Czech Pro Series VI: Romiglio and Taylor Victorious In Ostrava

In the last event of the year on Czech soil, Argentina’s Leandro Romiglio and Englishwoman Lily Taylor were victorious at the Czech Pro Series VI at Sportovni Centrum Fajne in Ostrava.

The Challenger 10 and 5 level events were regionally restricted due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, allowing those based in Europe to participate this week in the Czech Republic.

Romiglio came into the tournament unseeded, and he was on fire throughout the event, starting off with a comfortable win over wildcard Adam Sinkule, before taking down the tournament’s No.3 seed Robert Downer in a lengthy 80 minute battle, in which he had to come from behind to win.

No.5 seed Jakub Solnicky was then defeated in the quarter finals, with the Argentinian winning in four games inside an hour, before he then got the better of the No.2 seed, Martin Svec in straight games.

His opponent in the finale was another unseeded player, in Welshman Peter Creed, who had taken out the top seed en route to the final. It was Romiglio who took the spoils though, claiming his second title of the year with a 3-0 victory over Creed.

“I am extremely happy with the way I played during the week. I want to say congrats to Peter who had a great tournament also, we both had long matches but he had it tougher yesterday so I knew maybe he would feel it a little bit. I’m really pleased with how I managed to keep focus and stick to my game plan, and I couldn’t ask for a better end to the year!” Romiglio admitted.

The women’s event was claimed by No.2 seed Lily Taylor, who came through the entirety of the tournament without dropping a single game, and the Englishwoman was only on court for 86 minutes across her four matches.

She started off with a victory over Teresa Siroka, before then beating No.6 seed, Frenchwoman Ella Galova, in the quarter finals of the 16-strong draw.

Taylor then overcame the challenge of Finland’s Emilia Korhonen, the No.7 seed, again in straight games, before coming up against the surprise package of the tournament, wildcard Natalie Babjukova, in the final

Babjukova, the Czech wildcard, was featuring on the Tour for the first time, and she had taken out two of the top five seeds en route to the final. However, it was the Englishwoman that secured the victory, winning in 23 minutes to claim her fourth PSA Tour title.

“Thrilled to win my fourth PSA title today! I didn’t know what to expect with Natalie as she hasn’t played much on the PSA Tour. She had beaten some good players going into the final so I had to be on my game. There was a lot of pressure on me today so I’m super happy to come through with the win,” Taylor said after her win.

Results: Czech Pro Series VI
Men’s Final
Leandro Romiglio (ARG) bt Peter Creed (WAL) 3-0: 11-7, 11-6, 11-6 (51m)

Women’s Final
[2] Lily Taylor (ENG) bt [WC] Natalie Babjukova (CZE) 3-0: 11-7, 11-3, 11-6 (23m)

Men’s Semi-Finals
Peter Creed (WAL) bt [4] Juan Camilo Vargas (COL) 3-2: 11-9, 2-11, 11-4, 10-12, 11-6 (82m)
Leandro Romiglio (ARG) bt [2] Martin Svec (CZE) 3-0: 11-5, 11-6, 11-9 (44m)

Women’s Semi-Finals
[WC] Natalie Babjukova (CZE) bt Au Yeong Wai Yhann (SGP) 3-0: 11-7, 17-15, 13-11 (31m)
[2] Lily Taylor (ENG) bt [7] Emilia Korhonen (FIN) 3-0: 11-9, 11-6, 11-5 (27m)

Men’s Quarter Finals
Peter Creed (WAL) bt [1] Daniel Mekbib (CZE) 3-1: 11-5, 5-11, 13-11, 11-4 (48m)
[4] Juan Camilo Vargas (COL) bt [8] Viktor Byrtus (CZE) 3-0: 11-4, 11-9, 11-4 (28m)
Leandro Romiglio (ARG) bt [5] Jakub Solnicky (CZE) 3-1: 11-3, 11-2, 5-11, 11-6 (52m)
[2] Martin Svec (CZE) bt [6] Balasz Farkas (HUN) 3-0: 12-10, 11-8, 11-5 (38m)

