Kandra Upsets Salazar to Set Up Castagnet Clash in World Games

Germany’s World No.43 Raphael Kandra set up a surprise quarter-final clash with French World No.24 Mathieu Castagnet at the World Games Squash Championships in Wroclaw, Poland after he outplayed Mexico’s Cesar Salazar at the Hasta La Vista Club.

Paderborn-based Kandra married fellow squash player Sina Wall just over a week ago, with Castagnet soon tying the knot with compatriot Laura Pomportes, also a French national squash player.

In what is squash’s fifth appearance at the World Games – the quadrennial multi-sport event for non-Olympic programme sports – Kandra followed up an opening round win over Ahmed Hany Hussein by scalping Salazar – who is ranked 22 places above Kandra in the PSA Men’s World Rankings – in just 26 minutes to reach the last eight.

“I have never lost to him – therefore I knew what to expect,” said 26-year-old Kandra.

“I have the feeling he doesn’t really like playing me, so I always feel it’s down to me to beat him by playing my usual game.

“I was really looking forward to playing this tournament – last season ended earlier for me than for most players, so I started my summer training earlier and was ready for the event.”

Castagnet, meanwhile, received a walkover in round one and then recovered from a game down to beat Douglas Kempsell in the second round to move to within one win of a semi-final berth.

“I only played him a few months ago in the European Championships – so I know he’s a fighter,” Castagnet said.

“I had a bye in the first round, and I think that turned out to be a disadvantage as it took me some time to get used to the court. I think I woke up at about 8-4 down and got it back to 10-9 – then he hit a really good shot and won the first game.

“I played better from then on. I used to put pressure on myself but now I am much more relaxed.”

The top two men’s seeds cruised into the last eight – German favourite Simon Rösner beating Australian Rhys Dowling 11-8, 11-3, 11-7, while second-seeded Hong Kong player Max Lee ended the run of unseeded Czech opponent Jan Koukal, winning 11-6, 11-3, 11-2.

Rösner will now face former World No.4 Miguel Angel Rodriguez, who beat Malaysia’s Ivan Yueun, for a place in the last four.

Fellow South American Diego Elias also made it through to the quarter-finals – beating Malaysia’s Nafiizwan Adnan 11-7, 8-11, 11-3, 11-5 to become the first Peruvian to make the event’s last eight.

France’s Camille Serme led the top eight seeds through to the women’s quarter-finals. The top seed, ranked at World No.3, beat Poland’s Natalia Ryfa and Great Britain’s Alison Thomson.

Defending champion Nicol David also reached the quarters after beating close friend Samantha Teran, a Mexican former World No.11, in straight games.

“It’s always tough to play one of your friends – but she had a job to do and so did I,” said. David, who is bidding for a record fourth successive gold medal.

“I felt good on the court and she probably took a bit of time to get used to it as it was her first match on the showcourt.

“We’ve played each other so many times before – and she’s a great player. But hopefully we’ll go our separate ways in future events.”

David will face Nele Gilis – who is the first squash player from Belgium ever to compete in the World Games – after the 21-year-old beat Australia’s Tamika Saxby 3-0.

“I played her twice before and it was one-all – so now it’s 2-1 to me!” said the World No.33.

“It’s awesome playing in this event – it’s just like the Olympic Games. I’m honoured to be part of it.”

“I’ve trained with Nicol before in Amsterdam, but I’ve never played her before. And we’re playing on the glass court so I’m glad I’ve already had one match on that court. I’m really excited.”

Results – First Round: 2017 World Games Men’s Squash Championship
[1] Simon Rösner (GER) bt Wojciech Nowisz (POL) 11-3, 11-2, 11-1 (23m)
[9/16] Rhys Dowling (AUS) bt Daniel Mekbib (CZE) 11-7, 8-11, 9-11, 11-8, 12-10 (54m)
[9/16] Ivan Yuen (MAS) bt Matias Tuomi (FIN) 11-6, 13-11, 11-8 (31m)
[5/8] Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL) bt Vasile Hapun (ROM) 11-4, 11-5, 11-4 (20m)
[5/8] Mathieu Castagnet (FRA) bt Lau Ulrik Kiehn (DEN) w/o
[9/16] Douglas Kempsell (GBR) bt Joe Chapman (IVB) 11-6, 9-11, 11-3, 11-4 (42m)
[9/16] Raphael Kandra (GER) bt Ahmed Hany Hussein (EGY) 11-7, 11-9, 11-7 (27m)
[3/4] Cesar Salazar (MEX) bt Balázs Farkas (HUN) 11-7, 5-11, 9-11, 11-5, 11-4 (50m)
[3/4] Diego Elias (PER) bt Alex Eustace (AUS) 11-4, 11-4, 11-4 (23m)
[9/16] Nafiizwan Adnan (MAS) bt Alex Pavulans (LAT) w/o
[9/16] Ben Coleman (GBR) bt Yuri Farneti (ITA) 11-9, 11-5, 11-7 (48m)
[5/8] Yip Tsz Fung (HKG) bt Kostiantyn Rybalchenko (UKR) 11-2, 11-1, 11-5 (15m)
[5/8] Gregoire Marche (FRA) bt Mateusz Kotra (POL) 11-2, 11-2, 11-7 (21m)
Rory Stewart (GBR) bt [9/16] Shehab Essam (EGY) 11-8, 11-3, 11-4 (28m)
Jan Koukal (CZE) bt [9/16] Joshua Masters (GBR) 11-7, 11-9, 5-11, 13-11 (42m)
[2] Max Lee (HKG) bt Alexey Severinov (RUS) 11-4, 11-8, 11-6 (22m)

