Richmond Open: Tournament Preview

The biggest tournament of the week will be the Richmond Open, which will begin on Tuesday, May 9 in Virginia, United States.

This will be the first time the tournament has moved up to Challenger 30 level status, and it has pulled in several members of the world’s top 25. Egypt’s Hana Moataz took the victory here in 2022, with the likes of Rowan Elaraby and Joshna Chinappa having also won this title.

This year, Belgium’s Tinne Gilis will be the top seed for the competition. She will be aiming to win her second title of the season following her victory at the Bronze level Squash on Fire Open in Washington, D.C. back in February.

Meanwhile, it has been almost ten years since Egypt’s Salma Hany was a winner on Tour. Her last title came at the 8th Leg of the 2013 Malaysian Squash Tour. She has appeared in six finals since, and she will be hoping it will be seventh time lucky if she makes the final this week as the No.2 seed.

Fellow Egyptians Nada Abbas, Hana Ramadan and Sana Ibrahim will all be among the top eight seeds. Frenchwoman Melissa Alves and the Malaysian pair of Sivasangari Subramaniam and Rachel Arnold will also be in that bracket.

In total, 13 nations will be represented this week in Richmond, with the Spanish duo of Cristina Gomez and Marta Dominguez Fernandez facing off on the opening day of competition. England’s Lucy Beecroft, Katie Malliff and Millie Tomlinson will all feature, while the lone American will be teenage wildcard Avery Park, who will be playing on Tour for the first time.

The event takes place from Tuesday, May 9 to Saturday, May 13 at the Country Club of Virginia in Richmond, where Tinne Gilis is the top seed for the tournament. Follow the PSA Challenger Tour on Twitter and Facebook for daily updates from the event.

First Round Draw: Richmond Open
[1] Tinne Gilis (BEL) – [Bye]
Jessica Turnbull (AUS) v [9/16] Saskia Beinhard (GER)
[9/16] Chan Sin Yuk (HKG) v Rana Ismail (EGY)
[8] Sana Ibrahim (EGY) – [Bye]
[7] Hana Ramadan (EGY) – [Bye]
Akanksha Salunkhe (IND) v [9/16] Millie Tomlinson (ENG)
[9/16] Ineta Mackevica (LAT) v [WC] Malak Kamal (EGY)
[3] Melissa Alves (FRA) – [Bye]
[4] Sivasangari Subramaniam (MAS) – [Bye]
[WC] Avery Park (USA) v [9/16] Katie Malliff (ENG)
[9/16] Lucy Beecroft (ENG) v Sarah Cardwell (AUS)
[5] Rachel Arnold (MAS) – [Bye]
[6] Nada Abbas (EGY) – [Bye]
Marta Dominguez Fernandez (ESP) v [9/16] Cristina Gomez (ESP)
[9/16] Jana Shiha (EGY) v Kaitlyn Watts (NZL)
[2] Salma Hany (EGY) – [Bye]