CP Kent Open SF: Meredith Downs Top Seed To Reach Final

Home favourite Noah Meredith continued his giant-killing run at the 501 Fun Colin Payne Kent Open, beating top seed Valentin Rapp to make the final of the Challenger 3 level competition.

The World No.215 fell behind after the opening game, after a strong push from the German saw the top seed take the first on a tie-break 12-10. However, the Englishman did not panic, and he was able to fight back in the second game.

Meredith conjured up a sustained spell of magical squash in the second game to win five consecutive points to lead 8-3. Rapp fought back but Meredith hit a stylish winner to take the game. With his confidence up, Meredith dominated the third and fourth games as the winners flowed from his racket, winning each one 11-5.

“Valentin is such a good player but I was very pleased with how I played tonight. I was focused and more patient than usual,” the Englishman said.

“Winning the second game was very important. I could hear Valentin breathing harder and that was a sign for me to prolong the rallies, which is not my normal game!”

Welshman Owain Taylor, the tournament’s No.2 seed, took victory in the other semi-final on Friday evening in Tunbridge Wells. Taylor downed England’s Perry Malik in straight games, winning 11-5, 11-7, 11-9 to assure there would not be another surprise result in the last four.

The final will see Meredith and Taylor do battle for only the second time on Tour. The Englishman won their only previous meeting, in the second round of the Ostrava Squash Open in August 2022, where he came from behind to win in a five-game clash.

Scotland’s Alison Thomson also caused an upset for the second successive day in Tunbridge Wells, as she got the better of Wales’ No.3 seed Ali Loke. The Scot, who had already downed No.2 seed Elise Romba in the quarters, took a tight first game 11-9 against the Welshwoman, and then only allowed Loke to score four points across the next two games, warping up a straight games win in just 20 minutes.

Top seed Torrie Malik will be her opponent in the final, after the Englishwoman had to fight her way through a tough test against Malaysia’s Yasshmita Jadishkumar, one that went all the way to a last game tie-break. After going two games down, the Malaysian fought back to then have match balls in the fifth. However, Malik saved them both, and went on to clinch it 13-11 to book her spot in the final.

Saturday will see Mailk and Thomson meet on Tour for the sixth time, with the Scot holding a 3-2 advantage in their previous five contests. However, it is the Englishwoman that has taken victory in each of the last two matches, and she will be aiming to keep up that record in the final in Tunbridge Wells.

The finals of the 501 Fun Colin Payne Kent Open will take place on Saturday, January 14 with the finalists going head-to-head for the Challenger 3 level titles at the Tunbridge Wells Squash Club in England. Stay up to date with updates from the tournament, and all events on the Challenger Tour, with daily updates on Twitter and Facebook.

Men’s Semi-Final Results: 501 Fun Colin Payne Kent Open
[8] Noah Meredith (ENG) bt [1] Valentin Rapp (GER) 3-1: 10-12, 11-7, 11-5, 11-5 (51m)
[2] Owain Taylor (WAL) bt [5] Perry Malik (ENG) 3-0: 11-5, 11-9, 11-9 (34m)

Men’s Final Draw: To Be Played Saturday, January 14
[8] Noah Meredith (ENG) v [2] Owain Taylor (WAL)

Women’s Semi-Final Results: 501 Fun Colin Payne Kent Open
[1] Torrie Malik (ENG) bt [4] Yasshmita Jadishkumar (MAS) 3-2: 11-6, 11-5, 9-11, 10-12, 13-11 (42m)
[5] Alison Thomson (SCO) bt [3] Ali Loke (WAL) 3-0: 11-9, 1-2, 11-2 (20m)

Women’s Final Draw: To Be Played Saturday, January 14
[1] Torrie Malik (ENG) v [5] Alison Thomson (SCO)