Volkswagen Bega Open: Tournament Preview

The Challenger Tour features just one tournament this week, with the action coming from Bega in Australia. The Volkswagen Bega Open takes place from Wednesday, August 31 to Sunday, 4 September at the Bega Country Club.

The Challenger 10 level tournament will feature several members of the world’s top 100 across both the men’s and women’s draws, and with three players aiming to become the first two-time winner of the 2022-2023 PSA World Tour campaign.

World No.36 Chan Sin Yuk will be the highest-ranked player in the tournament, and one of those three, after her victory at the Costa North Coast Open earlier this month. She will be joined in the women’s draw by Malaysia’s Yee Xin Ying, who claimed her maiden title at the Alto Group Pennant Hills NSW Squash Open last weekend.

England’s Grace Gear, Malaysia’s Chan Yiwen and Hong Kong’s Cheng Nga Ching will be joined in the group of top eight seeds by the Australian trio of Sarah Cardwell, Alex Haydon and Jessica Turnbull, who will all be aiming to win on home soil this week.

Pakistan’s Muhammad Asim Khan will be the top seed for the men’s event, with Hong Kong’s Tsz Kwan Lau and the Malaysian duo of Addeen Idrakie and Mohammad Syafiq Kamal being the nearest contenders for the glory come Sunday afternoon.

New Zealand’s Lwamba and Temwa Chileshe will be in action again this week, with the latter aiming for his first title. Hong Kong’s Chi Him Wong and Malaysia’s Darren Rahul Pragasam will also be seeded, alongside Yannick Wilhelmi, one of two Swiss players in the draw, with NSW Open finalist Robin Gadola being the other.

Rex Hedrick will be the leading Australian in the draw, and he will also be the other player aiming to become the first two-time winner on Tour this season, following his victory at the Costa North Coast Open, alongside Chan Sin Yuk, at the start of August.

Men’s First Round Draw: Volkswagen Bega Open
[1] Muhammad Asim Khan (PAK) – [Bye]
Chung Yat Long (HKG) v [9/16] Robert Andrew Garcia (PHI)
[9/16] Rex Hedrick (AUS) v Harley Lam (HKG)
[5] Lwamba Chileshe (NZL) – [Bye]
[8] Yannick Wilhelmi (SUI) – [Bye]
Wailok To (HKG) v [9/16] Ryunosuke Tsukue (JPN)
[9/16] Rhys Dowling (AUS) v [WC] Tate Zak Norris (AUS)
[4] Addeen Idrakie (MAS) – [Bye]
[3] Mohammad Syafiq Kamal (MAS) – [Bye]
Nicholas Calvert (AUS) v [9/16] Tang Ming Hong (HKG)
[9/16] Tewma Chileshe (NZL) v [WC] Damon MacMillan (AUS)
[7] Darren Rahul Pragasam (MAS) – [Bye]
[6] Chi Him Wong (HKG) – [Bye]
[WC] Rohan Toole (AUS) v [9/16] Ong Sai Hung (MAS)
[9/16] Robin Gadola (SUI) v Manu Paquemar (FRA)
[2] Tsz Kwan Lau (HKG) – [Bye]

Women’s First Round Draw: Volkswagen Bega Open
[1] Chan Sin Yuk (HKG) – [Bye]
Riffat Khan (PAK) v [9/16] Celine Walser (SUI)
[9/16] Sehveetrraa Kumar (MAS) v Tayla Mounter (ENG)
[7] Cheng Nga Ching (HKG) – [Bye]
[6] Jessica Turnbull (AUS) – [Bye]
Noor ul Huda (PAK) v [9/16] Ooi Kah Yan (MAS)
[9/16] Rachael Grinham (AUS) v Aiman Shahbaz (PAK)
[3] Chan Yiwen (MAS) – [Bye]
[4] Sarah Cardwell (AUS) – [Bye]
Ching Hei Fung (HKG) v [9/16] Au Yeong Wai Yhann (SGP)
[9/16] Ainaa Amani (MAS) v Urwashi Joshi (IND)
[5] Alex Haydon (AUS) – [Bye]
[8] Yee Xin Yang (MAS) – [Bye]
Madison Lyon (AUS) v [9/16] Akari Midorikawa (JPN)
[9/16] Aira Azman (MAS) v Erin Classen (AUS)
[2] Grace Gear (ENG) – [Bye]