St James Classic RD1: Wildcard Moya Among First Round Winners

Wildcard Maria Moya caused an opening day upset to reach the second round of the St James Women’s 20K classic presented by Expression Networks.

Moya, the Ecuadorian No.1, was the wildcard for the Challenger 20 level competition in Springfield, VA, and she ate up against Australia’s Sarah Cardwell on the opening day of the event.

All three games were tight, but it was the Ecuadorian that came out on top in all three. She took the first 11-9, before then winning the second on a tie-break to keep the momentum in her favour. The third was slightly more comfortable, with Moya winning it 11-8 to book her second round spot.

She will be joined in the last 16 of the competition by Malaysia’s Chan Yiwen and Xin Ying Yee. Yiwen defeated the other wildcard, in American Maria Alejandra Porras, while Yee got the better of Spanish No.2 Marta Dominguez Fernandez in a five-game battle.

Egypt’s Nardine Garas and Salma Eltayeb were among those who also booked their places in the last 16, with India’s Akanksha Salunkhe, England’s Alicia Mead and home hope Marina Stefanoni moving through to the second round.

You can keep up to date with daily updates from the tournament on the PSA Challenger Tour’s Twitter and Facebook. Live scores are available on the PSA World Tour website here.

First Round Results: St James Women’s 20K Classic presented by Expression Networks
Marina Stefanoni (USA) bt Menna Hamed (EGY) 3-1: 11-9, 11-1, 8-11, 12-10
Xin Ying Yee (MAS) bt Marta Dominguez Fernandez (ESP) 3-2: 11-3, 8-11, 13-11, 8-11, 11-8
Alicia Mead (ENG) bt Nadia Pfister (SUI) 3-0: 11-6, 11-3, 11-8
Nardine Garas (EGY) bt Alex Haydon (AUS) 3-0: 9-2 rtd (3m)
Chan Yiwen (MAS) bt [WC] Maria Alejandra Poras (USA) 3-0: 11-5, 11-1, 11-4 (17m)
Salma Eltayeb (EGY) bt Tessa ter Sluis (NED) 3-0: 11-4, 11-5, 11-3 (17m)
[WC] Maria Moya (ECU) bt Sarah Cardwell (AUS) 3-0: 11-9, 12-10, 11-8 (28m)
Akanksha Salunkhe (IND) bt Diana Garcia (MEX) 3-0: 11-7, 14-12, 12-10 (30m)

Second Round Draw: To Be Played Wednesday, March 15
[1] Farida Mohamed (EGY) v Marina Stefanoni (USA)
Xin Ying Yee (MAS) v [6] Lucy Beecroft (ENG)
[7] Ineta Mackevica (LAT) v Alicia Mead (ENG)
Nardine Garas (EGY) v [3] Jana Shiha (EGY)
[4] Chan Sin Yuk (HKG) v Chan Yiwen (MAS)
Salma Eltayeb (EGY) v [5] Danielle Letourneau (CAN)
[8] Katie Malliff (ENG) v [WC] Maria Moya (ECU)
Akanksha Salunkhe (IND) v [2] Nada Abbas (EGY)