Randburg Open: South Africa’s Wood and van Niekerk Victorious

The PaybyFace Randburg Open came to its conclusion on Sunday afternoon, with home favourites Dewald van Niekerk and Cheyna Wood taking victories.

Van Niekerk came into the men’s tournament as the No.3 seed, and started his campaign in the second round against Abdelrahman Abdelkhalek, where he won in straight games. He then got the better of another Egyptian, in Yusuf Elsherif, to make it through to the semi-finals. 

In the last four, the South African got the better of top seed Edwin Clain, downing the Frenchman in straight games. That set up a meeting in the final with another Frenchman, in No.2 seed Toufik Mekhalfi. The pair were level through two games, but van Niekerk came through to win in four to secure the title on home soil.

He was joined in the winners’ circle by another South African, in Cheyna Wood. She came into the event as the No.7 seed, and after her first round bye, the South African got the better of compatriot Mariska Wiese in straight games. That was followed with a win over Alexa Pienaar, also in three.

Wood moved into the last four, where she came up against Egypt’s Nour Khafagy. In her biggest battle of the week, the South African had to come from behind to win in five, claiming the win in a tie-break 12-10. That set up a meeting with top seed Elise Romba in the final, and Wood won in straight games to claim the PaybyFace Randburg Open crown.

Results: PaybyFace Randburg Open
Men’s Final
[3] Dewald van Niekerk (RSA) bt [2] Toufik Mekhalfi (FRA) 3-1: 11-7, 5-11, 11-4, 11-8 (61m)

Women’s Final
[7] Cheyna Wood (RSA) bt [1] Elise Romba (FRA) 3-0: 11-8, 11-7, 15-13 (29m)

Men’s Semi-Finals
[3] Dewald van Niekerk (RSA) bt [1] Edwin Clain (FRA) 3-0: 11-8, 11-9, 11-3 (38m)
[2] Toufik Mekhalfi (FRA) bt [4] Jean-Pierre Brits (RSA) 3-2: 11-5, 11-9, 7-11, 6-11, 11-4 (63m)

Women’s Semi-Finals
[1] Elise Romba (FRA) bt [3] Anastasiia Kostiukova (UKR) 3-1: 11-8, 8-11, 11-7, 11-4 (38m)
[7] Cheyna Wood (RSA) bt Nour Khafagy (EGY) 3-2: 9-11, 11-9, 9-11, 11-8, 12-10 (61m)

Men’s Quarter Finals
[1] Edwin Clain (FRA) bt Shamil Wakeel (SRI) 3-0: 11-7, 11-6, 11-5 (36m)
[3] Dewald van Niekerk (RSA) bt Yusuf Elsherif (EGY) 3-1: 8-11, 11-8, 11-3, 11-8 (81m)
[4] Jean-Pierre Brits (RSA) bt [7] Laszlo Godde (FRA) 3-1: 11-8, 7-11, 11-6, 11-7 (49m)
[2] Toufik Mekhalfi (FRA) bt Tristen Worth (RSA) 3-0: 11-5, 11-9, 11-6 (37m)

Women’s Quarter Finals
[1] Elisa Romba (FRA) bt Shahd Elrefaey (EGY) 3-2: 9-11, 11-5, 11-7, 13-15, 11-8 (50m)
[3] Anastasiia Kostiukova (UKR) bt [5] Lilou Brevard-Belliot (FRA) 3-0: 13-11, 11-6, 11-8 (29m)
[7] Cheyna Wood (RSA) bt Alexa Pienaar (RSA) 3-0: 11-8, 11-6, 11-3 (21m)
Nour Khafagy (EGY) bt [8] Helena Coetzee (RSA) 3-0: 11-5, 11-5, 13-11 (28m)

