PSA Cognac QF: Mekhalfi Carries Home Hopes Into Semis

France’s Toufik Mekhalfi will be the only home hope in the semi-finals of the PSA Cognac this week, thanks to beating the No.2 seed in the last eight.

The World No.160 came into the Challenger 5 level competition as the No.8 seed, and in the quarter finals, he came up against Switzerland’s Yannick Wilhelmi, ranked 63 places above him.

After a close first game, it looked like the No.2 seed might just have enough to get through the tie, but Mekhalfi fought back. The Frenchman won the second game on a tie-break 12-10, before then taking the lead for the first time in the contest after winning the second 11-9. Both men then had their chances in the fourth game, but it was the Frenchman who came through to win it 13-11 to book his place in the semi-finals.

He will now take on Egypt’s Abdallah Elmasry, after the No.6 seed put an end to Robertino Pezzota’s run at the event. The Argentine wildcard had already caused a couple of upsets, but Elmasry was able to keep his nose in front in all three games, coming though a tight hour-long encounter 11-8, 11-8, 11-9 to make his way into the semis.

The other contest in the last four will see top seed Ivan Perez take on Germany’s Valentin Rapp. Spain’s Perez fell a game behind to Egypt’s Mohamed Nasser, but fought back to win in four, while Rapp won in straight games against No.7 seed Ondrej Vorlicek, dropping just eleven points in a 3-0 win.

In the women’s in Cognac, Switzerland’s Ambre Allinckx caused another shock, as she downed No.6 seed Taba Taghavi to move into the last four. The unseeded Swiss player won the Open Feminin du Jeu de Paume earlier this month, and she got the better of the Frenchwoman in four games to move into the semis in Cognac.

Allinckx will now take on Scotland’s No.5 seed Katriona Allen, while top seed Menna Hamed and Japan’s Akari Midorikawa, the No.3 seed for the tournament, will do battle in the other semi-final in the women’s draw.

The semis of the PSA Cognac will take place on Saturday, November 26, and you can watch all the action live on the club’s Facebook page. You can also keep up to date with live scores from the tournament here.

Men’s Quarter Final Results: PSA Cognac
[1] Ivan Perez (ESP) bt [5] Mohamed Nasser (EGY) 3-1: 9-11, 11-7, 11-6, 11-6 (62m)
[4] Valentin Rapp (GER) bt [7] Ondrej Vorlicek (CZE) 3-0: 11-1, 11-4, 11-6 (25m)
[6] Abdallah Elmasry (EGY) bt [WC] Robertino Pezzota (ARG) 3-0: 11-8, 11-8, 11-9 (62m)
[8] Toufik Mekhalfi (FRA) bt [2] Yannick Wilhelmi (SUI) 3-1: 9-11, 12-10, 11-9, 13-11 (49m)

Men’s Semi-Final Draw: To Be Played Saturday, November 26
[1] Ivan Perez (ESP) v [4] Valentin Rapp (GER)
[6] Abdallah Elmasry (EGY) v [8] Toufik Mekhalfi (FRA)

Women’s Quarter Final Results: PSA Cognac
[1] Menna Hamed (EGY) bt Ella Galova (FRA) 3-1: 11-9, 8-11, 11-9, 11-4 (37m)
[3] Akari Midorikawa (JPN) bt [7] Ninon Lemarchand (FRA) 3-1: 7-11, 11-5, 11-4, 11-8 (36m)
[5] Katriona Allen (SCO) bt Isabel McCullough (ENG) 3-1: 11-4, 11-7, 2-11, 11-7 (33m)
Ambre Allinckx (SUI) bt [6] Taba Taghavi (FRA) 3-1: 11-8, 11-7, 8-11, 11-3 (43m)

Women’s Semi-Final Draw: To Be Played Saturday, November 26
[1] Menna Hamed (EGY) v [3] Akari Midorikawa (JPN)
[5] Katriona Allen (SCO) v Ambre Allinckx (SUI)