Nash Cup RD1: Action Gets Underway In London

The opening day of the Nash Cup took place on Tuesday afternoon at the London Squash Club in Ontario, Canada, with 16 matches across two courts, and plenty of high-quality squash.

A pair of Canadians delighted the home crowd on the first day in London in the men’s event, as both Michael McCue and Nick Sachvie took victories in their respective first round matches in four games, to book their places in the last 16 of the competition.

Sachvie took on Brazil’s Diego Gobbi in his first round contest, and took an early lead through an 11-5 first game scoreline. He then clinched a tight second game 11-9, before seeng the Brazilian fight back to win the third game. However, Sachvie regrouped to take the fourth on a lengthy tie-break 15-13, moving through to meet No.2 seed Henry Leung on Wednesday. 

He will be joined in the second round of the Challenger 20 level competition by compatriot Michael McCue, who downed England’s Mark Broekman, also in four games. Their match followed the same pattern, with the Canadian winning the opening two games, before Broekman fought back to win the third. McCue was able to fight through though, winning the fourth 11-7 to advance after 43 minutes.

Yannik Omlor came through the all-German clash with Valentin Rapp to set up a meeting with top seed Nathan Lake on Wednesday, while Brazil’s Guilherme Melo won the longest match of the tournament, winning after 84 minutes against Canadian Shawn DeLierre, whoo had to retire injured after the fourth game of their contest.

Following on from her maiden Tour win at the weekend at the Madeira International, Germany’s Katerina Tycova came into the Nash Cup unseeded, but caused the only seeding upset of the opening round as she defeated Welshman Ali Loke in four games.

The German lost the first game on a tie-break 12-10, but fought back to win the next two games to move into the lead for the first time in the contest. The fourth game also went to a tie-break, one that went the way of Tycova this time, as she claimed victory 3-1, to advance to the second round where she will face Scotland’s Georgia Adderley.

Elsewhere in the women’s draw, a trio of Englishwoman made it through to the last 16. Torrie Malik came through a five-game battle against USA’s Lucie Stefanoni, while Alicia Mead and Anna Kimberley both also safely secured opening day wins in London.

The second day of the Challenger 20 level competition will take place on Wednesday, September 14, with the top eight seeds in both draws coming into the tournament. You will be able to watch all the action from both courts in London, Ontario live on the PSA Challenger Tour YouTube channel, with live scores also being available to be followed on the PSA World Tour’s website.

Men’s First Round Results: Nash Cup
Yannik Omlor (GER) bt Valentin Rapp (GER) 3-0: 11-8, 11-7, 11-9 (43m)
Michael McCue (CAN) bt Mark Broekman (ENG) 3-1: 11-6, 11-6, 6-11, 11-7 (43m)
Daniel Mekbib (CZE) bt Connor Turk (CAN) 3-0: 11-5, 11-4, 11-7 (23m)
Edmon Lopez (ESP) bt Salah Eltorgman (CAN) 3-0: 11-3, 11-8, 11-7 (28m)
Andrew Douglas (USA) bt [WC] Matthew Henderson (CAN) 3-0: 11-7, 11-7, 11-7 (25m)
Alfredo Avila (MEX) bt [WC] Liam Marrison (CAN) 3-1: 5-11, 11-8, 11-5, 11-8 (37m)
Guilherme Melo (BRA) bt Shawn DeLierre (CAN) 3-2: 13-11, 11-13, 12-10, 5-11 0-0 rtd (84m)
Nick Sachvie (CAN) bt Diego Gobbi (BRA) 3-1: 11-5, 11-9, 8-11, 15-13 (53m)

Men’s Second Round Draw: To Be Played Wednesday, September 14
[1] Nathan Lake (ENG) v Yannik Omlor (GER)
Michael McCue (CAN) v [7] Christopher Gordon (USA)
[5] Timothy Brownell (USA) v Daniel Mekbib (CZE)
Edmon Lopez (ESP) v [4] Arturo Salazar (MEX)
[3] David Baillargeon (CAN) v Andrew Douglas (USA)
Alfredo Avila (MEX) v [8] Curtis Malik (ENG)
[6] Leandro Romiglio (ARG) v Guilherme Melo (BRA)
Nick Sachvie (CAN) v [2] Henry Leung (HKG)

Women’s First Round Results: Nash Cup
Zeina Zein (EGY) bt Laura Tovar (COL) 3-1: 8-11, 11-3, 11-6, 11-1 (33m)
Nadeen Kotb (EGY) bt [WC] Amal Izhar (CAN) 3-0: 11-4, 12-10, 11-3 (21m)
Torrie Malik (ENG) bt Lucie Stefanoni (USA) 3-2: 11-8, 9-11, 11-9, 3-11, 11-9 (40m)
Diana Garcia (MEX) bt Margot Prow (ENG) 3-0: 11-7, 11-7, 11-9 (29m)
Katerina Tycova (GER) bt Ali Loke (WAL) 3-1: 10-12, 11-5, 11-7, 12-10 (39m)
Anna Kimberley (ENG) bt [WC] Iman Shaheen (CAN) 3-0: 11-1, 11-8, 11-6 (23m)
Ambre Allinckx (SUI) bt Sofia Mateos (ESP) 3-1: 11-3, 11-2, 9-11, 11-4 (32m)
Alicia Mead (ENG) bt Nikki Todd (CAN) 3-1: 12-14, 11-3, 12-10, 11-8 (31m)

Women’s Second Round Draw: To Be Played Wednesday, September 14
[1] Ineta Mackevica (LAT) v Zeina Zein (EGY)
Nadeen Kotb (EGY) v [7] Marta Dominguez Fernandez (ESP)
[8] Alison Thomson (SCO) v Torrie Malik (ENG)
Diana Garcia (MEX) v [3] Lucy Beecroft (ENG)
[4] Georgia Adderley (SCO) v Katerina Tycova (GER)
Anna Kimberley (ENG) v [5] Marina Stefanoni (USA)
[6] Karina Tyma (POL) v Ambre Allinckx (SUI)
Alicia Mead (ENG) v [2] Haley Mendez (USA)