Challenger Tour Round-Up: Evans into Mozart Final, Singh Sails to Third Straight Title

Mozart Open 2024 

Unseeded Welshman Rhys Evans knocked out third seed Khaled Labib to reach the Mozart Open final, where he will play top seed and home favourite Aqeel Rehman for the title. 

20-year-old Evans had already knocked out the in-form Omar El Torkey – winner of his three most recent Challenger Tour events – in the quarter-finals, but went one better by ousting another Egyptian in the semi-finals, this time in a five-game nailbiter. 

After splitting the first four games, Evans and Labib went toe-to-toe across a tense deciding game which was eventually won 11-9 by the young Welshman. 

That result followed a 3-1 win for home favourite Rehman, who is now one win away from glory on home soil after beating England’s Robert Downer 3-1. 

HCL Squash Tour – Chennai 2024 

Anahat Singh cruised to her third successive Challenger Tour title, sweeping aside No.2 seed Rathika Suthanthira Seelan in the HCL Squash Tour – Chennai final. 

The 16-year-old had won her last two Tour events without dropping a game and repeated that feat here in Chennai, beating second seed Seelan 11-5, 11-3, 11-3. 

The result caps another dominant week for the teenage prodigy, who didn’t lose more than six points in a game the entire tournament. 

Sri Lankan top seed Ravinda Laksiri was then awarded a walkover in the men’s final, due to an injury to second seed Rahul Baitha, handing Laksiri his second successive trophy. 

WA Open International 2024 

Unseeded Joachim Chuah staged a stunning fightback to beat Rowan Damming in the WA Open International semi-finals, saving two match balls en route to victory.

The 19-year-old has been in sensational form of late, but that looked to be coming to an end at 10-9 and then 12-11 down in the third, having lost the first two games. 

But the young Malaysian saved both match balls and won the tiebreak 14-12, shifting the momentum dramatically in his favour. 

He won game four 11-3 and then game four 11-6, setting up a final matchup with Australian No.1 seed Joseph White. 

The women’s final, meanwhile, will pit the top two seeds against each other, as after both Alex Haydon and Sarah Cardwell recorded wins, beating Madison Lyon and Sophie Fadaely respectively. 

Open Costa Brava Squash Project 2024 

Four unseeded players will contest the two finals at the Open Costa Brava Squash Project, including France’s Kara Lincou. 

Lincou – the niece of former World No.1 Thierry Lincou – beat Spain’s Ona Blasco to reach her maiden Tour final, ending home interest in the process, with Italy’s Cristina Tartarone set to be her final opponent. 

In the men’s draw, Ireland’s Denis Gilevskiy fought back from 2-1 down to beat the only remaining seed in either draw, Syan Singh, while the USA’s Hollis Robertson beat England’s Samuel Osborne-Wylde 3-1. 

Harcourts KDRE Morrinsville PSA Challenger 2024 

Temwa Chileshe clinched his second straight Challenger Tour crown, beating Samoa’s Mason Smales to win the Harcourts KDRE Morrinsville PSA Challenger. 

The New Zealander came into this event having reached the final of his last two events, winning the Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Squash Open, and followed that up with victory in Morrinsville. 

Third seed Smales – still only 19 years of age – was playing in his maiden Tour final, but was no match for the more experienced New Zealander, who ran out a 3-0 winner in 36 minutes.

You can stay up to date with all the results on the Challenger Tour here.

Photo credit: Gintare Karpaviciute