Open des Bretzels RD2: Unseeded Duo Among French Quintet Through

Five of the eight quarter finalists at the Open des Bretzels will hail from home nation France, with the unseeded Ninon Lemarchand and Lauren Baltayan among them.

The seeds came into the draw for the Challenger 5 level competition on Thursday afternoon in Mulhouse. However, three of those were unable to what would become their only match of the tournament.

France’s Ninon Lemarchand overcame compatriot and tournament promoter Taba Taghavi on Thursday. The pair did battle for 50 minutes, with the contest going the distance. Despite being up against the home crowd, with Taghavi representing the club the event is being played in, Lemarchand was able to win the fifth 11-9 to advance.

She will now take on another Frenchwoman, in Lea Barbeau, in the last eight. The No.3 seed had to come from behind in her second round match after losing the opening game to Portugal’s Catarina Nunes. She fought back well though, to eventually win in four games to advance.

The other Frenchwoman to cause an upset on the second day of competition in Mulhouse was Lauren Baltayan. The French-born, Cairo-native defeated Egypt’s Nour Ramy, the No.7 seed, in straight games to set up a rematch with Asia Harris. The Englishwoman towed Spain’s Ona Blasco, and will be hoping for a repeat of her win over Baltayan in the European U19 Team Championships.

Top seed Elise Romba and No.8 seed Ella Galova will meet in the day’s other all-French clash on Friday. The pair came through respective second round matches against Portugals Sofia Aveiro Pita and Welshwoman Chloe Foster, with Romba having to battle through a fourth game tie-break to advance.

Egypt’s Ingy Hammouda was the third woman to cause a second day upset. She downed Switzerland’s Celine Walser, the tournament’s No.5 seed, in straight games. Hammouda will face another Swiss woman in the quarters, after No.2 seed Ambre Allinckx dropped just 11 points in her second round match with the Netherlands’ Juliette Permentier.

The quarter finals of the Open des Bretzels will take place on Friday, May 5, and you can keep up to date with daily updates from the tournament on the PSA Challenger Tour’s Twitter and Facebook. 

Action from Mulhouse will be streamed from the last eight onwards on the PSA Challenger Tour YouTube channel, where you can watch Challenger Tour action, and interviews with rising stars. Live scores are available on the PSA World Tour website here.

Second Round Results: Open des Bretzels
[2] Ambre Allinckx (SUI) bt Juliette Permentier (NED) 3-0: 11-3, 11-4, 11-4 (17m)
Ingy Hammouda (EGY) bt [5] Celine Walser (SUI) 3-0: 11-6, 11-5, 11-7 (20m)
Ninon Lemarchand (FRA) bt [6] Taba Taghavi (FRA) 3-2: 4-11, 15-13, 11-9, 7-11, 11-9 (50m)
[3] Lea Barbeau (FRA) bt Catarina Nunes (POR) 3-1: 9-11, 11-6, 11-4, 11-3
[3] Asia Harris (ENG) bt Ona Blasco (ESP) 3-1: 8-11, 11-9, 11-7, 11-7 (20m)
Lauren Baltayan (FRA) bt [7] Nour Ramy (EGY) 3-0: 11-6, 11-9, 11-8 (28m)
[8] Ella Galova (FRA) bt Sofia Aveiro Pita (POR) 3-0: 11-5, 11-4, 11-6 (17m)
[1] Elise Romba (FRA) bt Chloe Foster (WAL) 3-1: 11-9, 11-7, 7-11, 15-13 (32m)

Quarter Final Draw: To Be Played Friday, May 5
[2] Ambre Allinckx (SUI) v Ingy Hammouda (EGY)
Ninon Lemarchand (FRA) v [3] Lea Barbeau (FRA)
[3] Asia Harris (ENG) v Lauren Baltayan (FRA)
[8] Ella Galova (FRA) v [1] Elise Romba (FRA)