London Open: Egypt’s Eleinen and Moataz Victorious

Egypt’s Aly Abou Eleinen and Hana Moataz took the titles at the London Open this weekend, with the latter becoming the first female player to win three times in the 2022-2023 season.

Eleinen came into the men’s Challenger 20 level tournament at the Cumberland Lawn Tennis Club as the No.5 seed, and received a bye through the opening day’s action. He then took on Englishman Miles Jenkins in round two, and he had to go the distance. The Egyptian lost the fourth game 16-14 after having chances to secure the win, but he made up for it in the fifth, taking it 11-6 to book his spot in the quarters.

In the last eight, Eleinen took on Englishman Simon Herbert, who had gotten the better of the three-time reigning champion James Willstrop in the second round. The Egyptian made sure there would be no shock in their match, though, winning in four games. He then got past a struggling Nick Wall, dropping just five points to the Englishman, who was not fully fit for the contest.

The final saw the No.5 seed take on England’s Nathan Lake, the No.3 seed for the competition. He won the first game 11-6, but saw the Englishman fight back to take the second and level the match. From there, though, Eleinen was in top form, and won in four games to claim his first title of the season.

Compatriot Hana Moataz, meanwhile, is building an extensive list of titles already this season. She won the Life Time Chicago Open and the Hamilton Open in October, and has taken the London Open this weekend for her third success in the 2022-2023 campaign.

She came into the event as the No.4 seed, and like Eleinen, had a bye through the opening day’s action. The Egyptian then took on Scotland’s Alison Thomson to kick her week off, and won in four games. That was followed by another four-game success, this time against Englishwoman Asia Harris in the quarter finals.

In the semi-finals, Moataz came up against top seed and former World No.20 Millie Tomlinson, who won this event back in 2015. After winning the first game 11-9, the Egyptian could then only muster five points across the next two games, as she fell 2-1 behind. She fought back though, taking the fourth 11-5, before coming through a tense fifth game 11-9 to take out the top seed.

The final saw the Egyptian take on No.2 seed Georgia Adderley, and two tight games went her way early on, including the first on a tie-break 13-11. The Scot battled back to win the third 11-4, and then had her chances in the fourth, but eventually, Moataz got over the line, with an 18-16 scoreline going her way. She becomes the first woman to claim three titles this season.

Results: London Open
Men’s Final
[5] Aly Abou Eleinen (EGY) bt [3] Nathan Lake (ENG) 3-1: 11-6, 4-11, 11-3, 11-8 (44m)

Women’s Final
[4] Hana Moataz (EGY) bt [2] Georgia Adderley (SCO) 3-1: 13-11, 11-9, 4-11, 18-16 (58m)

Men’s Semi-Finals
[5] Aly Abou Eleinen (EGY) bt [4] Nick Wall (ENG) 3-0: 11-2, 11-3, 11-0 rtd (20m)
[3] Nathan Lake (ENG) bt [2] George Parker (ENG) 3-0: 13-11, 11-7, 11-4 (49m)

Women’s Semi-Finals
[4] Hana Moataz (EGY) bt [1] Millie Tomlinson (ENG) 3-2: 11-9, 2-11, 3-11, 11-5, 11-9 (57m)
[2] Georgia Adderley (SCO) bt Alicia Mead (ENG) 3-2: 11-3, 11-7, 8-11, 7-11, 13-11 (63m)

Men’s Quarter Finals
[5] Aly Abou Eleinen (EGY) bt Simon Herbert (ENG) 3-1: 11-2, 11-5, 6-11, 11-9 (38m)
[4] Nick Wall (ENG) bt Joe Lee (ENG) 3-0: 12-10, 12-10, 11-7 (45m)
[3] Nathan Lake (ENG) bt Leandro Romiglio (ARG) 3-0: 11-6, 11-9, 11-2 (44m)
[2] George Parker (ENG) bt [7] Curtis Malik (ENG) 3-0: 11-8, 11-9, 11-7 (38m)

Women’s Quarter Finals
[1] Millie Tomlinson (ENG) bt [7] Anna Kimberley (ENG) 3-0: 11-6, 11-7, 11-7 (35m)
[4] Hana Moataz (EGY) bt Asia Harris (ENG) 3-1: 11-4, 11-2, 8-11, 11-8 (40m)
Alicia Mead (ENG) bt [3] Katie Malliff (ENG) 3-1: 11-7, 2-11, 11-1, 11-6 (41m)
[2] Georgia Adderley (SCO) bt [8] Torrie Malik (ENG) 3-1: 9-11, 11-8, 11-7, 11-7 (45m)

