Ineta Hopton reaches maiden Silver Second Round on Day One of Squash in the Land

Latvia’s Ineta Hopton earned her first World Tour victory of the season at Squash in the Land Presented by Greater Cleveland Squash 2024 with a strong performance against England’s Asia Harris.

The 31-year-old had a decisive start to the match, taking the first game 11-6 by playing the more accurate, patient squash.

The pair traded points in a closer second game to 7-7, but the Englishwoman looked impressive as she sent Hopton the wrong way with a deceptive cross-court to win 11-8 and restore parity at 1-1 in the match.

Game three continued in a similar competitive vein, but from 6-5 Hopton picked up the pace in the rallies and pushed on to a 10-5 lead. Harris held on with a well-executed straight drive, but Hopton returned the 19-year-old’s serve with a pin-point accurate drop to take the third game.

The Latvian lept to a 6-2 lead in the fourth game with a combination strong play and mistakes from her opposition.

The last phase of the match was littered with errors from both players, but Hopton’s dominance was perfectly encapsulated on match ball with a forehand drive off Harris’ serve.

After the match, Hopton spoke on reaching a maiden Silver Event second round.

“Obviously I’m quite happy about it. I didn’t know Asia at all. I’ve heard about her, but I hadn’t seen her play.

“She’s tall as I am, so I expected there to be a lot of traffic on the court, which there was.

“I won the first game, felt confident, then it got a bit shaky when I lost the second. I found my game again and claimed the win in the end.”

On claiming her first World Tour win of the season, Hopton said, “It feels great to get past it.”

In the men’s event, wildcard Matias Knudsen overcame Egypt’s Seif El-Shenawy in his first World Tour match of his career.

The Colombian had a fast start, winning four consecutive points to start the match, but El-Shenawy fought back to 6-6. Both players kept further back and were patient for their opportunity to play the ball to the front court.

Knudsen earned two game balls at 10-8, but the Colombian hit the tin twice to allow his opposition back into the game.

From there, Knudsen refound the form he began the match with and won the 12-10 tie break with a precise backhand drop.

The 24-year-old looked in control in the second and third games, covering the court well and pulling El-Shenawy into all four corners as he continued to 11-5, 11-2 game wins to book his spot in the second round where he will face No.7 seed Shahjahan Khan.

Egypt’s Kenzy Ayman defeated home favourite Dixon Hill in four games.

The Egyptian took charge of the match, confortably taking the first two games 11-5 playing accurate, aggressive squash.

Hill, cheered on by a packed Cleveland Racquet Club, fought back in the third game. Ayman looked slower than the previous games, and coupled with the American’s late push, the third game created an exciting, close-fought spectacle.

The two players couldn’t be seperated to 8-8, but Hill took the intiative from there, and won her first game on the Tour with a perfectly-timed backhand straight drive.

The contest remained close in the fourth game, with a selection of fast-paced and longer rallies, and Ayman and Hill found themselves level at 10-10.

Ayman earned a match ball with an accurate backhand drop off Hill’s serve, and a mistake from the home favourite secured the Egyptian a place in the second round against No.4 seed Sivasangari Subramaniam.

Elsewhere, English pair Perry Malik and Finnlay Withington both record upset wins over Addeen Idrakie and Spencer Lovejoy respectively.

Play begins on all four courts at 17:00 (GMT-5) as the top seeds join the contest.

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Results – Cleveland Racquet Club Court 1

Ineta Hopton (LAT) bt Asia Harris (ENG) 3-1: 11-6, 8-11, 11-6, 11-7 (30m)
Ainaa Amani (MAS) bt Danielle Ray (CAN) 3-0: 11-8, 11-7, 11-5 (23m)
Kenzy Ayman (EGY) bt [WC] Dixon B Hill (USA) 3-1: 11-5, 11-5, 8-11, 12-10 (35m)
Grace Gear (ENG) bt Marta Dominguez (ESP) 3-1: 17-15, 11-6, 8-11, 11-9 (51m)

Results – Cleveland Racquet Club Court 2

Alicia Mead (ENG) bt Saskia Beinhard (GER) 3-2: 12-14, 11-5, 11-5, 6-11, 11-4 (30m)
Nadine Shahin (EGY) bt Akanksha Salunkhe (IND) 3-2: 5-11, 8-11, 11-5, 11-7, 11-9 (27m)
Haya Ali (EGY) bt Jessica Turnbull (AUS) 3-0: 11-9, 11-8, 11-8 (26m)
Menna Hamed (EGY) bt Torrie Malik (ENG) 3-1: 8-11, 11-9, 11-5, 11-5 (37m)

Cleveland Skating Club

Muhammad Asim Khan (PAK) bt Edwin Clain (FRA) 3-2: 7-11, 9-11, 11-6, 11-4, 11-4 (30m)
Aly Hussein (EGY) bt Jeremias Azaña (ARG) 3-0: 11-6, 11-8, 11-8 (47m)
Perry Malik (ENG) bt Addeen Idrakie (MAS) 3-2: 11-2, 8-11, 11-9, 7-11, 11-9 (61m)
Bernat Jaume (ESP) bt Emyr Evans (WAL) 3-0: 11-9, 11-9, 11-4 (45m)

Urban Squash

[WC] Matias Knudsen (COL) bt Seif El-Shenawy (EGY) 3-0: 12-10, 11-5, 11-2 (33m)
Yassin Elshafei (EGY) bt Toufik Mekhalfi (FRA) 3-2: 11-5, 11-9, 2-11, 10-12, 11-4 (53m)
Velavan Senthilkumar (IND) bt Yannik Omlor (GER) 3-0: 11-6, 11-5, 11-5 (30m)
Finnlay Withington (ENG) bt Spencer Lovejoy (USA) 3-2: 11-8, 5-11, 11-9, 10-12, 11-9 (58m)