LT San Antonio Open: Tournament Preview

The Challenger Tour graces American soil this week, with the Texas Auto Save Life Time San Antonio 281 International Squash Open – Presented By Core Path taking place at Life Time Fitness San Antonio.

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Challenger 10 level tournament is limited to cross-border participation allowed. Only those currently living in Canada, Mexico or the United States have been permitted to enter the event.

Despite those restrictions, there will still be ten nationalities represented in San Antonio this week, due to the multi-national demographic of the United States.

England’s Nathan Lake, the World No.44, will be the top seed, while Mexico’s Leonel Cardenas, who won the Life Time Plano International Open last month, will be the No.2 seed. He man he beat in that final, Faraz Khan, will be among the top four seeds once again, along with Alfredo Avila.

Nigeria’s Babatunde Ajagbe, Malaysia’s Asyraf Azan, Pakistan’s Abdul Malik Khan, Botswana’s Alister Walker, Frenchman Lucas Rousselet, Colombian Matias Knudsen and Ireland’s Stu Hadden will all be the sole representatives of their nations this week.

The 24-strong draw sees eight seeded players, who will all get byes through to the second round, while a wildcard trio of Harrison Gill, Arhan Chandra and Vandrick Inman-Benavente will be aiming to cause shocks on the opening day.

The event takes place from Thursday 29 April to Sunday 2 May at the Life Time Fitness in San Antonio, where Nathan Lake is the top seed for the tournament. Follow the PSA Challenger Tour on Twitter and Facebook for daily updates from the event.

First Round Draw: Texas Auto Save Life Time San Antonio 281 International Squash Open – Presented By Core Path Laboratories
[1] Nathan Lake (ENG) – [Bye]
[9/16] Matias Knudsen (COL) v Haidar Jafry (USA)
[9/16] James Wyatt (ENG) v Armando Olguin (MEX)
[7] Babatunde Ajagbe (NGR) – [Bye]
[8] Asyraf Azan (MAS) – [Bye]
Sebastian De La Vega (USA) v [9/16] Abdul Malik Khan (PAK)
[9/16] Stu Hadden (IRL) v [WC] Harrison Gill (USA)
[3] Alfredo Avila (MEX) – [Bye]
[4] Faraz Khan (USA) – [Bye]
WHO? v [9/16] Lucas Rousselet (FRA)
[9/16] Alister Walker (BOT) v Nick Sutcliffe (ENG)
[6] Mark Broekman (ENG) – [Bye]
[5] Spencer Lovejoy (USA) – [Bye]
[WC] Arhan Chandra (USA) v [9/16] Faizal Riaz (USA)
[9/16] Allan Nunez (MEX) v [WC] Vandrick Inman-Benavente (USA)
[2] Leonel Cardenas (MEX) – [Bye]