Challenger Tour Weekly Preview: One US Event This Week

There is just the one tournament on the Challenger Tour this week, with action coming from the E.M. Noll Classic in Philadelphia, United States.

There were victories on Tour last week for Laura Tovar, Lucy Turmel and Yannick Wilhelmi, as the first three tournaments of the Challenger Tour’s 2022 schedule took place.

Tovar claimed her maiden Tour title with a victory in Mexico City at the Squash Inn Classic – Sponsored By Faltami, beating younger sister Maria in the final. The other female winner in January was England’s Lucy Turmel, who claimed the Challenger 10 level Equinox Women’s Boston Open crown.

Switzerland’s Yannick Wilhelmi moved back inside the world’s top 100 thanks to his victory at the PSA Challenger Le Reve, in what was his second on Tour.

Here’s what takes place on the Tour this week…

The E.M. Noll Classic
The Tour’s lone event this week will be the E.M. Noll Classic, with the Challenger 5 & 10 level tournaments being held at the Racquet Club of Philadelphia from Thursday, February 3.

After winning in Boston on Sunday, England’s Lucy Turmel will once again be the top seed in Philadelphia this week, and she will be hoping to take a second victory in as many weeks this weekend.

Her nearest competition will be compatriot Jasmine Hutton, with fellow Englishwomen Juilanne Courtice and Lily Taylor also in the top eight seeds, along with Egypt’s Hana Moataz and the Egyptian trio of Tze Lok Ho, Liu Tsz-Ling and Tsz-Wing Tong.

Faraz Khan will lead the men’s draw with the World No.52 as one of four Americans inside the top eight seeds on home soil, along with Spencer Lovejoy, Chris Hanson and Timothy Brownell.

Hong Kong’s Henry Leung will be Khan’s nearest challenger, with compatriots Tsz Kwan Lau and Max Lee, and England’s Sam Todd making up the rest of the top eight seeds.

This Week’s Schedule
E.M. Noll Classic: Thursday, February 3 – Sunday, February 6