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HSC Open 2022
Men's Draw
30 Nov - 04 Dec
Sutton Coldfield, England, $12k |
Final:
[3] Alfredo Avila (MEX) bt [1] Muhammad Asim Khan (PAK) 7-11, 3-11,
1-7 ret. (17m)
Semi-finals:
[1] Muhammad Asim Khan (PAK) bt [8] Andrés Herrera (COL) 11-7, 7-11,
11-6, 11-6 (45m)
[3] Alfredo Avila (MEX) bt [2] Andrew Douglas (USA) 11-6, 7-11, 11-8,
11-7 (43m)
Quarter-finals:
[1] Muhammad Asim Khan (PAK) bt [WC] Mohamed Zakaria (EGY) 11-7,
11-9, 11-7 (41m)
[8] Andrés Herrera (COL) bt [4] Spencer Lovejoy (USA) 11-5, 12-10, 3-11,
11-7 (67m)
[3] Alfredo Avila (MEX) bt [7] Connor Turk (CAN) 11-4, 11-7, 11-3 (23m)
[2] Andrew Douglas (USA) bt [6] Muhammad Ashab Irfan (PAK) 11-4, 11-5,
7-11, 11-4 (50m)
2nd round:
[1] Muhammad Asim Khan (PAK) bt [9/16] Allan Nuñez (MEX) 11-5, 11-8,
11-9 (29m)
[WC] Mohamed Zakaria (EGY) bt [5] Tom Walsh (ENG) 11-5, 4-11, 12-10,
11-9 (58m)
[8] Andrés Herrera (COL) bt [9/16] Liam Marrison (CAN) 11-5, 11-7, 11-7
(38m)
[4] Spencer Lovejoy (USA) bt [9/16] Jeremías Azaña (ARG) 5-11, 11-9,
11-9, 11-4 (55m)
[3] Alfredo Avila (MEX) bt [9/16] Carlos Vargas (MEX) 11-5, 11-2 ret.
(15m)
[7] Connor Turk (CAN) bt [9/16] Saeed Abdul (PAK) 11-4, 11-0, 11-9 (33m)
[6] Muhammad Ashab Irfan (PAK) bt [9/16] Jamie Ruggiero (USA) 11-8,
11-2, 11-8 (30m)
[2] Andrew Douglas (USA) bt [9/16] Dewald van Niekerk (RSA) 6-11, 11-2,
11-4, 10-12, 11-7 (77m)
1st round:
[1] Muhammad Asim Khan (PAK) bye
[9/16] Allan Nuñez (MEX) bt Muhammad Ibrahim Noorani (PAK) 11-3, 11-6,
11-0 (16m)
[WC] Mohamed Zakaria (EGY) bt [9/16] Asyraf Azan (MAS) 11-4, 8-11, 11-9,
11-7 (47m)
[5] Tom Walsh (ENG) bye
[8] Andrés Herrera (COL) bye
[9/16] Liam Marrison (CAN) bt Salman Rafique (USA) 11-2, 11-5, 11-5
(20m)
[9/16] Jeremías Azaña (ARG) bt Chris Fuller (ENG) 11-5, 11-6, 11-9 (32m)
[4] Spencer Lovejoy (USA) bye
[3] Alfredo Avila (MEX) bye
[9/16] Carlos Vargas (MEX) bt [WC] Arhan Chandra (USA) 11-9, 11-6, 11-5
(22m)
[9/16] Saeed Abdul (PAK) bt Jorge Gomez (MEX) 11-7, 7-11, 11-5, 4-11,
11-8 (52m)
[7] Connor Turk (CAN) bye
[6] Muhammad Ashab Irfan (PAK) bye
[9/16] Jamie Ruggiero (USA) bt [WC] Vandrick Inman-Benavente (USA) 11-3,
11-3, 11-2 (21m)
[9/16] Dewald van Niekerk (RSA) bt Faizan Khan (PAK) 11-3, 11-8, 11-3
(28m)
[2] Andrew Douglas (USA) bye |
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Final Avila Secures Fifth Win Of
Year
Mexico’s Alfredo Avila became only the second player to win five times
on the Challenger Tour in 2022, as he claimed the HSC International
Squash Open title.
The Mexican came into the tournament as the No.3 seed, and having won
four times already in 2022. After receiving a bye through the opening
round, Avila then started his campaign in the last 16 with a win against
compatriot Carlos Vargas in straight games.
He then got the better of Canadian Connor Turk in the quarter finals,
before then defeating No.2 seed Andrew Douglas in the last four. He
overcame a strong challenge from the American to win in four games, and
to move through to a ninth final of the year.
