PSA de Normandie Preview: Baltayan Excited For Challenger Debut

The PSA de Normandie is the last tournament to get underway this week, and Frenchwoman Lauren Baltayan will be featuring on the Challenger Tour for the first time.

The Challenger 3 tournament is taking place at the Art Sport Cafe in Le Havre, France, and will feature both a men’s and women’s draw over the four-day competition.

The 15-year-old was on SQUASHTV screens for the first time last month, as the tournament wildcard at the Black Ball Squash Open. She lost out to American Sabrina Sobhy on the day, but she took a lot from the experience of taking on a top 20 ranked player.

“I was a bit stressed at first but very happy and honoured to play in front of my coaches and my teammates at Black Ball. Sabrina [Sobhy] is a great player that i look up to, the 15-year-old said.

“In my heart I knew I wouldn’t win, but it was the occasion to really let my squash free and actually enjoy myself in the glass court. Playing in a prestigious tournament at the age of 15 isn’t something that happens everyday, I am aware of that and it makes me very proud.”

Baltayan represents France, but is proud to live in Cairo, due to her connections to Egypt. Although she plays under the ‘Tricolore’, the 15-year-old says she is both Egyptian and French, and that she pays for both while she is on court.

“Honestly, when I’m in Egypt, I feel Egyptian. My father is Egyptian and my mother is French. We have lived there our whole life! I started playing squash in this country at the age of 6, trained hard and fought hard to find my place in the Egyptian national rankings. Competition is tough, training is tough and for that reason it brought me at this level,” the 15-year-old explained.

“10 years ago, we met Philippe Signoret [French National Coach] at a PSA tournament in Egypt and have kept close contact ever since. First with my big brother, then with me. I would like to thank him and the French Federation for all the help they gave me. And of course, it would be wrong for me not to mention my coach, Ahmed Effat for his effort and believing in me everyday! Representing France and somehow Egypt on the court is an honour!”

This will be Baltayan’s first appearance on the Challenger Tour, and she will be the No.2 seed for the competition. She feels that she is ready to go this week on home soil, 

“I feel well prepared for the upcoming tournament, comfortable with my squash and my form. Plus, since the tournament is in my home country, I am excited to reveal my progress!” Baltayan said.

“I am very excited to make my first appearance on the Challenger Tour. This is a great opportunity for me, playing for France and living in Egypt to show my skills and prove myself on the court. I have worked very hard for this moment and I am looking forward to giving it my all and playing my best squash.

“I will try my best to go as far as possible without putting any pressure on myself. After all it’s only my 2nd PSA event and I can’t wait for it!”

Denmark’s Caroline Lyng will bee the top seed for the women’s event, with Baltayan joined by three other Frenchwoman among the top eight. Ella Galova, Ana Munos and Lilou Brevard-Belliot will all be in action this week on home soil.

Welshwoman Lowri Roberts and the English duo of Amelie Haworth and Polly Clark make up the rest of the seeds. Scotland’s Catherine Holland, Colombian Maria Tovar and Czech Republic’s Sofie Hausknotzova will also be in action as the other non-French players in the women’s draw.

In the men’s event, reigning World Junior Champion Rowan Damming will be the top seed, with Frenchman Toufik Mekhalfi as his nearest competitor. Maceo Leevy, Laouenan Loaec and Manu Paquemar add to the French continent in the eight seeds for the men’s competition. 

The Czech Republic’s Ondrej Vorlicek, Finland’s Miko Aijanen and England’s Lewis Doughty will also be seeded in the draw. Will Salter and Aaron Allpress add to the English interest, with Canada’s Brett Schille joining a trio of Swiss players in the draw.

The event takes place from Thursday, April 13 to Sunday, April 16 at the Art Sport Cafe in Le Havre, France, where Lauren Baltayan is the leading Frenchwoman for the tournament. Follow the PSA Challenger Tour on Twitter and Facebook for daily updates from the event.

Men’s First Round Draw: PSA de Normandie
[1] Rowan Damming (NED) v Miguel Mathis (SUI)
[WC] Axel Diet (FRA) v [7] Laouenaan Loaec (FRA)
[8] Manu Paquemar (FRA) v Brett Schille (CAN)
Sven Stettler (SUI) v [3] Ondrej Vorlicek (CZE)
[4] Miko Aijanen (FIN) v David Bernet (SUI)
Aaron Allpress (ENG) v [5] Maceo Levy (FRA)
[6] Lewis Doughty (ENG) v Will Salter (ENG)
Baptiste Bouin (FRA) v [2] Toufik Mekhalfi (FRA)

Women’s First Round Draw: PSA de Normandie
[1] Caroline Lyng (DEN) – [Bye]
Rose Lucas Marcuzzo (FRA) v [8] Lilou Brevard-Belliot (FRA)
[6] Ana Munos (FRA) v Catherine Holland (SCO)
Ines Guyot (FRA) v [4] Lowri Roberts (WAL)
[3] Ella Galova (FRA) – [Bye]
Maria Tovar (COL) v [7] Amelie Haworth (ENG)
[5] Polly Clark (ENG) v Sofie Hausknotszova (CZE)
[2] Lauren Baltayan (FRA) – [Bye]