Mozart Women’s Open: Malik Claims Fourth Title Of Campaign

England’s Torrie Malik got the better of Egyptian Haya Ali in the Mozart Open final to claim her fourth title of the campaign.

The Englishwoman came into the Challenger 5 level competition in Salzburg as the top seed. She already had three victories to her name, all Challenger 3 level crowns, in the 2022-2023 campaign.

She started her campaign at the Europark Shopping Centre with a confident victory over Scotland’s Katriona Allen. The Englishwoman dropped just eight points in an 11-2, 11-4, 11-2 win on Wednesday afternoon.

Malik then also won in straight games in both the quarter finals and semi-finals. She defeated home favourite and Austrian No.1 Jacqueline Peychar in the last eight, before then overcoming the challenge of No.4 seed Alison Thomson to make it into the final.

The final saw Malik take on Egyptian youngster Haya Ali, with the 18-year-old having knocked out No.2 seed Malak Khafagy to make it into the last match of the tournament. The pair were level after two games, but Malik was able to show her class to take the victory, winning both the third and fourth games by an 11-7 scoreline.

Malik becomes only the second female player to win four times this season, along with World No.1 Nouran Gohar. The Englishwoman took the titles at the Czech Open, Telsa Media David Lloyd Purley Open and 501 Fun Colin Payne Kent Open earlier in the season before adding her first Challenger 5 level win this week in Salzburg.

Results: Mozart Open (Women’s)
Final
[1] Torrie Malik (ENG) bt Haya Ali (EGY) 3-1: 11-6, 8-11, 11-7, 11-7 (36m)

Semi-Finals
[1] Torrie Malik (ENG) bt [4] Alison Thomson (SCO) 3-0: 11-6, 11-9, 11-8 (32m)
Haya Ali (EGY) bt [2] Malak Khafagy (EGY) 3-1: 7-11, 11-5, 11-5, 11-8 (30m)

Quarter Finals
[1] Torrie Malik (ENG) bt [6] Jacqueline Peychar (AUT) 3-0: 11-7, 11-4, 11-5 (22m)
[4] Alison Thomson (SCO) bt [5] Lea Barbeau (FRA) 3-0: 11-5, 11-3, 11-6 (25m)
Haya Ali (EGY) bt [3] Katerina Tycova (GER) 3-0: 11-5, 11-4, 11-7 (23m)
[2] Malak Khafagy (EGY) bt [7] Sofia Mateos (ESP) 3-0: 11-6, 11-8, 11-4 (20m)

First Round
[1] Torrie Malik (ENG) bt Katriona Allen (SCO) 3-0: 11-2, 11-4, 11-2 (22m)
[6] Jacqueline Peychar (AUT) bt Polly Clark (ENG) 3-0: 12-10, 11-4, 11-6 (26m)
[5] Lea Barbeau (FRA) bt Juliette Permentier (NED) 3-1: 16-18, 11-6, 11-8, 11-7 (33m)
[4] Alison Thomson (SCO) bt Ella Galova (FRA) 3-0: 11-4, 11-3, 13-11 (26m)
[3] Katerina Tycova (GER) bt Emilia Korhonen (FIN) 3-0: 11-5, 11-7, 11-3 (21m)
Haya Ali (EGY) bt [8] Taba Taghavi (FRA) 3-1: 11-7, 11-4, 10-12, 11-8 (35m)
[7] Sofia Mateos (ESP) bt Aylin Gunsav (GER) 3-1: 11-5, 6-11, 11-7, 11-5 (33m)
[2] Malak Khafagy (EGY) bt [WC] Sabrina Rehman (AUT) 3-0: 11-6, 11-5, 11-5 (21m)