Aslam Downs English Challenge

After beating tournament favourite Steve Finitsis in the quarter-finals of the Open International d’Angers 2015, PSA Challenger 10 tournament, Englishman Robbie Downer’s hopes of competing in the biggest final of his career came to a halt against Pakistan’s Tayyab Aslam.

Despite being ranked almost 70 places below his opponent, Downer came within inches of reaching the finale as, buoyed from his success against Finitsis, he twice came from behind to force a deciding game but couldn’t make the most of the momentum as Aslam squeezed through at the bitter end.

His reward will be a match-up with second seeded Piedro Schweertman in the title-decider after the Dutchman comfortably saw off the challenge of Carlos Cornes Ribadas in straight games.

Having failed to add to his tally of five PSA World Tour titles at all during 2015, Schweertman will be hoping Aslam is suffering the effects of his titanic semi-final tussle when they face-off tomorrow.
Results – Semi-finals:
[3] Tayyab Aslam (PAK) bt [7] Robert Downer (ENG) 3-2: 11-8, 11-13, 11-1, 8-11, 11-9
[2] Piedro Schweertman (NED) bt [4] Carlos Cornes Ribadas (ESP) 3-0: 11-8, 11-3, 11-9

Draw: Final
[3] Tayyab Aslam (PAK) v [2] Piedro Schweertman (NED)