Challenger Tour Round-Up: Evans Denies Rehman Mozart Title; Haydon & Chuah Win in WA

Mozart Open

Young Welshman Rhys Evans denied home favourite Aqeel Rehman his hopes of winning the Mozart Open title for a third time, beating the experienced Austrian 3-1 on finals day in Salzburg.  

The two players were going head-to-head on the glass court inside the EUROPARK shopping centre, with supporters filling the seating area and gallery, most of them hoping to see an Austrian victory. 

A VIP tournament featuring Olympic skiing champions, among others, preceded the main event, but once Evans and Rehman stepped on court, there was little to split them early on. 

The unseeded Evans took game one 11-9, but Rehman was soon back on level terms, closing out game two 11-6, much to the delight of the home crowd, who cheered his every point. 

A 4-1 lead for the No.1 seed soon evaporated in game three as Evans won it 11-6, but it looked as though things were heading for a decider when Rehman raced into a 7-2 lead in the fourth, only for Evans to once again turn things around. 

From 7-2 down – and then 9-6 down – he brought up his first match ball at 10-9 but was unable to convert, and saw another two chances come and go in the tiebreak. 

But despite having the crowd against him, the 20-year-old saved two game balls of his own as the tension grew and the rallies became congested, before finally clinching victory, winning the fourth-game tiebreak 17-15.  

The 6k victory for Evans represents his second career title and his biggest to date. 

Result: 
Rhys Evans (WAL) bt [1] Aqeel Rehman (AUT) 3-1: 11-9, 6-11, 11-6, 17-15 (62m) 

WA Open International 2024 

Joachim Chuah and Alex Haydon won the WA Open International titles, beating Joseph White and Sarah Cardwell in their respective finals. 

19-year-old Chuah came into this event having won his first Challenger Tour tournament in Hong Kong a few days ago, but was unseeded nonetheless. 

Despite that, he fought his way through the field, saving two match balls in his semi-final win over Rowan Damming to set up a showdown with Aussie No.1 White. 

And it was the young Malaysian who got on the board first in Sunday’s final, taking game one 12-10 on a tiebreak, before sealing the second 11-7. 

White – the No.1 seed – hit back by taking the third 11-8, but that would merely delay Chuah’s charge towards glory, as he closed out the fourth 11-6 to get his hands on the trophy. 

That result followed a thrilling 3-2 win for Haydon over compatriot Cardwell in the women’s final, in which the 22-year-old had to fight back from 2-1 down. 

The experienced Cardwell has three PSA Tour titles to her name and had another within touching distance midway through this final, sitting at 10-10 in the fourth having taken a 2-1 lead. 

But she was unable to give herself a match ball to really heap the pressure on Haydon, who eventually clinched the tiebreak 14-12, and the No.1 seed went on to win the decider 11-6 to get her hands on what might just be the biggest trophy in squash. 

Results: 
[1] Alex Haydon (AUS) bt [2] Sarah Cardwell (AUS) 3-2: 11-4, 5-11, 6-11, 14-12, 11-6 (47m) 
Joachim Chuah (MAS) bt [1] Joseph White (AUS) 3-1: 12-10, 7-11, 11-8, 11-6 (49m)