Avila then took on top seed Muhammad Asim Khan in the final of the
competition, and unfortunately, the Pakistani had to retire hurt due to
a knee injury. This allowed the Mexican to secure his fifth title of
2022, and his biggest yet. |
Semi Finals
Avila And Khan Into Final In Houston
Muhammad Asim Khan (right) and Andres Herrera (left)
on court in Houston
Pakistan’s Muhammad Asim Khan and Mexican Alfredo Avila will meet in the
final of the HSC International Squash Open on Sunday afternoon.
The Pakistani is the top seed for the competition, and he came up
against Colombia’s Andres Herrera in the semi-finals. The No.8 seed had
defeated No.4 seed Spencer Lovejoy in the last eight to make it to this
stage of the tournament.
After two games, the pair were level in their last four meeting at the
Houston Squash Club, with both winning a game by an 11-7 scoreline. From
there, though, Khan was able to show his class, and he won both the
third and fourth games 11-6 to book his place in the final.
He will now face Mexico’s Alfredo Avila in that final on Sunday
afternoon, after the No.3 seed got the better of No.2 seed Andrew
Douglas in four games. Like the other semi-final, the pair were tied at
1-1, but Avila was able to power on, winning both of the next two games
to move into a ninth final in 2022.
The final of the HSC International Squash Open will take place on
Sunday, December 4, with the winner of the Challenger 10 level event
being crowned.
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Quarter Finals
Herrera Joins Top Three Seeds
Colombia’s Andres Herrera caused the sole upset on quarter finals day in
Houston, as he downed the tournament’s No.4 seed to gatecrash the
semi-finals.
The Colombian is the No.8 seed for the Challenger 10 level competition,
and he took on American Spencer Lovejoy in the last eight on Friday. He
found himself two games ahead after winning the second on a tie-break,
before Lovejoy fought back to win the third. However, the World No.134
regrouped to win the fourth to book his place in the semis.
He will now take on top seed Muhammad Asim Khan on Saturday afternoon,
after the Pakistan got the better of wildcard Mohamad Zakaria. The
15-year-old Egyptian had already caused two upsets in the early rounds
on his Tour debut, but a solid performance from the Pakistani was enough
to take a straight games win.
The other semi-final will see No.2 seed Andrew Douglas take on No.3 seed
Alfredo Avila on Saturday afternoon in Houston. Douglas got the better
of Pakistan’s Muhammad Ashab Irfan to make the last four, while the
Mexican defeated Canadian Connor Turk in straight games.
The HSC International Squash Open semi-finals will take place on
Saturday, December 3, with the last four going head-to-head to reach the
final on Sunday afternoon in Houston.
For more information on the event, Where available see the
PSA Live Scores page, or
follow on
PSAChallengerTourLivestreams,
Facebook,
Twitter,
Instagram
&
TikTok. Selected
Challenger Tour Events will also be shown live on
SQUASHTV.
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Round 2
Wildcard Zakaria Continues Knockout Run
Mohamad Zakaria (left) and Tom Walsh (right) on court
in Houston
Wildcard Mohamad Zakaria caused a second upset in as many days, as he
defeated England’s Tom Walsh to make the last eight of the HSC
International Squash Open.
The 15-year-old, who is making his first appearance on Tour this week,
got the better of Malaysia’s Asyraf Azlan in the opening round on
Wednesday evening, to set up a meeting with Walsh in the last 16 on
Thursday.
The young Egyptian won the opening game 11-5, but saw the Englishman
claim the second game 11-4 to level the contest. A third game tie-break
was crucial in determining the winner of the match, with Zakaria
claiming it 12-10. He then went on to win the fourth as well to claim
yet another surprise victory.
He will now face off against the tournament’s top seed, Pakistan’s
Muhammad Asim Khan. The World No.61 made his way into the last eight
after beating Mexico’s Allan Nunez in straight games.
The tightest contest of the day was the opening match, as No.2 seed
Andrew Douglas, the highest-ranked player in the draw, had to go the
distance to defeat Dewald van Niekerk. The South African fought back
from 2-1 down, winning the fourth on a tie-break 12-10. However, it was
Douglas who claimed the win, securing the fifth game 11-7.
Douglas will now face Pakistan’s Muhammad Ashab Irfan in the quarters,
while the American will be joined in the last eight by compatriot
Spencer Lovejoy, who will face off against Colombia’s Andres Herrera.
Mexico’s Alfredo Avila and Canadian Connor Turk will do battle in the
other last eight contest.