Men’s Second Round
Simon Herbert (ENG) bt [1] James Willstrop (ENG) 3-1: 11-6, 11-2, 9-11, 11-5 (37m)
[5] Aly Abou Eleinen (EGY) bt Miles Jenkins (ENG) 3-2: 11-5, 10-12, 11-4, 14-16, 11-6 (57m)
Joe Lee (ENG) bt [6] Rui Soares (POR) 3-2: 11-5, 11-7, 9-11, 4-11, 11-6 (77m)
[4] Nick Wall (ENG) bt Daniel Poleshchuk (ISR) 3-2: 12-14, 6-11, 11-3, 11-2, 11-4 (55m)
[3] Nathan Lake (ENG) bt Emyr Evans (WAL) 3-1: 12-10, 6-11, 11-6, 11-3 (47m)
Leandro Romiglio (ARG) bt [8] Rory Stewart (SCO) 3-1: 12-14, 11-1, 11-4, 11-5 (47m)
[7] Curtis Malik (ENG) bt Ben Coleman (ENG) 3-1: 11-7, 11-7, 3-11, 12-10 (50m)
[2] George Parker (ENG) bt Jakub Solnicky (CZE) 3-1: 11-4, 9-11, 11-2, 11-4 (38m)

Women’s Second Round
[1] Millie Tomlinson (ENG) bt [WC] Nour Ramy (EGY) 3-0: 11-4, 11-7, 11-3 (33m)
[7] Anna Kimberley (ENG) bt Akari Midorikawa (JPN) 3-1: 11-5, 6-11, 12-10, 11-9 (43m)
Asia Harris (ENG) bt [6] Nadia Pfister (SUI) 3-1: 8-11, 11-8, 12-10, 11-8 (40m)
[4] Hana Moataz (EGY) bt Alison Thomson (SCO) 3-1: 11-4, 11-3, 8-11, 11-7 (32m)
[3] Katie Malliff (ENG) bt Rana Ismail (EGY) 3-1: 9-11, 11-6, 11-7, 11-9 (40m)
Alicia Mead (ENG) bt [5] Tessa ter Sluis (NED) 3-1: 11-4, 11-4, 8-11, 11-3 (45m)
[8] Torrie Malik (ENG) bt Polly Clark (ENG) 3-0: 11-5, 11-9, 11-9 (26m)
[2] Georgia Adderley (SCO) bt Emilia Korhonen (FIN) 3-0: 11-5, 11-6, 11-5 (25m)

Men’s First Round
Simon Herbert (ENG) bt James Peach (ENG) 3-1: 11-5, 7-11, 11-5, 11-3 (37m)
Miles Jenkins (ENG) bt Yannick Wilhelmi (SUI) 3-0; 11-3, 11-2, 18-16 (50m)
Joe Lee (ENG) bt [WC] Anthony Rogal (ENG) 3-0: 11-6, 11-4, 11-3 (27m)
Daniel Poleshchuk (ISR) bt Yannik Omlor (GER) 3-0: 11-6, 11-6, 11-4 (31m)
Emyr Evans (WAL) bt Viktor Byrtus (CZE) 3-0: 11-5, 11-9, 11-2 (35m)
Leandro Romiglio (ARG) bt Robert Downer (ENG) 3-1: 11-5, 5-11, 11-7, 11-3 (42m)
Ben Coleman (ENG) bt [WC] Ayaan Vaziralli (IND) 3-0: 11-4, 11-6, 11-5 (26m)
Jakub Solnicky (CZE) bt Sam Todd (ENG) 3-1: 11-2, 11-13, 12-10, 11-0 (37m)

Women’s First Round
[WC] Nour Ramy (EGY) bt Nadeen Kotb (EGY) 3-0: 11-9, 11-4, 11-2 (30m)
Akari Midorikawa (JPN) bt Sofia Aveiro Pita (POR) 3-1: 11-9, 8-11, 11-6, 11-6 (40m)
Asia Harris (ENG) bt Amna Fayyaz (PAK) 3-0: 11-4, 11-3, 11-3 (20m)
Alison Thomson (SCO) bt Kiera Marshall (ENG) 3-0: 11-6, 11-6, 11-7 (37m)
Rana Ismail (EGY) bt [WC] Arisha Khan (USA) 3-0: 11-3, 11-3, 11-3 (20m)
Alicia Mead (ENG) bt Yasshmita Jadishkumar (MAS) 3-0: 11-7, 11-2, 11-4 (29m)
Polly Clark (ENG) bt Ali Loke (WAL) 3-2: 7-11, 11-9, 11-8, 6-11, 11-7 (55m)
Breanne Flynn (IRL) bt Emilia Korhonen (FIN) 3-0: 11-4, 13-11, 11-6 (25m)