B&R Open Preview: Lee Looking For Third Successive Victory

The B&R Open continues the run of Challenger Tour events in Canada, and England’s Charlie Lee is coming off back-to-back wins.

The Challenger 10 level men’s competition will take place from Thursday, March 9 to Sunday, March 12 at the Badminton & Racquet Club in Toronto, Canada.

Charlie Lee comes into this even having won on his last two outings. He took the title at the E.M. Noll Classic in February, before then winning the Guilfoyle PSA Squash Classic last week, where he came through the field to win the crown despite being unseeded.

Thanks to those two wins to kick off his 2023 campaign, Lee is on a high, and he will be looking to continue that against a similar field to last week in Calgary.

“It’s a great feeling and certainly confidence building to come through a high quality field. I’m just so happy to be healthy and enjoying my squash, discovering what I am capable of. That is the overriding feeling after the week,” he explained.

“These are definitely the two best weeks that I have put together so far and I feel I’m on a good path. I’m happy with my squash but of course so hungry for more and focused on bettering myself every day in training and with every event I play.”

After being unseeded last week, Lee will be the No.7 seed this week, but he says that that does not bother him, as the draws are so strong at this level.

“I don’t focus on seeding at all in these events as there are simply no easy matches. Last week my first round was against another player who had just won a Challenger 10 level title so we were effectively starting at the level of a final,” the Englishman said.

“I’m taking it one match at a time but definitely feeling in a good place for another strong week and the belief is there.

“I’m confident my game is heading in the right direction and if I focus on that continuing then the ranking will follow suit. I’m always aiming high so I just have to keep working hard and smart in all departments.”

American Faraz Khan will be the top seed for the competition, and he will be joined by four compatriots in total. Timothy Brownell, Andrew Douglas, Christopher Gordon and Spencer Lovejoy will all feature in the 16-strong draw in Toronto this week.

Hong Kong’s Tsz Kwan Lau, Canadian No.1 and home favourite David Baillargeon and Argentinian No.1 Leandro Romiglio will join Lee and the Americans in the top eight seeds.

Lee was also be joined by two other Englishman in the competition. Ben Smith and Tom Walsh will feature, while Nick Sachvie and wildcard Liam Marrison will add to the Canadian hopes.

The event takes place from Thursday, March 9 to Sunday, March 12 at the Badminton & Racquet Club in Toronto, where Lee . Follow the PSA Challenger Tour on Twitter and Facebook for daily updates from the event.

First Round Draw: The B&R Open
[1] Faraz Khan (USA) v Tom Walsh (ENG)
Wong Chi Him (HKG) v [7] Charlie Lee (ENG)
[5] Andrew Douglas (USA) v [WC] Liam Marrison (CAN)
Ben Smith (ENG) v [4] David Baillargeon (CAN)
[3] Timothy Brownell (USA) v Spencer Lovejoy (USA)
Ivan Perez (ESP) v [8] Christopher Gordon (USA)
[6] Leandro Romiglio (ARG) v Joseph White (AUS)
Nick Sachvie (CAN) v [2] Tsz Kwan Lau (HKG)