Paris Squash 2023 – Day One: Afternoon Round-up

Katie Malliff scored the biggest upset in the afternoon session on the opening day of the Paris Squash 2023, with the World No.41 defeating home favourite and French No.1 Melissa Alves 3-1.

The Englishwoman had three game balls in the opener, but Alves saved all three to force a tiebreak. However Malliff was able to clinch it in the tiebreak 13-11 in 15 minutes of entertaining squash.

The second game also had to be settled in a tiebreak after Alves had game ball saved by Malliff, with the 20-year-old going on to doubling her lead.

However Alves managed to get a much-needed foothold back in the contest when she successfully converted game ball at the first time of asking to halve the deficit in the third.

Another close battle in the fourth game was interrupted with a lengthy injury break after Malliff accidentally caught Alves in the face with her swing.

After the Frenchwoman recovered, Malliff had four match balls despite trailing at the time of the injury break and, although Alves saved one, the English youngster progressed to the next round following an 11-7 victory.

“It was a tough match. I knew it was going to be a hard one as Melissa [Alves] is very physical and you usually have long rallies. I tried to stick in there and be patient and wait for my opportunities to attack,” Malliff said.

“I usually go in with a lot of belief that you can beat anyone you’re on court with. I just try to focus on my game and keep it as simple as possible.

“I was hoping she would be okay to carry on [after the contributed injury break]. It was in the front right corner just on my follow through and caught her head. She had an injury break and I just hoped that she would recover. It’s important to keep moving on court otherwise you’ll get a bit cold and a bit stiff.”

Egypt’s Nadine Shahin also upset the applecart after notching a 3-2 victory against France’s Marie Stephan.

“It was very tough, and I knew in front of her home crowd and in front of her family that she was going to kill herself on court,” Shahin said afterwards.

“She’s been playing well and in the European Individuals she was playing really well. They were playing a lot of matches before and it’s the start of the season for me and mentally I’m happy I got through that.

“It was very important [the crowd in Stephan’s favour] as they were cheering for her and you think that it’s going to be tough. They were keeping her going and I just had to forget everything and I had to have silence in my head to focus on the game.

“I had to keep calm – I knew it might not be for me today, but I had to keep going and hope for the best.”

Auguste Dussourd delighted his home crowd after he came out on top in a five-game tussle with Henry Leung, and Leonel Cardenas eased his way into the second round after dispatching French youngster Antonin Romieu in straight games.

Elsewhere at the Stade Francais, Yahya Elnawasany edged a five-game battle with Cesar Salazar, with French No.1 Victor Crouin his reward in the second round.

Elnawasany clinched the first game in a tiebreak before Salazar won the second and third games to nudge in front. However Elnawasany claimed the fourth and fifth 11-9 and 11-8 to advance to round two.

“I’m very happy to be through in five,” said Elnawasany.

“I’ve played Cesar [Salazar] the past two seasons and I lost both of them and they went to five, so I’m really happy to get the win with this one. I feel really proud of myself because not everything was going my way today and I still managed to get the win.

“He played really well today, and he’s a tough player and you could see that on court. I’m glad to be through and I’m looking forward to tomorrow.”

In the all-French clash, it was Sebastien Bonmalais who defeated his compatriot Lucas Serme 3-2, Hollie Naughton saw off Tsz-Wing Tong and Lucy Beecroft stunned Japanese No.1 Satomi Watanabe with a 3-0 win.

Nada Abbas battled back from 2-1 down to win the all-Egyptian clash 3-2 against Zeina Mickawy at the Squash Montmartre.

Fellow Egyptian Karim El Hammamy also came from behind to book a second round spot, overcoming Abdulla Mohd Al Tamimi 3-1, while Emily Whitlock and Aly Abou Eleinen downed Georgia Adderley and Toufik Mekhalfi in straight games, respectively.

At the Sportive du Jeu de Paume, there were straight games victories for Ka Yi lee, Greg Lobban and Hana Ramadan, while Iker Pajares Bernabeu overturned a 1-0 deficit to beat Ramit Tandon 3-1.

Results: Paris Squash 2023 – Round One

Sportive du Jeu de Paume

Ka Yi Lee (HKG) bt Mariam Metwally (EGY) 3-0: 11-6, 11-9, 11-2 (20m)
Greg Lobban (SCO) bt Todd Harrity (USA) 3-0: 11-8, 11-4, 11-5 (42m)
Hana Ramadan (EGY) bt Nicole Bunyan (CAN) 3-0: 11-4, 11-8, 11-9 (30m)
Iker Pajares Bernabeu (ESP) bt Ramit Tandon (IND) 3-1: 8-11, 11-6, 13-11, 11-5 (63m)

Squash Montmartre

Nada Abbas (EGY) bt Zeina Mickawy (EGY) 3-2: 2-11, 11-5, 8-11, 11-8, 11-8 (52m)
Karim El Hammamy (EGY) bt Abdulla Mohd Al Tamimi (QAT) 3-1: 9-11, 11-6, 11-7, 11-9 (56m)
Emily Whitlock (WAL) bt Georgia Adderley (SCO) 3-0: 11-3, 12-10, 11-8 (37m)
Aly Abou Eleinen (EGY) bt Toufik Mekhalfi (FRA) 3-0: 12-10, 11-4, 11-2 (31m)

Stade Francais

Hollie Naughton (CAN) bt Tsz-Wing Tong (HKG) 3-1: 11-8, 11-7, 7-11, 12-10 (40m)
Yahya Elnawasany (EGY) bt Cesar Salazar (MEX) 3-2: 13-11, 7-11, 5-11, 11-9, 11-8 (70m)
Lucy Beecroft (ENG) bt Satomi Watanabe (JPN) 3-0: 11-6, 13-11, 11-6 (31m)
Sebastien Bonmalais (FRA) bt Lucas Serme (FRA) 3-2 : 9-11, 11-9, 13-11, 7-11, 11-7 (78m)

Parvis du Palais de Tokyo

Nadine Shahin (EGY) bt Marie Stephan (FRA) 3-2: 9-11, 11-6, 12-10, 6-11, 11-7 (45m)
Leonel Cardenas (MEX) bt Antonin Romieu (FRA) 3-0: 11-4, 11-4, 12-10 (33m)
Katie Malliff (ENG) bt Melissa Alves (FRA) 3-1: 13-11, 12-10, 9-11, 11-7 (64m)
Auguste Dussourd (FRA) bt Henry Leung (HKG) 3-2: 8-11, 11-8, 11-5, 8-11, 11-7 (67m)