Challenger Tour Roundup: Palomino, Anderson & Tang Score Upsets To Advance

The semi-finalists of the Rotterdam Open were confirmed yesterday as Colombia’s Ronald Palomino scored the win of the round, beating top seed James Peach in four games. Palomino won his previous meeting with the Englishman last month in Bristol but needed one game less yesterday as he won 3-1 to book a semi-final spot. He will be up against the unseeded Egyptian Omar El Torkey who continued his fantastic run by defeating Valentin Rapp 3-0.

The other semi-final will be played between No.2 seed Elliot Morris Devred and No.5 seed Leo Chung. Devred defeated home favourite club pro Joeri Hapers in four games. The Belgian claimed the opener but was worn down by the fast, structured play of the Welshman. No.5 seed Leo Chung scored an upset over Switzerland’s No.3 seed Robin Gadola. Chung lead 2-1 but was pegged back by Gadola in a close fourth game, 11-9. The pair battled hard in the fifth game and it was the Hong Kong player who eventually claimed the win 12-10 to reach the final four.

Results: Quarter Finals
[9/16] Ronald Palomino (COL) bt [1] James Peach (ENG) 3-1: 11-13, 11-8, 11-4, 11-6 (50m)
Omar El Torkey (EGY) bt [9/16] Valentin Rapp (GER) 3-0: 11-6, 11-3, 11-4 (28m)
[5] Leo Chung (HKG) bt [3] Robin Gadola (SUI) 3-2: 6-11, 12-10, 11-8, 9-11, 12-10 (72m)
[2] Elliott Morris Devred (WAL) bt [6] Joeri Hapers (BEL) 3-1: 3-11, 11-7, 11-6, 11-4 (46m)

Draw: Semi-Finals
[9/16] Ronald Palomino (COL) v Omar El Torkey (EGY)
[2] Elliott Morris Devred (WAL) v [5] Leo Chung (HKG)

Over in St.Louis, the quarter final line-ups have been confirmed with a couple of upsets taking place in yesterdays action making for entertaining watching for the Missouri crowd.

In the men’s event, wildcard Lewis Anderson produced an excellent performance to defeat USA veteran and No.8 seed Chris Gordon in four games. The Englishman conceded the first game but scored the second in a tiebreak before moving on strongly to win both the final games 11-7. The other upset in the men’s event came from Colombia’s Andrés Herrera, who came through an all-South American clash with Guatemala’s Alejandro Enriquez in a 57-minute five set match.

Two of the three upsets in the women’s draw came from Egyptians as Malak Moustafa and Jana Safy claimed upsets to reach the final eight. Moustafa was emphatic as she defeated No.8 seed Arisha Jahan Khan in just 11 minutes, winning 11-2, 11-1, 11-3. Safy was just as clinical as she beat USA’s Ava Lin 3-0 in 18 minutes.

The other upset came from Malaysia’s Vanessa Raj who showed her class to defeat Japan’s Risa Sugimoto 3-0 in 25 minutes.

Results: Men’s Round Two
[1] Cesar Salazar (MEX) bt [9/16] Sebastian Salazar (MEX) 3-0: 11-5, 11-8, 11-8 (32m)
[WC] Lewis Anderson (ENG) bt [8] Christopher Gordon (USA) 3-1: 8-11, 12-10, 11-7, 11-7 (47m)
[6] Dillon Huang (USA) bt [9/16] David Costales (ECU) 3-0: 11-5, 11-6, 11-9 (46m)
[4] Jeremías Azaña (ARG) bt [9/16] Diego Gobbi (BRA) 3-0: 11-8, 11-8, 11-5 (41m)
[3] Sanjay Jeeva (MAS) bt [9/16] Robert Downer (ENG) 3-1: 5-11, 11-6, 11-7, 11-7 (58m)
[9/16] Andrés Herrera (COL) bt [5] Alejandro Enriquez (GUA) 3-2: 11-8, 7-11, 11-6, 7-11, 11-6 (57m)
[7] Jonah Bryant (ENG) bt [9/16] Josue Enriquez (GUA) 3-0: 11-8, 15-13, 11-9 (40m)
[2] Alfredo Avila Vergara (MEX) bt [9/16] Matias Knudsen (COL)3-2: 3-11, 11-6, 8-11, 11-5, 11-6 (57m)

