Swiss Open RD2: Vidal, Galova and Roberts Break Into Quarters

The trio of Spain’s Nilo Vidal, France’s Ella Galova and Welshwoman Lowri Roberts all scored surprise wins to move through to the quarter finals of the Swiss Open on Thursday.

Spaniard Vidal is the No.11 seed for the men’s 32-strong event, and he came up against No.8 seed Sean Conroy in the second round at Uster. The Irishman took the first game of their contest, but Vidal fought back to lead 2-1. Conroy sent the match into a decider, but it was the Spanish World No.193 that took the victory, winning the final game 11-8 to advance.

He will now face Austrian No.1 Aqeel Rehman in the last eight, after the No.3 seed also won in five games. He defeated New Zealand’s Joel Arscott, coming back from 2-1 down to take victory. The other two matches in the bottom half of the draw saw both Italy’s Yuri Farneti and England’s Ben Smith win in five. The Italian downed Czechian David Zeman while Smith overcame the challenge of Frenchman Toufik Mekhalfi.

There were a couple of surprises in the women’s event with both Ella Galova and Lowri Roberts downing top eight seeds to advance to the quarter finals of the Challenger 5 level competition in Uster.

Wales’ Roberts overcame Irish No.1 Breanne Flynn in a five-game battle, one where she led after three games. She had lost the first on a tie-break, but fought back to lead 2-1. Flynn then won the fourth, but Roberts recovered to take the fifth 11-8, and book her spot in the last eight.

Meanwhile, Galova came through an all-French battle with compatriot Taba Taghavi to make her way into the last eight. Galova took a two-game lead in their contest, but saw her fellow Frenchwoman fight back to level the match after four games. The World No.149 had to regroup, and she did well, coming back to win the fifth game 11-7 to take the win.

The quarter finals of the Swiss Open will take place on Friday, October 28 at the Squash Arena Uster. You can keep up to date with all the live scores from the event here.

Men’s Second Round Results: Swiss Open
[1] Yannick Wilhelmi (SUI) bt Conor Moran (IRL) 3-0: 11-7, 11-5, 11-4 (26m)
[6] Robin Gadola (SUI) bt [13] Nils Roesch (SUI) 3-0: 11-6, 11-4, 11-9 (29m)
[7] Sam Buckley (IRL) bt [12] Augusto Ortigosa (ESP) 3-0: 11-4, 11-4, 11-3 (30m)
[4] Marek Panacek (CZE) bt [WC] Louai Hafez (SUI) 3-0: 11-7, 12-10, 11-1 (29m)
[3] Aqeel Rehman (AUT) bt [15] Joel Arscott (NZL) 3-2: 8-11, 11-7, 5-11, 13-11, 11-4 (68m)
[11] Nilo Vidal (ESP) bt [8] Sean Conroy (IRL) 3-2: 6-11, 11-7, 11-7, 7-11, 11-8 (53m)
[5] Yuri Farneti (ITA) bt [9] David Zeman (CZE) 3-2: 11-8, 10-12, 4-11, 11-8, 11-6 (73m)
[2] Ben Smith (ENG) bt [10] Toufik Mekhalfi (FRA) 3-2: 11-9, 11-9, 8-11, 4-11, 13-11 (69m)

Men’s Quarter Final Draw: To Be Played Friday, October 28
[1] Yannick Wilhelmi (SUI) v [6] Robin Gadola (SUI)
[7] Sam Buckley (IRL) v [4] Marek Panacek (CZE)
[3] Aqeel Rehman (AUT) v [11] Nilo Vidal (ESP)
[5] Yuri Farneti (ITA) v [2] Ben Smith (ENG)

Women’s Second Round Results: Swiss Open
[1] Katie Malliff (ENG) bt [WC] Caroline Bachem (SUI) 3-0: 11-3, 11-7, 11-2 (18m)
[8] Polly Clark (ENG) bt Juliette Permentier (NED) 3-0: 14-12, 11-5, 11-6 (24m)
Ella Galova (FRA) bt [7] Taba Taghavi (FRA) 3-2: 11-9, 11-8, 4-11, 6-11, 11-7 (52m)
[3] Alison Thomson (SCO) bt Kara Lincou (FRA) 3-0: 11-4, 11-7, 11-7 (31m)
[4] Celine Walser (SUI) bt Alina Poessl (SUI) 3-0: 11-5, 11-3, 11-5 (17m)
Lowri Roberts (WAL) bt [6] Breanne Flynn (IRL) 3-2: 10-12, 11-3, 11-9, 8-11, 11-8 (42m)
[5] Emilia Korhonen (FIN) bt Teresa Siroka (CZE) 3-1: 1-11, 11-9, 11-6, 11-4 (32m)
[3] Marta Dominguez Fernandez (ESP) bt Tamara Holzbauerova (CZE) 3-0: 11-5, 11-6, 11-3 (20m)

Women’s Quarter Final Draw: To Be Played Friday, October 28
[1] Katie Malliff (ENG) v [8] Polly Clark (ENG)
Ella Galova (FRA) v [3] Alison Thomson (SCO)
[4] Celine Walser (SUI) v Lowri Roberts (WAL)
[5] Emilia Korhonen (FIN) v [3] Marta Dominguez Fernandez (ESP)