Defending Champ Asal Exits U.S. Open After Serme Suffers Opponent-Inflicted Injury

Defending U.S. Open champion Mostafa Asal has exited this year’s edition of the PSA World Tour Platinum tournament after an opponent-inflicted injury sustained by Lucas Serme at the Arlen Specter US Squash Center resulted in the Frenchman being awarded the match.

Asal – who last year became the youngest winner in the history of the U.S. Open – was cruising with a two-game lead and was 6-4 up when he turned on a loose ball at the back of the court and then hit Serme – who was ducking – in the head with the ball.

The match referee deemed it to be an opponent-inflicted injury which was caused accidentally by Asal. This meant that Lucas was permitted 15 minutes to recover. The physio then deemed Serme to be unable to continue, with the World No.43 requiring further medical examination, resulting in the match being awarded to Serme.

Serme received treatment at a hospital and has suffered a concussion and a perforated eardrum. Everyone at the PSA wishes Lucas well and he will be monitored closely ahead of his potential return to the court, with the World No.43 due to take on Marwan ElShorbagy tomorrow evening.

Two-time champion Ali Farag got his title challenge off to a winning start with a clinical display against Malaysia’s Eain Yow Ng. The World No.2 won 11-7, 11-7, 11-7 in 35 minutes to set up a third round fixture with Colombia’s Miguel Rodriguez.

“I did well in the first, in the second he came back more strongly, but I’m glad I got away with the second and finished it off in three,” said Farag, who suffered a shock defeat to Rodriguez in the Qatar Classic third round.

“They are different conditions [to his match against Rodriguez in Qatar] but it’s always exciting to play someone after you lose to them.

“There is some nervous energy going into it, but you try and live up to these challenges. We know each other’s game inside out, but hopefully I come out on top this time.”

Rodriguez ended US hopes in the men’s event as he took out World No.39 Todd Harrity in straight games. Elsewhere, World No.1 Paul Coll began his tournament with a 3-0 win over France’s Sebastien Bonmalais, while Peru’s Diego Elias and three-time champion Mohamed ElShorbagy also opened up with wins, beating Switzerland’s Dimitri Steinmann and Spain’s Iker Pajares Bernabeu, respectively.

In the women’s event, history will be made when three American women line up together in the third round of the U.S. Open for the first time following wins from Olivia Clyne and the Sobhy sisters, Amanda and Sabrina.

World No.22 Clyne has reached the last 16 of this event for the first time since 2018 after she upset in-form World No.15 Farida Mohamed in the last match of the day, winning 2-11, 11-8, 14-12, 11-6 to delight the home fans. Clyne will line up against No.8 seed Salma Hany for a place in the last eight.

“It feels incredible,” said Clyne.

“It’s not the win, although that feels amazing, and I’m so excited to be on the glass court on Tuesday and yes, being surrounded by my family and friends is incredible. But it was being the last match on with the whole back wall being packed and 99.9% of the people cheering for me and the atmosphere was electric. I felt that for the first time in a long time, I was so present in each rally and even when things went wrong I was really there.”

She will be joined in the last 16 by United States No.1 Amanda, who dispatched France’s Melissa Alves in straight games to ensure she will take on South Africa’s Alexandra Fuller for a place in the quarter-finals.

“It’s the first match in after a quick turnaround from San Francisco, so I’m just happy to win in three and have the the support of the home crowd and my coach here as well as friends and family,” said Amanda.

“I’m loving squash at the moment, I love playing, I’m healthy, I’m having fun out there, I like where my squash is at and I feel really confident in my team. I’m just trying to enjoy every challenge and every opportunity that this season gives me.”

Amanda’s younger sister also booked her place in the next round, beating Canada’s Hollie Naughton in a five-game thriller to reach the last 16 for the first time.

Reigning champion Nouran Gohar began her title challenge with a 3-0 win against Wales’ Emily Whitlock, while there were also wins for her fellow members of the world’s top three, Hania El Hammamy and Nour El Sherbini.

Round three of the U.S. Open begins tomorrow (October 10). All of the action will be shown live on SQUASHTV from 17:00 (GMT-4).

For more information on the U.S. Open, visit the PSA website or follow the PSA on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Results – Men’s Second Round: 2022 U.S. Open

[1] Ali Farag (EGY) bt Eain Yow Ng (MAS) 3-0: 11-7, 11-7, 11-7 (35m)

Miguel Rodriguez (COL) bt Todd Harrity (USA) 3-0: 14-12, 11-5, 11-4 (39m)

Saurav Ghosal (IND) bt Cesar Salazar (MEX) 3-1: 11-2, 11-1, 5-11, 14-12 (49m)

[6] Tarek Momen (EGY) bt Victor Crouin (FRA) 3-1: 4-11, 11-7, 11-9, 11-9 (61m)

Mazen Hesham (EGY) bt James Willstrop (ENG) 3-0: 11-5, 11-7, 12-10 (23m)

Youssef Soliman (EGY) bt Raphael Kandra (GER) 3-0: 11-8, 11-2, 11-6 (39m)

Marwan ElShorbagy (EGY) bt Patrick Rooney (ENG) 3-1: 4-11, 11-7, 11-9, 11-8 (48m)

