Czech Open: Mueller and Malik Victorious in Brno

Switzerland’s Nicolas Mueller and England’s Torrie Malik have secured the titles at the Czech Open in Brno.

Mueller came into the Challenger 30 level tournament as the top seed, and after receiving a bye through the opening day’s action at Centrum Viktoria, the World No.16 overcame the challenge of Frenchman Lucas Serme in straight games. 

He then took on England’s George Parker in the quarter finals, and got the better of the No.5 seed in a four-game battle. In the last four, Mueller took on the tournament’s surprise package, in Portugal’s Rui Soares. The Portuguese No.1 had taken down two seeded players to reach the semis, but Mueller was too much, winning in three to advance to the final.

In the final, Mueller came up against compatriot Dimitri Steinmann, after the No.8 seed had gotten the better of World No.19 Raphael Kandra in the last four. After losing the first game on a tie-break to the Swiss No.2, it was the Swiss No.1 that showed his class, coming from behind to win in four games, and to secure the biggest title of his career to date.

The women’s Challenger 3 level competition was won by England’s Torrie Malik, who came through all four matches in Brno without losing a single game. She started in the opening round against Riana Alexova, where she spent just 19 minutes on court to make the last eight.

The Englishwoman then dropped just seven points in her quarter final tie against Spaniard Ona Blasco, before getting the better of fellow Brit Alison Thomson in the semis. She defeated the Scot in straight games, with an 11-4, 11-7, 11-5 win sending her through to the final.

The final saw the No.2 seed take on top seed Tessa ter Sluis, and it was a match of two distinct parts. Malik took the opening two games of the contest easily, 11-6 and 11-5 respectively, before then seeing the third game go deep into a tie-break. 34 points would be played in the third, with the Englishwoman coming out on top 18-16 to secure the Czech Open crown, her maiden Tour title.

Results: Czech Open
Men’s Final
[1] Nicolas Mueller (SUI) bt [8] Dimitri Steinmann (SUI) 3-1: 10-12, 11-5, 11-6, 11-8 (61m)

Women’s Final
[2] Torrie Malik (ENG) bt [1] Tessa ter Sluis (NED) 11-6, 11-5, 18-16 (27m)

Men’s Semi-Finals
[1] Nicolas Mueller (SUI) bt Rui Soares (POR) 3-0: 11-6, 11-6, 11-2 (28m)
[8] Dimitri Steinmann (SUI) bt [2] Raphael Kandra (GER) 3-2: 11-9, 8-11, 11-7, 3-11, 11-4 (75m)

Women’s Semi-Finals
[1] Tessa ter Sluis (NED) bt [6] Juliette Permentier (NED) 3-0: 11-7, 11-6, 11-3 (20m)
[2] Torrie Malik (ENG) bt [3] Alison Thomson (SCO) 3-0: 11-4, 11-7, 11-5 (27m)

Men’s Quarter Finals
[1] Nicolas Mueller (SUI) bt [5] George Parker (ENG) 3-1: 11-6, 9-11, 11-4, 11-9 (49m)
Rui Soares (POR) bt [6] Cesar Salazar (MEX) 3-2: 11-6, 8-11, 11-9, 2-11, 13-11 (65m)
[8] Dimitri Steinmann (SUI) bt Curtis Malik (ENG) 3-1: 11-4, 8-11, 11-7, 11-3 (51m)
[2] Raphael Kandra (GER) bt [7] Nathan Lake (ENG) 3-1: 9-11, 11-6, 11-5, 11-6 (47m)

Women’s Quarter Finals
[1] Tessa ter Sluis (NED) bt [8] Ellie Jones (SCO) 3-1: 11-6, 12-10, 11-13, 11-7 (36m)
[6] Juliette Permentier (NED) bt [4] Anastasiia Kostiukova (UKR) 3-2: 7-11, 7-11, 11-8, 11-9, 11-4 (45m)
[3] Alison Thomson (SCO) bt [5] Tamara Holzbauerova (CZE) 3-0: 11-7, 11-6, 11-2 (27m)
[2] Torrie Malik (ENG) bt Ona Blasco (ESP) 3-0: 11-5, 11-1, 11-1 (17m)