Men’s Second Round
[1] Edwin Clain (FRA) bt Nathanael Ndebele (RSA) 3-0: 11-9, 11-5, 12-10 (33m)
Shamil Wakeel (SRI) bt [8] Paul Gonzalez (FRA) 3-0: 11-7, 11-4, 11-9 (44m)
Yusuf Elsherif (EGY) bt [5] Adegoke Onaopemipo (NGR): Walkover
[3] Dewald van Niekerk (RSA) bt Abdelrahman Abdelkhalek (EGY) 3-0: 11-4, 12-10, 11-1 (45m)
[4] Jean-Pierre Brits (RSA) bt Ruan Olivier (RSA) 3-2: 11-4, 4-11, 11-6, 10-12, 12-10 (73m)
[7] Laszlo Godde (FRA) bt Damian Groenewald (RSA) 3-1: 8-11, 11-5, 11-9, 11-9 (56m)
Tristen Worth (RSA) bt [6] Seif Nasser (EGY) 3-0; 11-6, 12-10, 11-4 (29m)
[2] Toufik Mekhalfi (FRA) bt Gerard Mitchell (RSA) 3-0: 11-3, 11-4, 11-4 (29m)

Women’s Second Round
[1] Elise Romba (FRA) bt Kimberley McDonald (RSA) 3-0: 11-4, 11-4, 11-7 (24m)
Shahd Elrefaey (EGY) bt Teagan Leigh Roux (RSA) 3-2: 11-9, 7-11, 7-11, 11-7, 11-7 (46m)
[5] Lilou Brevard-Belliot (FRA) bt Angie Clifton-Parks (RSA) 3-1: 11-7, 7-11, 11-8, 11-7 (25m)
[3] Anastasiia Kostiukova (UKR) bt Shelomi Truter (RSA) 3-2: 11-8, 4-11, 11-4, 5-11, 11-2 (37m)
Alexa Pienaar (RSA) bt [4] Kara Lincou (FRA) 3-0: 11-6, 11-9, 11-5 (28m)
[7] Cheyna Wood (RSA) bt Mariska Wiese (RSA) 3-0: 11-5, 11-4, 11-4 (31m)
[8] Helena Coetzee (RSA) bt Awande Malinga (RSA) 3-1: 11-8, 11-8, 10-12, 11-5 (36m)
Nour Khafagy (EGY) bt [2] Nour Megahed (EGY) 3-2: 11-8, 9-11, 9-11, 12-10, 11-8 (54m)

Men’s First Round
Nathanael Ndebele (RSA) bt Hayden Worth (RSA) 3-0: 11-7, 11-8, 11-9 (30m)
Shamil Wakeel (SRI) bt Tertius de Bruin (RSA) 3-0: 11-3, 11-3, 11-4 (24m)
Yusuf Elsherif (EGY) bt Jonty Matthys (RSA) 3-1: 11-7, 12-10, 10-12, 11-4 (56m)
Abdelrahman Abdelkhalek (EGY) bt Diodivine Mkhize (RSA) 3-0: 11-5, 11-6, 11-4 (31m)
Ruan Olivier (RSA) bt Gary Wheadon (RSA) 3-1: 11-3, 12-10, 6-11, 11-6 (38m)
Damian Groenewald (RSA) bt Youssef Matta (EGY) 3-0: 13-11, 11-4, 11-5 (31m)
Tristen Worth (RSA) bt Muhammad Essa (PAK) 3-0: 11-2, 11-5, 11-3 (18m)
Gerard Mitchell (RSA) bt Moeen Ud Din (PAK) 3-0: 11-4, 11-2, 11-4 (28m)

Women’s First Round

Kimberley McDonald (RSA) bt Megan Shannon (RSA) 3-0: 11-7, 11-8, 11-6 (23m)

Shahd Elrefaey (EGY) bt Chante Leppan (RSA) 3-0: 11-5, 11-6, 11-5 (19m)

Angie Clifton-Parks (RSA) bt Jess McDonald (RSA) 3-0: 11-5, 11-5, 11-8 (27m)

Shelomi Truter (RSA) bt Bongi Seroto (RSA) 3-0: 11-4, 11-8, 11-9 (28m)

Alexa Pienaar (RSA) bt Nadia Dippenaar (RSA) 3-0: 11-4, 11-7, 11-3 (20m)

Mariska Wiese (RSA) bt Kaylee Hunt (RSA) 3-2: 9-11, 11-7, 11-8, 3-11, 11-6 (37m)

Awande Malinga (RSA) bt Favour Utukpe (NGR): Walkover

Nour Khafagy (EGY) bt Jordan Campbell (RSA) 3-0: 11-2, 11-6, 11-7 (23m)