Lucas Serme (FRA) bt [3] Mostafa Asal (EGY) 3-2: 7-11, 7-11, 4-6 retired (64m)

[4] Diego Elias (PER) bt Dimitri Steinmann (SUI) 3-1: 2-11, 11-8, 11-3, 11-4 (53m)

Baptiste Masotti (FRA) bt Greg Lobban (SCO) 3-2: 7-11, 11-13, 11-8, 11-9, 11-5 (71m)

Fares Dessouky (EGY) bt Leonel Cardenas (MEX) 3-0: 11-5, 11-5, 11-7 (34m)

[7] Joel Makin (WAL) bt Gregoire Marche (FRA) 3-1: 11-5, 4-11, 11-2, 11-4 (52m) 

[5] Mohamed ElShorbagy (ENG) bt Iker Pajares Bernabeu (ESP) 3-0: 11-6, 11-2, 11-4 (29m)

Moustafa El Sirty (EGY) bt George Parker (ENG) 3-1: 7-11, 11-5, 11-9, 11-8 (59m)

Ramit Tandon (IND) bt Henry Leung (HKG) 3-0: 11-6, 11-3, 11-7 (28m)

[2] Paul Coll (NZL) bt Sebastien Bonmalais (FRA) 3-0: 11-3, 11-2, 11-7 (31m)

Draw – Men’s Third Round (Top Half): To Be Played October 10th

[1] Ali Farag (EGY) v Miguel Rodriguez (COL)

Saurav Ghosal (IND) v [6] Tarek Momen (EGY)

[8] Mazen Hesham (EGY) v Youssef Soliman (EGY)

Marwan ElShorbagy (EGY) v Lucas Serme (FRA)

Draw – Men’s Third Round (Bottom Half): To Be Played October 11th

[4] Diego Elias (PER) v Baptiste Masotti (FRA)

Fares Dessouky (EGY) v [7] Joel Makin (WAL)

[5] Mohamed ElShorbagy (ENG) v Moustafa El Sirty (EGY)

Ramit Tandon (IND) v [2] Paul Coll (NZL)

Results – Women’s Second Round: 2022 U.S. Open

[1] Nouran Gohar (EGY) bt Emily Whitlock (WAL) 3-0: 11-3, 11-9, 11-1 (29m)

Yathreb Adel (EGY) bt Lisa Aitken (SCO) 3-2: 7-11, 11-9, 11-8, 8-11, 11-9 (63m)

Nele Gilis (BEL) bt Sana Ibrahim (EGY) 3-0: 11-8, 12-10, 11-1 (37m)

[7] Rowan Elaraby (EGY) bt Rachel Arnold (MAS) 3-1: 11-7, 11-5, 9-11, 11-7 (37m)

Sarah-Jane Perry (ENG) bt Chan Sin Yuk (HKG) 3-1: 11-13, 11-9, 11-7, 11-6 (37m)

Nour El Tayeb (EGY) bt Hana Ramadan (EGY) 3-1: 6-11, 11-9, 11-9, 11-4 (37m)

Alexandra Fuller (RSA) bt Lucy Turmel (ENG) 3-2: 8-11, 11-6, 11-7, 9-11, 12-10 (64m)

[4] Amanda Sobhy (USA) bt Melissa Alves (FRA) 3-0: 11-5, 11-6, 11-8 (37m)

[3] Hania El Hammamy (EGY) bt Olivia Fiechter (USA) 3-0: 12-10, 11-8, 11-5 (44m)

Sabrina Sobhy (USA) bt Hollie Naughton (CAN) 3-2: 11-3, 8-11, 9-11, 11-7, 11-8 (66m)

Tinne Gilis (BEL) bt Julianne Courtice (ENG) 3-1: 7-11, 11-9, 11-5, 11-4 (42m)

[5] Joelle King (NZL) bt Jana Shiha (EGY) 3-2: 11-5, 8-11, 8-11, 11-7, 11-5 (61m)

[8] Salma Hany (EGY) bt Mariam Metwally (EGY) 3-0: 15-13, 11-8, 13-11 (41m)

Olivia Clyne (USA) bt Farida Mohamed (EGY) 3-1: 2-11, 11-8, 14-12, 11-6 (36m)

Tesni Evans (WAL) bt Nadine Shahin (EGY) 3-2: 8-11, 11-7, 11-6, 11-13, 11-2 (55m)

[2] Nour El Sherbini (EGY) bt Zeina Mickawy (EGY) 3-0: 12-10, 11-3, 11-7 (27m)

Draw – Women’s Third Round (Top Half): To Be Played October 10th

[1] Nouran Gohar (EGY) v Yathreb Adel (EGY)

Nele Gilis (BEL) v [7] Rowan Elaraby (EGY)

Sarah-Jane Perry (ENG) v Nour El Tayeb (EGY)

Alexandra Fuller (RSA) v [4] Amanda Sobhy (USA)

Draw – Women’s Third Round (Bottom Half): To Be Played October 11th

[3] Hania El Hammamy (EGY) v Sabrina Sobhy (USA)

Tinne Gilis (BEL) v [5] Joelle King (NZL)

[8] Salma Hany (EGY) v Olivia Clyne (USA)

Tesni Evans (WAL) v [2] Nour El Sherbini (EGY)