Czech Open: Mueller Wins All-Swiss Clash, Serme Returns to Action

Top seed Nicolas Mueller kicked off the defence of his Czech Open title in style, beating compatriot Yannick Wilhelmi 3-0 in round two. 

The pair know each other well and will be teammates at the World Men’s Team Championships in December, but there was no room for sentiment in Brno, as Mueller safely reached the quarter-finals in 40 minutes.

His opponent in the last eight will be French No.5 seed Lucas Serme, who ended Viktor Byrtus’ quest for glory on home soil. 

Byrtus was one of two Czech players in round two, but both went down 3-0, with Jakub Solnicky following his countryman out of the competition in defeat to Patrick Rooney later in the day. 

Rooney’s win was followed by wins for Yahya Elnawasany and Rui Soares in the day’s final matches, completing a clean sweep of wins for the top eight seeds, with Declan James, Raphael Kandra and Balazs Farkas also into day three. 

The women’s draw almost followed the same pattern, with Anna Serme the only seed not to book a quarter-final spot. 

Serme was playing her first match since the birth of her son in June but was unable to follow her husband, Lucas, into the last eight, going down 3-0 to Poland’s Sofi Zrazhevska.

Speaking after the match, though, she was just pleased to be back on court.

“It is my first match after a year long break and four months after giving birth so I didn’t really know what to expect,” she said.

“My goal was to finish and not give up so in the end I am happy. Of course my competitive nature wanted to do better, but realistically there was not much more I could do.

“However, it is very motivating to be able to play again and I can’t wait to go back to training.”

The top three seeds, Haya Ali, Asia Harris and Tessa ter Sluis all enjoyed routine 3-0 victories, with the Dutchwoman particularly impressing, dropping just nine points in total in her win over Catarina Nunes. 

Results: Men’s Round Two 

[1] Nicolas Müller (SUI) bt [9/16] Yannick Wilhelmi (SUI) 3-0: 11-7, 13-11, 11-4 (40m) 
[5] Lucas Serme (FRA) bt [9/16] Viktor Byrtus (CZE) 3-0: 11-8, 11-9, 11-4 (32m) 
[8] Declan James (ENG) bt Owain Taylor (WAL) 3-0: 11-7, 11-3, 13-11 (48m) 
[4] Raphael Kandra (GER) bt [9/16] Daniel Poleshchuk (ISR) 3-1: 11-3, 11-8, 13-15, 11-5 (56m) 
[3] Yahya Elnawasany (EGY) bt [9/16] Lwamba Chileshe (NZL) 3-0: 12-10, 11-7, 11-5 (36m) 
[7] Rui Soares (POR) bt [9/16] James Peach (ENG) 3-1: 8-11, 11-7, 11-4, 11-7 (42m) 
[6] Balázs Farkas (HUN) bt Miles Jenkins (ENG) 3-1: 9-11, 11-2, 11-6, 11-4 (52m) 
[2] Patrick Rooney (ENG) bt Jakub Solnicky (CZE) 3-0: 11-8, 13-11, 11-5 (39m) 

Results: Women’s Round Two 

[1] Haya Ali (EGY) bt Michaela Cepová (CZE) 3-0: 11-3, 11-8, 11-8 (24m) 
[5] Lauren Baltayan (FRA) bt Fleur Maas (NED) 3-1: 11-3, 6-11, 11-5, 11-9 (31m) 
Sofi Zrazhevska (UKR) bt [6] Anna Serme (CZE) 3-0: 11-4, 11-3, 11-2 (20m) 
[4] Alison Thomson (SCO) bt [9/16] Sofia Aveiro Pita (POR) 3-0: 11-7, 11-5, 11-6 (26m) 
[3] Tessa ter Sluis (NED) bt [9/16] Catarina Nunes (POR) 3-0: 11-2, 11-2, 11-5 (22m) 
[8] Ali Loke (WAL) bt [9/16] Juliette Permentier (NED) 3-1: 11-6, 8-11, 11-2, 11-7 (30m) 
[7] Léa Barbeau (FRA) bt Katie Wells (ENG) 3-0: 13-11, 11-6, 11-9 (27m) 
[2] Asia Harris (ENG) bt Karolina Sramkova (CZE) 3-0: 11-6, 11-7, 11-6 (25m) 

Draw: Men’s Quarter-Finals 

[1] Nicolas Müller (SUI) v [5] Lucas Serme (FRA) 
[4] Raphael Kandra (GER) v [8] Declan James (ENG) 
[3] Yahya Elnawasany (EGY) v [7] Rui Soares (POR) 
[2] Patrick Rooney (ENG) v [6] Balázs Farkas (HUN) 

Draw: Women’s Quarter-Finals 

[1] Haya Ali (EGY) v [5] Lauren Baltayan (FRA) 
[4] Alison Thomson (SCO) v Sofi Zrazhevska (UKR) 
[3] Tessa ter Sluis (NED) v [8] Ali Loke (WAL) 
[2] Asia Harris (ENG) v [7] Léa Barbeau (FRA)