ajagbe.

There was just a single surprise result in the women’s draw in New York on Wednesday evening, as Egypt’s Sohaila Ismail got the better No.8 seed Margot Prow to reach the quarter finals. Ismail found herself behind after three games, but came back strongly to win the fourth 11-9, before going on to win the match in five, and she will now play Hong Kong’s No.4 seed Chan Sin Yuk in the last eight.

Top seed Sana Ibrahim got her campaign off to the perfect start, beating wildcard Katherine Glasner in straight games. She will now take on No.7 seed, and another American, in Lucie Stefanoni, on Thursday evening in New York.

The quarter finals of the J.P. Morgan Tournament of Champions Challenger will take place on Thursday, April 28, and will see the last eight in both draws go head-to-head for places in the semis.

Men’s First Round Results: J.P. Morgan Tournament of Champions Challenger
[2] Abdulla Mohd Al Tamimi (QAT) bt Babatunde Ajagbe (NGR) 3-0: 11-6, 11-8, 11-8
[8] Robert Downer (ENG) bt Tom Walsh (ENG) 3-0: 11-9, 11-9, 11-9
[7] Sam Todd (ENG) bt Juan Camilo Vargas (COL) 3-0: 11-8, 11-9, 11-6
Aly Abou Eleinen (EGY) bt [3] Henry Leung (HKG) 3-1: 11-7, 5-11, 11-7, 11-4
[4] Tsz Kwan Lau (HKG) bt Ronald Palomino (COL) 3-1: 7-11, 11-7, 11-8, 11-8
Timothy Brownell (USA) bt [5] Christopher Gordon (USA) 3-0: 11-9, 11-8, 11-6
[6] Spencer Lovejoy (USA) bt [WC] Harrison Gill (USA) 3-1: 11-7, 8-11, 11-5, 11-6
[1] Faraz Khan (USA) bt Joseph White (AUS) 3-0: 11-2, 11-3, 11-2

Men’s Quarter Final Draw: To Be Played Thursday, April 28
[2] Abdulla Mohd Al Tamimi (QAT) v [8] Robert Downer (ENG)
[7] Sam Todd (ENG) v Aly Abou Eleinen (EGY)
[4] Tsz Kwan Lau (HKG) v Timothy Brownell (USA)
[6] Spencer Lovejoy (USA) v [1] Faraz Khan (USA)

Women’s First Round Results: J.P. Morgan Tournament of Champions Challenger
[1] Sana Ibrahim (EGY) bt [WC] Katherine Glasner (USA) 3-0: 11-2, 13-11, 11-3
[7] Lucie Stefanoni (USA) bt Julia Le Coq (FRA) 3-1: 5-11, 11-9, 11-9, 11-9
Sohaila Ismail (EGY) bt [8] Margot Prow (ENG) 3-2: 11-6, 7-11, 9-11, 11-9, 11-8
[4] Chan Sin Yuk (HKG) bt Noureen Khalifa (EGY) 3-2: 11-5, 11-3, 6-11, 7-11, 12-10
[3] Ka Yi Lee (HKG) bt Millie Tomlinson (ENG) 3-0: 14-12, 15-13, 12-10
[5] Marina Stefanoni (USA) bt Arisha Khan (USA) 3-0: 11-3, 11-2, 11-0
[6] Kenzy Ayman (USA) bt Jhansi Bhavsar (USA) 3-0: 11-2, 11-9, 11-7
[2] Tsz-Wing Tong (HKG) bt Akari Midorikawa (JPN) 3-0: 11-3, 11-4, 11-8

Women’s Quarter Final Draw: To Be Played Thursday, April 28
[1] Sana Ibrahim (EGY) v [7] Lucie Stefanoni (USA)
Sohaila Ismail (EGY) v [4] Chan Sin Yuk (HKG)
[3] Ka Yi Lee (HKG) v [5] Marina Stefanoni (USA)
[6] Kenzy Ayman (USA) v [2] Tsz-Wing Tong (HKG)