Challenger Tour Weekly Preview: Action From Egypt, Malaysia & the USA

After a short break for the Easter weekend, the Challenger Tour returns with four events this week, with squash being played in Egypt, Malaysia and the United States.

The two events in the States, will take place just 240 miles apart from each other, with a women’s event being held in Houston, while a men’s tournament is played in Dallas. The events in Egypt and Malaysia will feature both men’s and women’s draws.

SOAP Engineering Squash Open
The women’s event in Houston is the SOAP Engineering Squash Open, a Challenger 10 level tournament, and will feature eight different nationalities in the 16-woman field.

The top seed for the event will be World No.42 Haley Mendez, with three other members of the top 100 of the World Rankings also in the draw. Malaysia’s Wen Li Lai, Pakistan’s Amna Fayyaz and Polish No.1 Karina Tyma will also be vying for the title.

The Challenger 10 level tournament will be the first to begin this week, starting on Wednesday at the Downtown Club in Houston, with the winner being crowned on Saturday afternoon.

Life Time Plano International Squash Open – Presented By Resolve Tech Solutions
The second tournament to take place in the ‘Lone Star State’ will be the Life Time Plano International Squash Open – Presented By Resolve Tech Solutions, held in Dallas.

The 24-strong draw will feature nine different nationalities, from five continents, with England’s World No.44 Nathan Lake as the top seed for the tournament.

Mexican World No.57 Leonel Cardenas and the American duo of World No.88 Faraz Khan and World No.97 Spencer Lovejoy, who is inside the top 100 of the World Rankings for the first time in his career, are the rest of the top four seeds for the event, which begins on Thursday afternoon.

SRAM PSA 1
The third Challenger 10 level tournament of the week takes place in Bukit Jalil, Malaysia, with both a men’s and women’s title up for grabs at the SRAM PSA 1.

Only Malaysian-based players were allowed to enter the event due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, with men’s World No.46 Ivan Yuen, and women’s World No.25 Low Wee Wern as the top seeds for their respective draws.

Five member of the women’s top 100 will be in action, with Rachel Arnold, Aifa Azman, Ooi Kah Yan and Chan Yiwen also featuring. The tournament begins on Friday, and will go through to Monday evening.

Egyptian Challenger Tour #2
The last event on our radar this week on the Challenger Tour comes from Cairo, Egypt, where a Challenger 5 level tournament, the Egyptian Challenger Tour #2, will take place.

The event follows on from last month’s #1, which saw 15-year-old Fayrouz Aboelkheir win the women’s title, while top seed Moustafa El Sirty took home the men’s crown.

Both will be in action again this week, and will be attempting to continue their good form. El Sirty will face stiff competition from Yahya Elnawasany, while the Aboelkheir could have to beat several seeded players, including members of the top 100, in Jana Shiha, Sana Ibrahim, Hana Moataz and more, to win another title.

This Week’s Schedule
SOAP Engineering Squash Open: Wednesday 7 – Saturday 10
Life Time Plano International Squash Open – Presented By Resolve Tech Solutions: Thursday 8 – Sunday 11
Egyptian Challenger Tour #2: Thursday 8 – Monday 12
SRAM PSA 1: Friday 9 – Monday 12