Brussels Dronsfields: Unseeded Pelaez Takes Maiden Tour Title

Colombia’s Catalina Pelaez was unseeded at the Brussels Dronsfields Mercedes Benz, but she amazingly came through to win her maiden Tour title.

The Colombian was the second-lowest ranked player coming into the tournament, but had been as high as World No.56 in the World Rankings back in 2015.

She started her week with the big surprise win, downing top seed Yasshmita Jadishkumar in a five-game thriller. The Colombian led 2-1, but saw the top seed fight back to win the fourth game. However, a tight fifth game went the way of Pelaez, to cause the surprise win.

The former World No.56 then overcame Denmark’s Klara Moller, the No.5 seed, in straight games. Her semi-final clash was also over in straight games, with a confident 24-minute win over Spain’s Sofia Mateos.

The final saw Pelaez take on England’s Kiera Marshall, and the pair did battle across five games. The Colombian took the opening two games to hold a commanding advantage in the contest, but saw Marshall, the No.2 seed, battle back to level.

Marshall did so thanks to winning the fourth game on a tie-break 13-11, and she then had her chances in the deciding fifth game. Pelaez would not be denied a maiden Tour title, as she claimed a 3-2 victory, winning the fifth 11-9 to secure the trophy.

Results: Brussels Dronsfields Mercedes Benz
Final
Catalina Pelaez (COL) bt [2] Kiera Marshall (ENG) 3-2: 11-4, 11-7, 8-11, 11-13, 11-9

Semi-Finals
Catalina Pelaez (COL) bt [4] Sofia Mateos (ESP) 3-0: 11-4, 11-1, 11-7 (24m)
[2] Kiera Marshall (ENG) bt [3] Lea Barbeau (FRA) 3-2: 11-7, 11-13, 15-17, 11-4, 11-8 (61m)

Quarter Finals
Catalina Pelaez (COL) bt [5] Klara Moller (DEN) 3-0: 11-3, 11-6, 14-12
[4] Sofia Mateos (ESP) bt [6] Taba Taghavi (FRA) 3-0: 11-9, 11-5, 11-9
[3] Lea Barbeau (FRA) bt [8] Juliette Permentier (NED) 3-0: 11-7, 13-11, 11-7
[2] Kiera Marshall (ENG) bt [7] Ella Galova (FRA) 3-0: 11-7, 11-5, 11-5

First Round
Catalina Pelaez (COL) bt [1] Yasshmita Jadishkumar (MAS) 3-2: 10-12, 11-1, 11-8, 9-11, 11-9 (51m)
[5] Klara Moller (DEN) bt Suzanne Peters (NED) 3-0: 11-2, 11-9, 11-5
[6] Taba Taghavi (FRA) bt Elfi Markus (NED) 3-0: 11-7, 11-7, 11-3 (28m)
[4] Sofia Mateos (ESP) bt Megan van Drongelen (NED) 3-1: 11-8, 11-3, 5-11, 11-5 (32m)
[3] Lea Barbeau (FRA) bt Chloe Crabbe (BEL) 3-1: 11-3, 9-11, 11-2, 11-4 (34m)
[8] Juliette Permentier (NED) bt Milena Velychko (UKR) 3-0: 11-9, 11-4, 12-10 (32m)
[7] Ella Galova (FRA) bt Alyssia Crabbe (BEL) 3-0: 11-3, 11-7, 11-7 (22m)
[2] Kiera Marshall (ENG) bt Catarina Nunes (POR) 3-0: 11-6, 11-3, 11-5