Expression Network LLC Kinetic Racquet Women’s 30k D2: Bushma & Megahed Fight Back as Top Six Seeds Progress

Alina Bushma and Nour Megahed both fought back from 2-0 down to cause upsets on day two of the Expression Network LLC Kinetic Racquet Women’s 30k, while the top six seeds all progressed.

18-year-old Megahed had saved two match balls at 2-0 and 10-8 down in her round-one win over Akanksha Salunkhe, setting up an all-Egyptian clash with No.7 seed Menna Walid. 

And just as she did 24 hours earlier, Megahed found herself quickly 2-0 down, winning only nine points across the first two games. 

But as with yesterday, she turned things around in game three when staring down the barrel of defeat. 

There were no match balls to save this time, but Walid was just three points from victory at 8-8, only for Megahed to win the three rallies that followed. 

She then took game four by the same 11-8 scoreline, and went on to close out victory in the fifth, crunching a forehand winner down the line on match ball as Walid scrambled to get back to her feet after a sprawling effort in the front-left-hand corner. 

That result on court five was followed a few minutes later by another impressive comeback by an unseeded player, this time on the glass court, as Bushma reached her first ever 30k quarter-final.

The Ukrainian was up against No.8 seed Nour Heikal, and like Megahed, found herself on the cusp of defeat after losing the first two games. 

She then saw three game balls of her own come and go at 10-7 up in the third, but kept her composure to clinch the tiebreak 12-10, and barely looked back, winning game four 11-7 before bringing up six match balls at 10-4 up in the fifth. 

She may have had six match balls, but she only needed one, hitting a tight forehand smash down the line, which clung to the glass and left Heikal with no chance of finding a return. 

The World No.80 will now play fourth seed Enora Villard in the last eight, after the Frenchwoman saw off the threat of young American Riya Navani. 

18-year-old Navani is one of the brightest stars on the US squash scene and had the potential to be a potentially awkward opponent for Villard, but the World No.53 showed her experience when it mattered, winning 11-5, 11-9, 11-6. 

Villard’s win was one of four matches to finish 3-0, with Melissa Alves and Jasmine Hutton beating Diana Garcia and Danielle Ray respectively, while Marina Stefanoni closed out the day with a straight-games win over Zeina Zein. 

Stefanoni was certainly made to work hard for her quarter-final spot, though, particularly in game one when she had to save three games balls in a 15-minute game, but she eventually came through in just over half an hour. 

Marina Stefanoni celebrates after winning a crucial point in game one of her win over Zeina Zein.

Emily Whitlock and Torrie Malik were also pushed hard in their round-two wins, each being taken to four. 

Opening play on the glass court, Whitlock found a stubborn Lucia Bautista standing in her way, with the Colombian threatening an upset after taking game two 11-7 to draw level. 

Whitlock, though, edged a crucial game three 11-9 before taking the fourth 11-6 to wrap up the win, and it was a similar story for Malik – a nominee for PSA Young Player of the Year – who was facing Ireland’s Hannah Craig. 

The pair had to put their friendship to one side as they went toe-to-toe on court, with nothing to split them after two games, but the No.6 seed ultimately came out on top, taking game three 11-6 before clinching a tight game four 11-9. 

Malik will now play third seed Alves in the second match on tomorrow’s schedule, with Whitlock against Megahed opening play at 12pm ET (5pm BST). 

Results: 
Alina Bushma (UKR) bt [8] Nour Heikal (EGY) 3-2: 6-11, 9-11, 12-10, 11-7, 11-4 (58m) 
Nour Megahed (EGY) bt [7] Menna Walid (EGY) 3-2: 6-11, 3-11, 11-8, 11-8, 11-7 (51m) 
[1] Emily Whitlock (WAL) bt Lucia Bautista (COL) 3-1: 11-7, 7-11, 11-9, 11-6 (43m) 
[6] Torrie Malik (ENG) bt Hannah Craig (IRL) 3-1: 12-10, 8-11, 11-6, 11-9 (50m) 
[3] Melissa Alves (FRA) bt Diana Garcia (MEX) 3-0: 11-8, 11-3, 11-4 (25m) 
[4] Enora Villard (FRA) bt Riya Navani (USA) 3-0: 11-5, 11-9, 11-6 (32m) 
[2] Jasmine Hutton (ENG) bt Danielle Ray (CAN) 3-0: 11-4, 11-7, 11-9 (27m) 
[5] Marina Stefanoni (USA) bt Zeina Zein (EGY) 3-0:: 15-13, 11-6, 11-8 (36m)