Corren Canters Through to Bendigo Main Draw

#PSAWorldTour

41-year-old Mike Corren, the most successful active player on the PSA World Tour, ensured that he will enter the main draw of the City of Greater Bendigo International, PSA M5 event after easing to victory against Roee Avraham in the qualifying round.

The Melbourne-based World No.439 pulled away in the first game to open up an early lead before dropping just a handful of points in the second as he sought to cement his superiority in the opening stages of the match. The third game was a much closer affair and went right down to the wire but the experienced Corren just edged it on the tie-break to record an 11-8, 11-3, 13-11 victory over his opponent to secure his participation in the main draw action.

He will meet Alex Noakes in the first round as he looks to continue his progress to pick up his first PSA World Tour title since June 2014.

Khaled Zahran’s victory over Mohamed Abdelkalek means that the Egyptian also progresses to the next round with Lewis Doughty set to be his opponent there in a repeat of the pair’s recent match at the Greater Shepparton City Council International which Zahran won.

Elsewhere, Caillin Austin dispatched fellow Australian Jason Holmes to advance to the main draw of a PSA World Tour event for the first time in his career and the 27-year-old faces off against Rohan Toole for a place in the second round.

The top two qualifying seeds will also compete in the main draw after Jaejin Yoo received a bye while Mithran Selvaratnam defeated Daehoon Jeong in four games. Yoo will do battle with Connor Sheen in the next round and Selvaratnam goes up against Valentino Bon Jovi Bong.

Results – Qualifying Round: City of Greater Bendigo International 2015
[1] Jaejin Yoo (KOR) (bye)
Caillin Austin (AUS) bt [8] Jason Holmes (AUS) 3-1: 11-7, 10-12, 12-10, 11-5 (38 mins)
[5] Sam Gould (USA) bt Peter Nuttall (AUS) 3-0: 11-2, 11-4, 11-7 (20 mins)
[4] Ruan Olivier (RSA) bt Han Seung Cheol (KOR) 3-1: 6-11, 11-7, 11-5, 11-7 (40 mins)
Mike Corren (AUS) bt [3] Roee Avraham (ISR) 3-0: 11-8, 11-3, 13-11 (15 mins)
[7] Shahzad Khan (PAK) bt Muhammad Waheed (PAK) 3-2: 5-11, 11-8, 6-11, 11-5, 11-5 (54 mins)
Khaled Zahran (EGY) bt [6] Mohamed Abdelkalek (EGY) 3-0: 11-3, 11-2, 11-8 (26 mins)
[2] Mithran Selvaratnam (MAS) bt Daehoon Jeong (KOR) 3-1: 12-10, 11-6, 9-11, 11-2 (39 mins)

Main Draw – First Round
[1] Tayyab Aslam (PAK) v David Clegg (AUS)
Ben Coates (ENG) v Rhys Dowling (AUS)
Enzo Corigliano (FRA) v [Q] Shahzad Khan (PAK)
Ko Youngjo (KOR) v [6] Jonathan Maloney (ENG)
[7] Valentino Bon Jovi Bong (MAS) v [Q] Mithran Selvaratnam (MAS)
Tyler Hawkins (AUS) v [Q] Sam Gould (USA)
Connor Sheen (ENG) v [Q] Jaejin Yoo (KOR)
Omar Bahgat (EGY) v [3] Joshua Larkin (AUS)
[4] Douglas Kempsell (SCO) v Ondrej Uherka (CZE)
Joel Luca (AUS) v Joshua Masters (ENG)
Lewis Doughty (ENG) v [Q] Khaled Zahran (EGY)
Jong Myoung Park (KOR) v [8] Kush Kumar (IND)
[5] Addeen Idrakie (MAS) v [Q] Ruan Olivier (RSA)
Alex Noakes (ENG) v [Q] Mike Corren (AUS)
Rohan Toole (AUS) v [Q] Caillin Austin (AUS)
Martin Svec (CZE) v [2] Joel Makin (WAL)