Women’s Quarter Finals
Au Yeong Wai Yhann (SGP) bt [1] Anna Serme (CZE) 3-1: 11-8, 11-4, 5-11, 11-9 (37m)
[WC] Natalie Babjukova (CZE) bt [3] Eva Fertekova (CZE) 3-1: 13-11, 11-6, 8-11, 14-12 (37m)
[7] Emilia Korhonen (FIN) bt [4] Jacqueline Peychar (AUT) 3-0: 11-7, 11-7, 11-5 (27m)
[2] Lily Taylor (ENG) bt [6] Ella Galova (FRA) 3-0: 11-4, 11-4, 11-3 (19m)

Men’s Round Two
[1] Daniel Mekbib (CZE) bt Sean Conroy (IRL) 3-0: 11-4, 11-8, 11-9 (40m)
Peter Creed (WAL) bt [7] Aqeel Rehman (AUT) 3-0: 11-4, 11-2, 11-5 9(33m)
[8] Viktor Byrtus (CZE) bt Yuri Furneti (ITA) 3-2: 12-10, 6-11, 11-9, 7-11, 11-8 (57m)
[4] Juan Camilo Vargas (COL) bt Marek Panacek (CZE) 3-0: 11-9, 11-6, 11-2 (41m)
Leandro Romiglio (ARG) bt [3] Robert Downer (ENG) 3-2: 11-5, 15-17, 10-12, 11-6, 11-8 (80m)
[5] Jakub Solnicky (CZE) bt David Zeman (CZE) 3-1: 11-4, 11-6, 4-11, 11-3 (44m)
[6] Balazs Farkas (HUN) bt Miles Jenkins (ENG) 3-0: 11-6, 11-4, 11-9 (36m)
[2] Martin Svec (CZE) bt Ondrej Vorlicek (CZE) 3-: 11-7, 11-7, 1-11, 11-3 (38m)

Women’s Round One
[1] Anna Serme (CZE) bt Klara Kohlerova (SVK) 3-0; 11-8, 11-2, 11-6 (18m)
Au Yeong Wai Yhann (SGP) bt [8] Tayla Mounter (ENG) 3-0: 11-3, 11-2, 11-6 (13m)
[WC] Natalie Babjukova (CZE) bt [5] Katriona Allen (SCO) 3-1: 11-9, 10-12, 11-9, 11-9 (37m)
[3] Eva Fertekova (CZE) bt Riana Alexova (CZE) 3-0: 11-4, 11-9, 12-10 (18m)
[4] Jacqueline Peychar (AUT) bt Tamara Holzbaeurova (CZE) 3-0: 11-5, 11-5, 11-8 (27m)
[7] Emilia Korhonen (FIN) bt Sofie Hausknotzova (CZE) 3-0: 11-0, 11-2, 11-5 (17m)
[6] Ella Galova (FRA) bt [WC] Karolina Sramkova (CZE) 3-1: 11-4, 11-6, 7-11, 11-6 (29m)
[2] Lily Taylor (ENG) bt Tereza Siroka (CZE) 3-0: 11-4, 11-6, 11-0 (17m)

Men’s Round One
Sean Conroy (IRL) bt [WC] Kristian Mracek (CZE) 3-0: 11-3, 11-6, 11-6 (22m)
Peter Creed (WAL) bt [WC] Lubos Walter Jr. (CZE) 3-0: 11-4, 11-1, 11-2 (16m)
Yuri Furneti (ITA) bt Heiko Schwarzer (GER) 3-0: 11-5, 11-5, 11-4 (24m)
Marek Panacek (CZE) bt Bogdan Vasile (ROM) 3-0: 11-3, 11-2, 11-6 (25m)
Leandro Romiglio (ARG) bt [WC] Adam Sinkule (CZE) 3-0: 11-5, 11-4, 11-1 (17m)
David Zeman (CZE) bt Alex Kalar (CZE) 3-0: 11-4, 11-5, 11-4 (20m)
Miles Jenkins (CZE) bt Alasdair Prott (SCO) 3-1: 11-5, 7-11, 11-4, 14-12 (37m)
Ondrej Vorlicek (CZE) bt Filip Jarota (POL) 3-1: 10-12, 11-8, 11-8, 11-5 (60m)