Men’s Second Round
[1] Nicolas Mueller (SUI) bt Lucas Serme (FRA) 3-0: 11-4, 12-10, 13-11 (45m)
[5] George Parker (ENG) bt Martin Svec (CZE) 3-0: 11-6, 11-6, 12-10 (32m)
[6] Cesar Salazar (MEX) bt Sam Todd (ENG) 3-0: 11-5, 11-7, 11-5 (35m)\
Rui Soares (POR) bt [4] Karim El Hammamy (EGY) 3-1: 11-8, 8-11, 11-3, 11-5 (54m)
Curtis Malik (ENG) bt [3] Omar Mosaad (EGY) 3-1: 11-9, 11-9, 12-14, 11-6 (68m)
[8] Dimitri Steinmann (SUI) bt Ronald Palomino (COL) 3-2: 7-11, 11-4, 11-3, 4-11, 11-1 (59m)
[7] Nathan Lake (ENG) bt Emyr Evans (WAL) 3-1: 11-8, 9-11, 11-4, 11-7 (51m)
[2] Raphael Kandra (GER) bt Juan Camilo Vargas (COL) 3-0: 11-7, 12-10, 11-7 (37m)

Women’s First Round
[1] Tessa ter Sluis (NED) bt Klara Kohlerova (SVK) 3-0: 11-3, 11-5, 11-3 (15m)
[8] Ellie Jones (SCO) bt Alina Poessl (SUI) 3-0: 11-7, 11-3, 11-0 (19m)
[6] Juliette Permentier (NED) bt Suzanne Peters (NED) 3-0: 11-6, 11-4, 11-5 (19m)
[4] Anastasiia Kostiukova (UKR) bt Karolina Sramkova (CZE) 3-1: 3-11, 11-9, 11-5, 11-5 (33m)
[3] Alison Thomson (SCO) bt Sofie Hausknotzova (CZE) 3-0: 11-3, 11-4, 11-4 (20m)
[5] Tamara Holzbauerova (CZE) bt Milena Velychko (UKR) 3-2: 9-11, 12-10, 11-5, 8-11, 11-9 (46m)
Ona Blasco (ESP) bt [7] Tereza Siroka (CZE) 3-2: 17-15, 11-4, 6-11, 7-11, 11-5 (57m)
[2] Torrie Malik (ENG) bt Riana Alexova (CZE) 3-0: 11-4, 11-1, 11-9 (14m)

Men’s First Round
Lucas Serme (FRA) bt Daniel Mekbib (CZE) 3-1: 11-6, 9-11, 11-7, 11-5 (55m)
Martin Svec (CZE) bt Bernat Jaume (ESP) 3-0: 11-8, 11-8, 11-7 (33m)
Sam Todd (ENG) bt [WC] Dariusz Filipowski (POL) 3-0: 11-4, 11-5, 11-3 (21m)
Rui Soares (POR) bt Ben Coleman (ENG) 3-1: 11-9, 6-11, 11-8, 11-8 (53m)
Curtis Malik (ENG) bt Yannick Wilhelmi (SUI) 3-0: 11-4, 11-5, 11-7 (31m)
Ronald Palomino (COL) bt [WC] Jakub Solnicky (CZE) 3-0: 11-8, 11-9, 11-7 (37m)
Emyr Evans (WAL) bt Nick Wall (ENG) 3-2: 8-11, 11-7, 11-3, 7-11, 11-7 (70m)
Juan Camilo Vargas (COL) bt Ivan Perez (ESP) 3-2: 7-11, 9-11, 11-8, 11-8, 11-7 (82m)