Bermuda Open RD2: Shenawy and Taylor Take Out Top Two Seeds

The Bermuda Open continued on Wednesday evening at the Bermuda Squash Rackets Association, and there were two big surprises, as the top two seeds from the men’s event were knocked out of the tournament, after great performances from Egypt’s Seif Shenawy and Welshman Owain Taylor.

After winning his opening day clash, the Egyptian came up the tournament’s top seed, and World No.53, Faraz Khan in the second round in Bermuda and after two games nothing could separate the two of them. Both men then had their chances in a lengthy third game tie-break, but it was eventually Shenawy that won it 15-13, and that was crucial as he kept the momentum into the fourth to take the 3-1 victory, and book his place in the last eight of the tournament.

He will now face England’s Robert Downer for the second time in four weeks, after a tense battle at the University of Birmingham Open, the most recent qualifying event for the PSA World Championships. The Englishman overcame Australian No.1 Joseph White in four games to make his way into the quarter finals.

In the bottom half of the draw, Welshman Owain Taylor ousted the event’s No.2 seed, Christopher Gordon, in a five-game battle. Taylor, who was in Eindhooven last week with his country for the European Team Squash Championships, fell behind twice in his second round contest with the American, but fought back on both occasions, before going on to win the fifth, and advance to the last eight.

He will face No.7 seed Ronald Palomino in the quarters after the Colombian got the better of Canadian Cory McCartney on Wednesday evening.

There were no surprises in the women’s event, as all eight seeds safely made it through to the quarter finals of the fourth World Championships qualifying event. Only Poland’s Karina Tyma and Switzerland’s Nadia Pfister went past three games in their opening matches of the competition, with both winning in four, 3-1.

The quarter finals of the Bermuda Open take place on Thursday, May 5, with the last eight battling it out for places in the semi-finals at the Bermuda Squash Rackets Association.

Men’s Second Round Results: Bermuda Open
Seif Shenawy (EGY) bt [1] Faraz Khan (USA) 3-1: 11-6, 5-11, 15-13, 11-9 (68m)
[5] Robert Downer (ENG) bt Joseph White (AUS) 3-1: 11-7, 6-11, 11-6, 11-7 (54m)
[6] Juan Camilo Vargas (COL) bt Josue Enriquez (GUA) 3-0: 11-4, 11-7, 11-3 (30m)
[3] David Baillargeon (CAN) bt Matias Knudsen (COL) 3-1: 8-11, 11-5, 11-6, 11-6 (52m)
[4] Rory Stewart (SCO) bt Andrew Douglas (USA) 3-1: 11-4, 11-6, 5-11, 11-5 (50m)
[8] Tom Walsh (ENG) bt Ricardo Toscano (GUA) 3-0: 11-2, 11-8, 11-4 (33m)
[7] Ronald Palomino (COL) bt Cory McCartney (CAN) 3-0: 11-3, 11-2, 11-1 (22m)
Owain Taylor (WAL) bt [2] Christopher Gordon (USA) 3-2: 6-11, 11-8, 6-11, 11-6, 11-9 (61m)

Men’s Quarter Final Draw: To Be Played Thursday, May 5
Seif Shenawy (EGY) v [5] Robert Downer (ENG)
[6] Juan Camilo Vargas (COL) v [3] David Baillargeon (CAN)
[4] Rory Stewart (SCO) v [8] Tom Walsh (ENG)
[7] Ronald Palomino (COL) v Owain Taylor (WAL)

Women’s Second Round Results: Bermuda Open
[2] Nadia Pfister (SUI) bt Ingy Hammouda (EGY) 3-1: 13-11, 11-13, 11-8, 11-7 (40m)
[5] Kenzy Ayman (EGY) bt Eilidh Franklin (CAY) 3-0: 11-4, 11-4, 11-1 (14m)
[6] Alex Haydon (AUS) bt Arisha Khan (USA) 3-0: 11-2, 11-1, 11-1 (14m)
[3] Karina Tyma (POL) bt Lojayn Gohary (EGY) 3-1: 10-12, 11-4, 11-2, 11-6 (46m)
[4] Grace Gear (ENG) bt Katriona Allen (SCO) 3-0: 11-5, 12-10, 11-7 (25m)
[7] Kaitlyn Watts (NZL) bt Julia Le Coq (FRA) 3-0: 11-8, 11-5, 11-3 (28m)
[8] Diana Garcia (MEX) bt Emma Keane (BER) 3-0: 11-1, 11-5, 11-2 (18m)
[1] Georgia Adderley (SCO) bt Hailey Moss (BER) 3-0: 11-3, 11-2, 11-3 (18m)

Women’s Quarter Final Draw: To Be Played Thursday, May 5
[2] Nadia Pfister (SUI) v [5] Kenzy Ayman (EGY)
[6] Alex Haydon (AUS) v [3] Karina Tyma (POL)
[4] Grace Gear (ENG) v [7] Kaitlyn Watts (NZL)
[8] Diana Garcia (MEX) v [1] Georgia Adderley (SCO)