Canadian Open QF: Lau and Letourneau Survive Five-Gamers

Although the quarter finals of the Oxford Properties Canadian Open – Presented by AirSprint Private Aviation did not throw up any surprise results, two of the top seeds, in Tsz Kwan Lau and Danielle Letourneau, both had to come from two games down to win in five.

Canadian No.2 Letourneau came into the quarter finals of the Challenger 30 women’s competition as the favourite against unseeded compatriot Nikki Todd, but she soon found herself two games down, after Todd won the first couple by 11-7 and 11-6, respectively.

The World No.21 fought back, though, to take the third game 11-5, before then securing the fourth on a tie-break, to send the match into a deciding game. It was Letourneau who came through to win the contest, as she took the fifth game 11-3, to se up a semi-final contest with top seed Olivia Fiechter, the only non-Canadian left in the women’s draw.

The other semi-final will be an all-Canadian battle between No.2 seed Hollie Naughton and No.4 seed Nicole Bunyan, with the pair both coming through their respective last eight clashes in straight games.

The only men’s match to go the distance on Wednesday evening at the Bow Valley Athletic Club was the all-Hong Kong contest between Max Lee and Tsz Kwan Lau, and like Letourneau, it was the higher-seeded Lau who had to fight from behind to win in a deciding game.

Lee, a former top 20 player, took the first two games, the first coming on a tie-break 13-11, to hold a commanding lead in the match. However, Lau took the third with ease, before having to save match balls in the fourth, winning it 14-12 to send it into a fifth game. It was the No.2 seed who came through in the end, after 48 minutes of play, to win in five and set up a contest with England’s Nick Wall in the last four.

The other men’s semi-final will also feature a Hongkonger, in top seed Henry Leung, and he will take on Canadian No.1 David Baillargeon for a place in the final of the Challenger 10 level men’s tournament.

The semi-finals of the Oxford Properties Canadian Open – Presented by AirSprint Private Aviation will take place on Thursday, April 14, with the last four moving through to Friday’s finals in Calgary.

Men’s Quarter Final Results: Oxford Properties Canadian Open – Presented by AirSprint Private Aviation
[1] Henry Leung (HKG) bt [6] Chi Him Wong (HKG) 3-0: 11-8, 11-5, 11-6 (35m)
[3] David Baillargeon (CAN) bt Tom Walsh (ENG) 3-0: 12-10, 11-5, 11-6 (44m)
[4] Nick Wall (ENG) bt [8] Daniel Mekbib (CZE) 3-0: 11-4, 11-5, 11-3 (28m)
[2] Tsz Kwan Lau (HKG) bt [5] Max Lee (HKG) 3-2: 11-13, 7-11, 11-4, 14-12, 11-5 (48m)

Men’s Semi-Final Draw: To Be Played Thursday, April 14
[1] Henry Leung (HKG) v [3] David Baillargeon (CAN)
[4] Nick Wall (ENG) v [2] Tsz Kwan Lau (HKG)

Women’s Quarter Final Results: Oxford Properties Canadian Open – Presented by AirSprint Private Aviation
[1] Olivia Fiechter (USA) bt [7] Karina Tyma (POL) 3-0: 11-1, 11-5, 11-9 (20m)
[3] Danielle Letourneau (CAN) bt Nikki Todd (CAN) 3-2: 7-11, 6-11, 11-5, 12-10, 11-3 (37m)
[4] Nicole Bunyan (CAN) bt Saskia Beinhard (GER) 3-0: 11-7, 12-10, 11-4 (29m)
[2] Hollie Naughton (CAN) bt [8] Marina Stefanoni (USA) 3-0: 11-4, 11-9, 11-9 (27m)

Women’s Semi-Final Draw: To Be Played Thursday, April 14
[1] Olivia Fiechter (USA) v [3] Danielle Letourneau (CAN)
[4] Nicole Bunyan (CAN) v [2] Hollie Naughton (CAN)