Northern Joe Cup: Tournament Preview

The only tournament on the Challenger Tour this week will be held on English soil, with the Northern Joe Cup taking place across two venues in Manchester from Friday, July 29 to Tuesday, August 2.

The Challenger 5 level competition will feature both a men’s and women’s draw, with action taking place at both Fairways Lodge and the Cheetham Hill Squash Club over the next five days.

Former World No.20 Millie Tomlinson will be the top seed for the women’s event, and the highest-ranked player in the tournament. She will be aiming to claim a 16th Tour title this week, and her first since 2018. The Englishwoman will face competition from Scotland’s Alison Thomson and compatriot Torrie Malik, as the other members of the world’s top 100 in the draw.

The rest of the top eight seeds will be made up of English players, with Saran Nghiem, Katie Wells, Kiera Marshall, Asia Harris and Polly Clark all seeded for the competition. Portugal’s Sofia Aviero Pita, Dutchwoman Juliette Permentier, Malaysia’s Maisara Azlan and Pakistan’s Kainat Amir.

The English trio of Curtis Malik, Simon Herbert and Ben Smith will lead the way in the men’s draw, with Ireland’s Sean Conroy, Welshman Owain Taylor, Czech Republic’s Marek Panacek, Belgian Joeri Hapers and another Englishman, in Stuart MacGregor, making up the rest of the top eight seeds for the competition.

The draw will see a further five nationalities as well, with Pakistan’s Amaad Fareed, New Zealand’s Joel Arscott, Canada’s Liam Marrison and Brazil’s Vini Rodrigues joining the Scottish duo of John Meehan and Alasdair Prott in the draw.

The event takes place from Friday, July 29 to Tuesday, August 2 at the Cheetham Hill Squash Club and Fairways Lodge in Manchester, England. Follow the PSA Challenger Tour on *Twitter* and *Facebook* for daily updates from the event.

Action from Manchester will be streamed throughout the week on the *PSA Challenger Tour YouTube channel*, where you can watch Challenger Tour action, and interviews with rising stars.

*Men’s First Round Draw: Northern Joe Cup*
[1] Curtis Malik (ENG) – [Bye]
[WC] Carlton Oldham (ENG) v [9/16] Joel Arscott (NZL)
[9/16] Connor Sheen (ENG) v [WC] Sam Osborne-Wylde (ENG)
[6] Marek Panacek (CZE) – [Bye]
[7] Joeri Hapers (BEL) – [Bye]
Finnlay Withington (ENG) v [9/16] Amaad Fareed (PAK)
[9/16] Liam Marrison (CAN) v Vini Rodrigues (BRA)
[4] Sean Conroy (IRL) – [Bye]
[3] Ben Smith (ENG) – [Bye]
John Meehan (SCO) v [9/16] Perry Malik (ENG)
[9/16] Alasdair Prott (SCO) v [WC] Isaac Rawcliffe (ENG)
[5] Owain Taylor (WAL) – [Bye]
[8] Stuart MacGregor (ENG) – [Bye]
[WC] Oscar Beach (ENG) v [9/16] Lewis Doughty (ENG)
[9/16] Elliott Morris Devred (WAL) v Hasnaat Farooqi (ENG)
[2] Simon Herbert (ENG) – [Bye]

*Women’s First Round Draw: Northern Joe Cup*
[1] Millie Tomlinson (ENG) – [Bye]
Kainat Amir (PAK) v [9/16] Catherine Holland (SCO)
[9/16] Phoebe Colman (ENG) v [WC] Miriam Mulla (ENG)
[7] Asia Harris (ENG) – [Bye]
[8] Polly Clark (ENG) – [Bye]
[WC] Mia Leahey (ENG) v [9/16] Maisara Azlan (MAS)
[9/16] Juliette Permentier (NED) v Layna Beattie (WAL)
[3] Torrie Malik (ENG) – [Bye]
[4] Saran Nghiem (ENG) – [Bye]
Amy Royle (ENG) v [9/16] Chloe Foster (WAL)
[9/16] Jasmin Kalar (ENG) v [WC] Charlie McCrone (ENG)
[5] Katie Wells (ENG) – [Bye]
[6] Kiera Marshall (ENG) – [Bye]
Lowri Roberts (WAL) v [9/16] Sofia Aviero Pita (POR)
[9/16] Katie Cox (ENG) v Grace Clark (ENG)
[2] Alison Thomson (SCO) – [Bye]