St Louis Open RD2: Gobbi, Hussein and Iqbal Into Last Eight

The second day’s play at the St Louis Open presented by Mosby Building Arts was a surprising one, with three of the eight seeds being knocked out of the competition.

Aly Hussein came through the all-Egyptian clash on the second day of the tournament, as he defeated No.6 seed Seif Shenawy in a four-game battle. Hussein took the first, but then lost out in a tie-break in the second as his fellow Egyptian levelled the contest. From there, though, the World No.118 showed control, and was able to win the third and fourth games and seal victory in the match.

Pakistan’s Nasir Iqbal also won against a seeded player in four games, overcoming the challenge of Brazil’s Guilherme Melo to make the last eight. He lost the first game of their second round contest 11-5 but fought back strongly to reach the quarter finals, thanks to winning the next three games.

Brazil’s Diego Gobbi was the other unseeded player to break into the quarter finals, after he defeated Pakistan’s No.7 seed Noor Zaman in a five-game battle. He fell behind after three games, but was able to regroup to win the fourth 11-8, before carrying that momentum into the deciding fifth game, one he won 11-4 to make his way into the last eight. 

Elsewhere, the top two seeds, Rory Stewart and Charlie Lee, both came through their respective second round matches in straight games, while home favourite Christopher Gordon did the same, overcoming the challenge of Nigeria’s Babatunde Ajagbe.

The quarter finals of the St Louis Open presented by Mosby Building Arts will take place on Thursday, September 22, with the last eight going head-to-head to try and reach the semi-finals of the Challenger 10 level competition.

Second Round Results: St Louis Open presented by Mosby Building Arts
[1] Rory Stewart (SCO) bt Karim Elbarbary (EGY) 3-0: 11-5, 11-7, 11-7
Diego Gobbi (BRA) bt [7] Noor Zaman (PAK) 3-2: 11-8, 10-12, 9-11, 11-8, 11-4
Aly Hussein (EGY) bt [6] Seif Shenawy (EGY) 3-1: 11-9, 10-12, 11-7, 11-4
[3] Christopher Gordon (USA) bt Babatunde Ajagbe (NGR) 3-0: 11-5, 11-7, 11-6
[4] Curtis Malik (ENG) bt Edgar Ramirez Bautista (COL) 3-1: 11-7, 11-7, 9-11, 11-8
Nasir Iqbal (PAK) bt [8] Guilherme Melo (BRA) 3-1: 5-11, 11-8, 11-2, 11-8
[5] Daniel Mekbib (CZE) bt Chris Fuller (ENG) 3-0: 11-6, 11-2, 11-6
[2] Charlie Lee (ENG) bt Muhammad Ashab Irfan (PAK) 3-0: 11-4, 11-6, 11-4

Quarter Final Draw: To Be Played Thursday, September 22
[1] Rory Stewart (SCO) v Diego Gobbi (BRA)
Aly Hussein (EGY) v [3] Christopher Gordon (USA)
[4] Curtis Malik (ENG) v Nasir Iqbal (PAK)
[5] Daniel Mekbib (CZE) v [2] Charlie Lee (ENG)