Johannesburg Open SF: Wildcard Wood Reaches Maiden Tour Final

As the wildcard for the women’s event, Cheyna Wood has made it into the final of the Assore/Balwin Johannesburg Open, reaching the final in her debut appearance on the Tour.

Wood, who had never featured in a Tour event before, downed the No.7 seed in the opening round of the competition, and she has not looked back since, going on to win two more matches en route to her first final. In the last four, she came up against Malaysia’s Yasshmita Jadishkumar, and although she lost the second game, she was in control for the majority of the contest, winning 3-1 to book her spot in the final.

There, she will meet the tournament’s No.2 seed Teagan Leigh Roux, after the South African got the better of compatriot Mariska Wiese, also in four games. She dropped the first 11-8, but won the next three games, dropping just six points across them all.

The men’s final will see top seed and defending champion Dewald van Niekerk take on No.3 seed Sepehr Etemadpoor. The Iranian overcame the No.2 seed for the competition, Jean-Pierre Brits, in the semis, winning in straight games, while van Niekerk needed four games to down compatriot Christo Potgieter to make the final for a second straight year.

The finals of the Assore/Balwin Johannesburg Open will take place on Sunday, June 5, with the winners taking home the titles from the Challenger 3 level tournament at the Parkview Squash Centre.

Men’s Semi-Final Results: Assore/Balwin Johannesburg Open
[1] Dewald van Niekerk (RSA) bt [7] Christo Potgieter (RSA) 3-1: 11-6, 9-11, 11-3, 11-7 (45m)
[3] Sepehr Etemadpoor (IRI) bt [2] Jean-Pierre Brits (RSA) 3-0: 11-9, 11-9, 11-6 (27m)

Men’s Final Draw: To Be Played Sunday, June 5
[1] Dewald van Niekerk (RSA) v [3] Sepehr Etemadpoor (IRI)

Women’s Semi-Final Results: Assore/Balwin Johannesburg Open
[2] Teagan Leigh Roux (RSA) bt Mariska Wiese (RSA) 3-1: 8-11, 11-2, 11-1, 11-3 (14m)
[WC] Cheyna Wood (RSA) bt [5] Yasshmita Jadishkumar (MAS) 3-1: 11-5, 7-11, 11-4, 11-7 (21m)

Women’s Final Draw: To Be Played Sunday, June 5
[2] Teagan Leigh Roux (RSA) v [WC] Cheyna Wood (RSA)