RC Pro Series: Tournament Preview

The sole event on the Challenger Tour this week will be the RC Pro Series, which takes place for the first time since 2020.

The Challenger 10 level competition will feature both a men’s and women’s draw, with the event hosting a men’s draw for the first time since 2015. The tournament will be played at the Racquet Club of St Louis from Wednesday, April 26 to Sunday, April 29.

The event has a long list of winners, including the likes of US No.1 Amanda Sobhy, Canadian No.1 Hollie Naughton and Malaysia’s Sivasangari Subramaniam. Former top 40 players Alan Clyne and Nasir Iqbal are among the men to have also won this competition.

This year’s event will start on Wednesday, and will feature two 16-strong draws in St Louis. Mexico’s Cesar Salazar will be the top seed in the men’s event. Colombia’s Juan Camilo Vargas and Argentinian No.1 Leandro Romiglio make up a Latin American top three for the tournament, and both well be looking for improvements after losing in the second round of the Atlanta Open last week.

After a win at the weekend at the Rochester ProAm, his second successive victory, Egypt’s Yassin Elshafei will certainly be one to watch. He is joined by compatriot Seif Shenawy and the Malaysian trio of Ivan Yuen, Addeen Idrakie and Mohammad Syafiq Kamal among the top eight seeds.

The Egyptian duo of Nour Aboulmakarim and Kenzy Ayman will lead the way in the women’s draw, joined by Salma Eltayeb to make it three Egyptians in the top four seeds.

England’s Millie Tomlinson will join them in the top four, with Mexico’s Diana Garcia, Singapore’s Au Yeong Wai Yhann and the Australian pair of Sarah Cardwell and Jessica Turnbull making up the rest of the eight seeds for the competition.

The event takes place from Wednesday, April 26 to Sunday, April 29 at the Racquet Club of St Louis. Follow the PSA Challenger Tour on Twitter and Facebook for daily updates from the event.

Men’s First Round Draw: RC Pro Series
[1] Cesar Salazar (MEX) v Jeremias Azana (ARG)
[WC] Alex Ingham (ENG) v [5] Addeen Idrakie (MAS)
[7] Seif Shenawy (EGY) v Andres Herrera (COL)
Noor Zaman (PAK) v [4] Ivan Yuen (MAS)
[3] Leandro Romiglio (ARG) v Mohamed Nasser (EGY)
Josue Enriquez (GUA) v [6] Yassin Elshafei (EGY)
[8] Mohammed Syafiq Kamal (MAS) v Mark Broekman (ENG)
Muhammad Ashab Irfan (PAK) v [2] Juan Camilo Vargas (COL)

Women’s First Round Draw: RC Pro Series
[1] Nour Aboulmakarim (EGY) – [Bye]
Ainaa Amani (MAS) v [5] Jessica Turnbull (AUS)
[8] Au Yeong Wai Yhann (SGP) v Alina Bushma (UKR)
Haya Ali (EGY) v [3] Millie Tomlinson (ENG)
[4] Salma Eltayeb (EGY) v Taba Taghavi (FRA)
Saran Nghiem (ENG) v [6] Sarah Cardwell (AUS)
[7] Diana Garcia (MEX) v [WC] Bruna Marchesi Petrillo (BRA)
[2] Kenzy Ayman (EGY) – [Bye]