Results – Second Round: 2017 World Games Men’s Squash Championship
[1] Simon Rösner (GER) bt [9/16] Rhys Dowling (AUS) 11-8, 11-3, 11-7 (26m)
[5/8] Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL) bt [9/16] Ivan Yuen (MAS) 4-11, 11-2, 11-8, 11-5 (39m)
[5/8] Mathieu Castagnet (FRA) bt [9/16] Douglas Kempsell (GBR) 9-11, 11-5, 11-4, 11-2 (57m)
[9/16] Raphael Kandra (GER) bt [3/4] Cesar Salazar (MEX) 11-6, 11-3, 11-7 (26m)
[3/4] Diego Elias (PER) bt [9/16] Nafiizwan Adnan (MAS) 11-7, 8-11, 11-3, 11-5 (51m)
[5/8] Yip Tsz Fung (HKG) bt [9/16] Ben Coleman (GBR) 6-11, 11-4, 8-11, 12-10, 11-7 (66m)
[5/8] Gregoire Marche (FRA) bt Rory Stewart (GBR) 11-4, 8-11, 11-3, 11-1 (38m)
[2] Max Lee (HKG) bt Jan Koukal (CZE) 11-6, 11-3, 11-2 (31m)

Draw – Quarter-Finals
[1] Simon Rösner (GER) v [5/8] Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL)
[9/16] Raphael Kandra (GER) v [5/8] Mathieu Castagnet (FRA)
[3/4] Diego Elias (PER) v [5/8] Yip Tsz Fung (HKG)
[2] Max Lee (HKG) v [5/8] Gregoire Marche (FRA)

Results – First Round: 2017 World Games Women’s Squash Championship
[1] Camille Serme (FRA) bt Natalia Ryfa (POL) 11-3, 11-4, 11-3 (18m)
[9/16] Alison Thomson (GBR) bt Tessa ter Sluis (NED) 11-8, 11-7, 9-11, 11-6 (42m)
[9/16] Catalina Pelaez (COL) bt Ineta Mackevica (LAT) 11-9, 8-11, 6-11, 12-10, 11-8 (45m)
[5/8] Nadine Shahin (EGY) bt Franziska Hennes (GER) 11-3, 11-4, 11-4 (28m)
[5/8] Fiona Moverley (GBR) bt Nadiia Usenko (UKR) 11-2, 11-6, 11-7 (18m)
[9/16] Misaki Kobayashi (JPN) bt Zuzana Kubáňová (CZE) 11-9, 11-2, 11-2 (21m)
[9/16] Rachel Arnold (MAS) bt Anna Serme (CZE) 12-10, 11-13, 11-8, 11-6 (40m)
[3/4] Millie Tomlinson (GBR) bt Céline Walser (SUI) 11-2, 11-2, 11-6 (18m)
[3/4] Joey Chan (HKG) bt Alina Bushma (UKR) 11-6, 11-2, 11-4 (19m)
[9/16] Milou van der Heijden (NED) bye
Lisa Aitken (GBR) bt [9/16] Jessica Turnbull (AUS) 11-5, 14-12, 12-10 (26m)
[5/8] Coline Aumard (FRA) bt Csenge Kiss-Máté (HUN) 11-4, 11-2, 13-11 (25m)
[5/8] Nele Gilis (BEL) bt Magda Kamińska (POL) 11-4, 11-7, 11-5 (22m)
[9/16] Tamika Saxby (AUS) bt Sina Kandra (GER) 9-11, 11-6, 11-5, 11-4 (31m)
[9/16] Samantha Teran (MEX) bt Cristina Gomez (ESP) 12-14, 11-6, 11-3, 11-5 (41m)
[2] Nicol David (MAS) bt Irina Beliaeva (RUS) 11-4, 11-3, 11-3 (18m)

Results – Second Round: 2017 World Games Women’s Squash Championship
[1] Camille Serme (FRA) bt [9/16] Alison Thomson (GBR) 11-5, 13-11, 11-6 (33m)
[5/8] Nadine Shahin (EGY) bt [9/16] Catalina Pelaez (COL) 11-2, 6-11, 11-9, 11-6 (27m)
[5/8] Fiona Moverley (GBR) bt [9/16] Misaki Kobayashi (JPN) 11-6, 11-9, 11-7 (21m)
[3/4] Millie Tomlinson (GBR) bt [9/16] Rachel Arnold (MAS) 7-11, 11-9, 4-11, 11-8, 15-13 (50m)
[3/4] Joey Chan (HKG) bt [9/16] Milou van der Heijden (NED) 14-12, 11-7, 9-11, 11-9 (43m)
[5/8] Coline Aumard (FRA) bt Lisa Aitken (GBR) 11-5, 6-11, 11-9, 11-4 (46m)
[5/8] Nele Gilis (BEL) bt [9/16] Tamika Saxby (AUS) 11-6, 11-8, 11-6 (34m)
[2] Nicol David (MAS) bt [9/16] Samantha Teran (MEX) 11-3, 11-6, 11-8 (29m)

Draw – Quarter-Finals
[1] Camille Serme (FRA) v [5/8] Nadine Shahin (EGY)
[3/4] Millie Tomlinson (GBR) v [5/8] Fiona Moverley (GBR)
[3/4] Joey Chan (HKG) v [5/8] Coline Aumard (FRA)
[2] Nicol David (MAS) v [5/8] Nele Gilis (BEL)