Challenger Tour Round-Up: Rodriguez into Colombia Final; Marshall & Ward Set for Brussels Showdown

PSA Club Campestre De Cali 2024 

Top two seeds Miguel Rodriguez and Leonel Cardenas will meet in the PSA Club Campestre De Cali final, after both recording comfortable 3-0 wins on semi-finals day. 

Home favourite and No.1 seed Rodriguez was taking on Mexico’s Alfredo Avila Vergara, who had already upset two seeds to reach this stage, but he was outclassed by the experienced Colombian, going down 11-7, 11-5, 11-6 in little more than half an hour. 

After claiming the first point of the day on a tight backhand drop that glued to the left-hand wall, Rodriguez proceeded to take a one-game lead in just 12 minutes, taking his third game ball when an ambitious behind-the-back shot from Avila sailed over the back wall. 

Game two was even quicker, taking just 10 minutes, and the flamboyant Colombian was soon on the brink of victory. 

He brought up four match balls with an unusual, flicked forehand that left Avila Vergara little chance to react, and was celebrating his win moments later, with a backhand boast finding the tin from the Mexican’s racquet on the rally that followed. 

Rodriguez was followed into the final by second seed Cardenas, who enjoyed a 3-0 win of his own over Egypt’s Yahya Elnawasany. 

Cardenas came into this semi-final having not yet dropped a game this week, but was made to work hard early on by his Egyptian opponent, needing 20 minutes to take game one. 

Game two was another tight affair, but it was once again the Mexican who came out on top after some more long, punishing rallies. 

After moving from 8-8 to 10-8 with a pair of tight drop shots, one on either side, Cardenas hit a crisp backhand winner to move within one game of victory, letting out a huge roar of emotion as the players headed off court. 

The early rallies of game three suggested another hard-fought game, with the score locked at 4-4, but from there, Cardenas took control, reeling off seven points in a row – including a delightful backhand drop from deep in the court at 9-4 – to secure the win. 

“I’m so happy with my path to the final,” Cardenas said after the match. 

“I just want to say that Yahya is a great player, and we fight hard, and I really liked that match today. 

“I knew it was going to be tough with long rallies. Yahya is a great player, he has the experience and he has the level of the top players. He has great results, he’s a talented player and he’s young, so I was expecting to use my experience.” 

Looking ahead to the final against Rodriguez, Cardenas added: “I’m relaxed. I know Miguel, he’s one of the greatest players from the Americas on the Tour. He’s one of the players that younger generations like me was looking for, so I just want to enjoy the match and of course, fight.

“I want the title and I want to play hard, and I know it’s going to be a great match.” 

Results: 
[1] Miguel Rodriguez (COL) bt Alfredo Avila Vergara (MEX) 3-0: 11-7, 11-5, 11-6 (36m) 
[2] Leonel Cardenas (MEX) bt [3] Yahya Elnawasany (EGY) 3-0: 11-6, 11-8, 11-4 (48m) 

Investimax Brussels Open 2024 

The final of the Investimax Brussels Open will also pit the top two seeds against each other, with England’s Kiera Marshall and South Africa’s Hayley Ward both vying for their first PSA Tour title. 

Top seed Marshall was facing 17-year-old Scottish talent Robyn McAlpine, who pushed the Englishwoman hard over close to 50 minutes of action. 

All three games were tight, but Marshall made her experience count when it mattered most in each of the three games, winning 11-7, 11-8, 12-10. 

26-year-old Ward then followed that up with a more straightforward win over Kara Lincou, denying the young Frenchwoman a second successive final appearance. 

After a tight first game which she won 11-9, Ward controlled the two that followed, dropping only seven more points in the entire match. 

Marshall and Ward will now battle it out for what would be a maiden Challenger Tour title for either player, with Marshall hoping to make it sixth time lucky, having been a beaten finalist on five previous occasions on Tour. 

Results: 
[1] Kiera Marshall (ENG) bt [7] Robyn McAlpine (SCO) 3-0: 11-7, 11-8, 12-10 (49m) 
[2] Hayley Ward (RSA) bt Kara Lincou (FRA) 11-9, 11-5, 11-3 (30m)