Georgia Open: Palomino and Withington Upsets End US Hopes

English teenager Finnlay Withington and the in-form Ronald Palomino scored the biggest upsets on day two of the Georgia Open, ending US hopes in the process. 

Fresh from reaching the Copa Mexico Temazcal final two weeks ago, the unseeded Palomino had had to stage a remarkable comeback in round one, overcoming a two-game deficit to beat Salman Khalil, but found life more straightforward on day two. 

He beat the USA’s Faraz Khan – who himself had reached the final in each of his last two events – 3-0 in 43 minutes to set up a quarter-final clash with Sanjay Jeeva. 

Khan’s exit signaled the end of home hopes, with Christopher Gordon having fallen to the 19-year-old Withington earlier in the day. 

Despite dropping a game, Withington needed just 25 minutes to see off the No.5 seed, booking a quarter-final meeting with top seed Rory Stewart. 

Stewart was made to work hard for his victory by Emyr Evans, needing 75 minutes to overcome the Welshman 3-1. 

With the No.2 seed Khan no longer in the draw, Stewart will be eyeing his second tour title of 2023, though he does have fourth seed Alfredo Avila in his half of the draw. 

Avila beat Palomino in the Copa Mexico Temazcal final and will play India’s Veer Chotrani for a place in the last four here, knowing a matchup with either Stewart or Withington awaits the winner. 

Results: Round Two

[1] Rory Stewart (SCO) bt Emyr Evans (WAL) 3-1: 14-12, 11-3, 9-11, 11-5 (75m)
Finnlay Withington (ENG) bt [5] Christopher Gordon (USA) 3-1: 11-5, 11-9, 8-11, 11-2 (25m)
Veer Chotrani (IND) bt [8] Daniel Poleshchuk (ISR) 3-0: 11-9, 11-5, 11-3 (37m)
[4] Alfredo Avila (MEX) bt Edgar Ramirez Bautista (COL) 3-1: 8-11, 11-7, 11-3, 11-5 (47m)
[3] Juan Camilo Vargas (COL) bt Muhammad Ashab Irfan (PAK) 3-0: 11-9, 11-3, 13-11 (41m)
Viktor Byrtus (CZE) bt [6] Seif Shenawy (EGY) 3-1: 15-13, 11-9, 5-11, 11-9 (55m)
Sanjay Jeeva (MAS) bt [7] Jeremias Azaña (ARG) 3-1: 11-9, 7-11, 11-6, 11-5 (54m)
Ronald Palomino (COL) bt [2] Faraz Khan (USA) 3-0: 11-7, 11-9, 11-9 (43m)

Draw: Quarter-Finals

[1] Rory Stewart (SCO) v Finnlay Withington (ENG)
Veer Chotrani (IND) v [4] Alfredo Avila (MEX)
[3] Juan Camilo Vargas (COL) v Viktor Byrtus (CZE)
Sanjay Jeeva (MAS) v Ronald Palomino (COL)