Results: Women’s Round Two
[1] Akanksha Salunkhe (IND) bt [9/16] Madeleine Hylland (NOR) 3-2: 13-15, 11-6, 9-11, 11-5, 11-6 (41m)
[9/16] Jana Safy (EGY) bt [6] Ava Lin (USA) 3-0: 11-3, 11-4, 11-5 (18m)
[9/16] Vanessa Raj (MAS) bt [5] Risa Sugimoto (JPN) 3-0: 11-6, 11-6, 11-8 (25m)
[4] Riya Navani (USA) bt [9/16] Audrey Berling (USA) 3-0: 11-1, 11-9, 11-9
[3] Saran Nghiem (ENG) bt [9/16] Hannah Guthrie (CAN) 3-0: 11-5, 11-6, 11-5 (25m)
[7] Jana Swaify (EGY) bt [9/16] Sohaila Ismail (EGY) 3-0: 11-5, 11-8, 11-6 (19m)
[9/16] Malak Moustafa (EGY) bt [8] Arisha Jahan Khan (USA) 3-0: 11-2, 11-1, 11-3 (11m)
[2] Alina Bushma (UKR) bt [9/16] Malak Taha (EGY) 3-0: 11-8, 11-6, 11-3 (27m)

Draw: Men’s Quarter Finals
[1] Cesar Salazar (MEX) v [WC] Lewis Anderson (ENG)
[4] Jeremías Azaña (ARG) v [6] Dillon Huang (USA)
[3] Sanjay Jeeva (MAS) v [9/16] Andrés Herrera (COL)
[2] Alfredo Avila Vergara (MEX) v [7] Jonah Bryant (ENG)

Draw: Women’s Quarter Finals
[1] Akanksha Salunkhe (IND) v [9/16] Jana Safy (EGY)
[4] Riya Navani (USA) v [9/16] Vanessa Raj (MAS)
[3] Saran Nghiem (ENG) v [7] Jana Swaify (EGY)
[2] Alina Bushma (UKR) v [9/16] Malak Moustafa (EGY)

In Hong Kong at the Hong Kong Squash PSA Challenge Cup 2024- 3rd Leg the only upset from both draws came from Helen Tang. The 15-year-old defeated top seed and World No.94 Ching Hei Fung to move into the final four. Top seed Fung lead 2-0 but was pegged back by Tang before retiring injured at 6-6 in the fifth game. Tang will join the rest of the top four seeds in the semi-finals.

All seeds safely moved through to the final four in the men’s event with No.3 seed Wailok To the only to concede a game as he defeated Lap Man Au 3-1.

Results: Men’s Quarter Finals
[1] Andes Ling (HKG) bt [8] Rain Wong (HKG) 3-0: 11-5, 11-4, 11-5 (23m)
[3] Wailok To (HKG) bt [7] Lap Man Au (HKG) 3-1: 11-5, 11-6, 9-11, 11-4 (36m)
[4] Lam Shing Fung (HKG) bt [5] Wilson Chan (HKG) 3-0: 11-3, 11-8, 11-5 (90m)
[2] Harley Lam (HKG) bt [6] Anson Wong (HKG) 3-0: 11-3, 11-3, 11-3 (19m)

Results: Women’s Quarter Finals
Helen Tang (HKG) bt [1] Ching Hei Fung (HKG) 3-2: 8-11, 5-11, 11-9, 11-8, 6-6 ret. (82m)
[3] Wong Po Yui Kirstie (HKG) bt Jemyca Aribado (PHI) 3-1: 11-8, 8-11, 11-7, 11-8 (35m)
[4] Kwong Ena (HKG) bt [8] Bobo Lam (HKG) 3-0: 11-8, 11-3, 11-9 (22m)
[2] Toby Tse (HKG) bt Pik Ching Cheng (HKG)3-1: 11-5, 11-5, 8-11, 11-6 (28m)

Draw: Men’s Semi-Finals
[1] Andes Ling (HKG) v [3] Wailok To (HKG)
[2] Harley Lam (HKG) v [4] Lam Shing Fung (HKG)

Draw: Women’s Semi-Finals
Helen Tang (HKG) v [3] Wong Po Yui Kirstie (HKG)
[2] Toby Tse (HKG) v [4] Kwong Ena (HKG)