The quarter finals of the HSC International Squash Open will take place
on Friday, December 2, with the last eight aiming to reach Saturday’s
semi-finals at the Houston Squash Club. |
Round 1
PSA Tour Debutant Zakaria Scores Big Win To Reach RD2
In Houston
15-year old wildcard Mohamed Zakaria has scored a big win in his first
match on the PSA tour at the HSC International Squash Open as he downed
World No.201 Asyraf Azan to reach the second round in Houston.
With the scores level at 1-1 in games, Zakaria was able to turn the
screw and go on to take the third and fourth games 11-7, 11-9 to advance
to the last 16 of the Challenger 10 event. He will now face England’s
Tom Walsh for a spot in the quarter finals.
There were no further upsets on day one of the event, but World No.189
Saeed Abdul was pushed all the way to five games against 24-year-old
Jorge Gomez from Mexico. The Pakistani found himself 2-1 up in the match
before being pegged back by Gomez to 2-2. Abdul recovered in the fifth
game however and managed to close the match out 11-8 top move into the
second round.
The top seeds now enter the draw with top seed Muhammad Asim Khan
looking to start strongly as he takes on Mexico’s Allan Nunez for a
quarter final place. Nunez comfortably overcame Muhammad Ibrahim Noorani
in round one and needing just 16 minutes to overcome the Pakistani
player.
For more information on the event, Where available see the
PSA Live Scores page, or
follow on
PSAChallengerTourLivestreams,
Facebook,
Twitter,
Instagram
&
TikTok. Selected
Challenger Tour Events will also be shown live on
SQUASHTV.
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Preview
Douglas Still Figuring Out This Level
USA’s Andrew Doulas
The HSC International Squash Open is the last of three tournaments
taking place on the Challenger Tour this week, with the action getting
underway on Wednesday, November 30.
This will be the third Challenger Tour event to be held at the venue,
with France’s Victor Crouin and Mexico’s Arturo Salazar having had a win
apiece in Houston over the last couple of years.
This time round, Pakistan’s Muhammad Asim Khan will be the top seed for
the Challenger 10 level event, but the USA’s Andrew Doulas will be the
highest ranked player.
The American moved up to a career-high of World No.52 following a run to
the quarter finals at the Robertson Lodges New Zealand Open, and he is
proud of the way he was able to deal with being away from home for a
prolonged period of time, to also produce the level of squash that he
did.
“I am figuring out the sport at this level little by little. At the
moment, I feel like my mentality is allowing all the hard work to pay
off, which is all I can ask for.,” he explained.
“Going into those events [in Australia and New Zealand], I was worried
about how I would manage the discomfort of living on the road for a
month. My biggest takeaway, looking back, is that I have the
adaptability to perform under different circumstances and find a way of
playing well.”
He will be back on American soil this week, and home soil at that. He is
excited to be doing so, especially with the home crowd behind him.
“I love playing in the U.S. Squash in the U.S attracts a very diverse
audience from varying fields, who are typically engaging and passionate
people. This will be my first trip to Houston, so I am excited to
experience its vibrant community.”
Douglas goes into the HSC International Squash Open as the
highest-ranked player in the draw, but he is not going to be thinking
about that when that glass door closes in Houston this week. He is also
not going to be thinking about being at a career-high of World No.52,
more just about the squash he is playing.
“I think that if I followed the narrative arc of being the higher-ranked
player, imagining that I should perform a certain way because of that
fact, I would not be able to play my best. With this narrative being
where the mind so often goes, recognising that pattern is the best
chance I have of playing well this week,” the American said.
“I am very grateful to play squash at a high level still. Of course, I
want to improve, so seeing my ranking go up would be a welcome
development. That said, whether I am World No.52, 25, 2, or 5, my
day-to-day life, goals, and priorities will remain the same.”
Douglas will be joined by compatriot Spencer Lovejoy amongst the top
eight seeds for this tournament, with Mexico’s Alfredo Avila, who lost
out in the final to Salazar in July at this very venue, also in action.
Canadian Nick Sachvie, England’s Tom Walsh, Egyptian Ibrahim Elkabbani
and Pakistan’s Muhammad Ashab Irfan will be the rest of the top eight
seeds. South Africa’s Dewald van Niekerk and Argentine Jeremias Azana,
both of whom have won on Tour this season, will also be in action.
The HSC International Squash Open will also see the debut of the
youngest player currently on Tour. Egypt’s Mohamad Zakaria will be 15
years and 69 days old when he takes to the court on the opening day of
the competition, as one of the tournament’s three wildcards.
For more information on the event, Where available see the
PSA Live Scores page, or follow
on
PSAChallengerTourLivestreams,
Facebook,
Twitter,
Instagram
&
TikTok. Selected
Challenger Tour Events will also be shown live on
SQUASHTV.
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