PSA World Champs Day One: Local Man Lake Claims First Worlds Win

Chicago-based Nathan Lake has claimed his first ever win at the PSA World Championships presented by the Walter Family after he clawed back a 2-1 deficit against compatriot Curtis Malik at the University Club of Chicago this afternoon.

Since his debut in the qualifying draw of the 2013 World Championships, Lake hasn’t been able to make it beyond the opening round of the main draw despite some near misses. However, this time around the 30-year-old was able to oust his countryman courtesy of an 11-9, 11-13, 11-13, 11-4, 11-9 victory.

It was a nail-biting affair with Malik – who secured his place in Chicago after coming through the qualifying event in Birmingham last month – holding his nerve to win tie-breaks in the second and third games.

Lake, who has lived in Chicago since September 2021 and regularly plays at the University Club, was cheered on by his vocal home fans and duly equalised after a one-sided fourth game, before he fought back from 9-7 down in the fourth to complete the win.

”I remember winning my first match in the quallys and I remember thinking that I had a 100 per cent record.. then I didn’t win one for 10 years,” said Lake, who will take on World No.18 Gregoire Marche in the last 32.

“I thought Curtis played very well and didn’t let me settle. I was pleased that I hung in there mentally, I didn’t feel I played my best squash but I managed to hang in there at 9-7. I got 11 points in every game, so it was very close, I had to try and stay present all the way through.

“It’s only a five-minute walk [from home] and I’m here five or six times a week. I know all the members and it’s a great community, they definitely inspired me at the end to keep pushing.”

Frenchman Victor Crouin is also through to round two after he defeated Spain’s Bernat Jaume, while his compatriot Lucas Serme fell to Egypt’s Mazen Hesham. Karim El Hammamy and Aly Abou Eleinen have also secured their places in the next round.

Meanwhile, No.3 seed Hania El Hammamy has advanced to the second round of the women’s event after she cruised to a 3-0 win over 19-year-old Kenzy Ayman. 

Ayman was a wildcard at last season’s World Championships – upsetting England’s Jasmine Hutton en route to the second round before falling to eventual winner Nour El Sherbini – but El Hammamy was on form as she dropped just one point in the opening game.

An improved Ayman was able to put more points on the board in the second and third games but El Hammamy was resolute and hit her targets with ruthless efficiency to wrap up the win in straight games. She will play Farida Mohamed in the next round.

“It was definitely a tricky one,” said El Hammamy.

“She’s an up-and-coming youngster and has been doing really well in the junior tournaments. I had to keep an eye on her performance and study her as much as possible.”

No.6 seed Nour El Tayeb made her return from a leg injury as she overcame fellow Egyptian Sana Ibrahim by an 11-7, 2-11, 12-10, 11-9 scoreline. 

El Tayeb – the World Championship runner-up in 2019 – was making her first PSA appearance since February and she will go up against Hutton in the next round after she defeated South Africa’s Alexandra Fuller 3-1.

“I thought it was going to be more enjoyable than this,” said El Tayeb afterwards.

“Coming back after being away is very tough. I thought I knew how tough it would be but I didn’t really understand that until I was in the match. Sana played very well and made it tough all the way through.

“I knew I had to go back to basics, I lost my length and my focus in the second game. After winning the first game I relaxed too much. Now I’ve won this match and got it out of the way I think it will help.

“It’s the biggest tournament on the calendar and it’s the title everyone dreams about. Hopefully my leg will get me through and I hope I can play well here.”

USA No.4 Sabrina Sobhy has also booked her spot in the last 32 after beating Hong Kong’s Tsz-Wing Tong, winning 11-7, 11-3, 11-4 in 27 minutes, and she will go up against Hana Ramadan next.

Speaking after the win, Sobhy said: “It’s the biggest event of the year and the first round is always nerve-wracking.

“I feel very normal until the referee says ‘0-0’ and then all the nerves and emotion explode into me. Leading up to this event I haven’t been in a great spot mentally or feeling that confident, so that adds even more nerves to it.

“You get into your head and then you spiral. I’m trying to leave all of that behind and focus on staying neutral or optimistic.”

World No.12 Salma Hany needed an injury break during the opening game of her match against World No.72 Malak Khafagy, but it didn’t prevent her from securing a 3-0 win.

Belgium’s Tinne Gilis required just 25 minutes to dispatch Spain’s Cristina Gomez, and she will take on Japan’s Satomi Watanabe for a place in the third round.There were also wins for Georgia Adderley and Fayrouz Aboelkheir in the afternoon session.

The evening session of the PSA World Championships begins at 16:30 (GMT-5). Matches will be streamed live on the tournament website.

For updates on the tournament, follow the event on Twitter and Facebook or visit our live scoring page.

Results – Men’s First Round (Afternoon Session): 2022-23 PSA World Championships presented by the Walter Family

[9] Mazen Hesham (EGY) bt Lucas Serme (FRA) 3-0: 11-5, 11-4, 11-4 (28m)

Karim El Hammamy (EGY) bt Tsz Kwan Lau (HKG) 3-1: 13-11, 5-11, 11-7, 11-8 (79m)

Aly Abou Eleinen (EGY) bt Nick Wall (ENG) 3-0: 11-6, 11-6, 12-10 (34m)

[8] Victor Crouin (FRA) bt Bernat Jaume (ESP) 3-0: 11-6, 11-5, 11-4 (37m)

[15] Gregoire Marche (FRA) bt Mohamed ElSherbini (EGY) 3-0: 11-6, 11-6, 11-5 (38m)

Nathan Lake (ENG) bt Curtis Malik (ENG) 3-2: 11-9, 11-13, 11-13, 11-4, 11-9 (65m)

Results – Women’s First Round (Afternoon Session): 2022-23 PSA World Championships presented by the Walter Family

Fayrouz Aboelkheir (EGY) bt Marta Dominguez Fernandez (ESP) 3-0: 11-4, 11-3, 11-4 (16m)

Satomi Watanabe (JPN) bt Salma Eltayeb (EGY) 3-0: 11-6, 11-6, 11-4 (24m)

[12] Tinne Gilis (BEL) bt Cristina Gomez (ESP) 3-0: 11-2, 11-0, 11-7 (25m)

[16] Sabrina Sobhy (USA) bt Tsz-Wing Tong (HKG) 3-0: 11-7, 11-3, 11-4 (27m)

Hana Ramadan (EGY) bt Rachel Arnold (MAS) 3-1: 11-6, 11-5, 5-11, 11-7 (40m)

Jasmine Hutton (ENG) bt Alexandra Fuller (RSA) 3-1: 11-7, 11-7, 5-11, 11-5 (37m)

[6] Nour El Tayeb (EGY) bt Sana Ibrahim (EGY) 3-1: 11-7, 2-11, 12-10, 11-9 (49m)

Georgia Adderley (SCO) bt Chan Sin Yuk (HKG) 3-0: 11-3, 11-8, 14-12 (32m)

[14] Salma Hany (EGY) bt Malak Khafagy (EGY) 3-0: 13-11, 11-4, 11-7 (41m)

Farida Mohamed (EGY) bt Ainaa Amani (MAS) 3-1: 8-11, 12-10, 12-10, 11-9 (38m)

[3] Hania El Hammamy (EGY) bt Kenzy Ayman (EGY) 3-0: 11-1, 11-9, 11-7 (25m)