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RC Pro Series 2023
Men's Draw
26 - 29 Apr
Missouri, USA, $12k |
ROUND
ONE
26 Apr |
QUARTERS
27 Apr |
SEMIS
28 Apr |
FINAL
29 Apr |
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[1] Cesar Salazar (MEX)
11-5, 11-8, 12-10 (28m)
Jeremías Azaña (ARG) |
Cesar Salazar
12-14, 11-7, 11-9, 11-5 (48m)
Addeen Idrakie |
Cesar Salazar
11-7, 5-11, 8-11, 11-6, 11-9 (66m)
Noor Zaman
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Cesar Salazar
12-10, 3-11, 11-7, 12-10 (55m)
Leandro Romiglio
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[5] Addeen Idrakie (MAS)
11-9, 11-7, 11-9 (27m)
[WC] Alex Ingham (ENG) |
[7] Seif Shenawy (EGY)
6-11, 11-8, 11-6, 4-11, 11-6 (53m)
Andrés Herrera (COL) |
Seif Shenawy
11-6, 11-9, 13-11 (29m)Noor Zaman |
Noor Zaman (PAK)
11-6, 11-9, 11-9 (21m)
[4] Ivan Yuen (MAS) |
[3] Leandro Romiglio (ARG)
16-14, 11-6, 7-11, 7-11, 11-7 (80m)
Mohamed Nasser (EGY) |
Leandro Romiglio
11-9, 11-7, 6-11, 11-7 (45m)
Yassin Elshafei |
Leandro Romiglio
13-11, 11-1, 4-11,
12-10
Juan Camilo Vargas
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[6] Yassin Elshafei (EGY)
13-11, 11-2, 7-11, 6-11, 11-8 (45m)
Josue Enriquez (GUA) |
[8] Mohd Syafiq Kamal (MAS)
8-11, 11-6, 11-7, 11-9 (35m)
Mark Broekman (ENG) |
Mohd Syafiq Kamal
11-5, 11-7, 3-11, 7-11, 11-5 (47m)
Juan Camilo Vargas |
Muhammad Ashab Irfan (PAK)
14-12, 9-11, 11-8, 11-5 (55m)
[2] Juan Camilo Vargas (COL) |
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RC Pro Series 2023
Women's Draw
26 - 29 Apr
Missouri, USA, $12k |
ROUND
ONE
26 Apr |
QUARTERS
27 Apr |
SEMIS
28 Apr |
FINAL
29 Apr |
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[1] Nour Aboulmakarim (EGY)
[Bye] |
Nour Aboulmakarim
11-7, 6-11, 11-3, 13-11 (36m)
Ainaa Amani |
Ainaa Amani
11-9, 11-8, 12-14, 11-9 (37m)
Haya Ali
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Ainaa Amani
10-12, 1-11, 11-9, 11-4, 11-4 (37m)10-12, 1-11, 11-9, 11-4, 11-4 (37m)
Salma Eltayeb |
Ainaa Amani (MAS)
12-10, 5-11, 11-8, 11-3 (33m)
[5] Jessica Turnbull (AUS) |
Alina Bushma (UKR)
11-2, 13-15, 11-5, 11-3 (33m)
[8] Au Yeong Wai Yhann (SGP) |
Alina Bushma
11-2, 11-9, 11-7
Haya Ali |
Haya Ali (EGY)
11-6, 11-7, 11-8
[3] Millie Tomlinson (ENG) |
[4] Salma Eltayeb (EGY)
11-4, 11-3, 11-3 (14m)
Taba Taghavi (FRA) |
Salma Eltayeb
11-5, 11-7, 11-5 (24m)
Saran Nghiem |
Salma Eltayeb
11-6, 6-11, 11-9, 11-9 (36m)
Kenzy Ayman |
Saran Nghiem (ENG)
11-7, 11-4, 11-6 (25m)
[6] Sarah Cardwell (AUS) |
[7] Diana Garcia (MEX)
11-1, 11-2, 11-5
Bruna Marchesi Petrillo (BRA) |
Diana Garcia
9-11, 11-8, 11-5, 11-7 (33m)
Kenzy Ayman |
[2] Kenzy Ayman (EGY)
[Bye] |
Final
Report to follow |
Semi Finals
Both No.2 Seeds Out As Finals Set
Salma Eltayeb (fore) and Kenzy Ayman (back), pictured
here in Nantes
The semi-finals of the RC Pro Series saw more surprises, with both No.2
seeds being knocked out in the last four.
In the women’s draw, Salma Eltayeb took on compatriot and No.2 seed
Kenzy Ayman in the semis. The pair were level after two games, trading
11-6 scorelines. From there though, Eltayeb was able to scrape through
both the third and fourth games, winning them both 11-9 to book her spot
in the final.
She will now take on the unseeded Ainaa Amani on Saturday afternoon. The
young Malaysian downed Egypt’s Haya Ali in four games. She took the
opening two games 11-9 and 11-8, but then saw the Egyptian, who claimed
her first Tour win earlier this month, fight back to win the third
14-12.
Amani was able to regroup, and she came through to take the fourth game
11-9 to move through to a third final in 2023. The Malaysian has won her
previous two and she will be full of confidence ahead of her debut World
Championships in Chicago.
The men’s No.2 seed was also knocked out on Friday evening. Argentina’s
Leandro Romiglio got the better of Colombia’s Juan Camilo Vargas in four
games to book his place in the final. The Argentine won the opening game
13-11, before doubling his advantage after the second.
Vargas fought back to claim the third quite comfortably, and he had an
opportunity to take the match into a decider. However, Romiglio was able
to win the fourth on a tie-break 12-10 to book his place in the final in
St Louis.
He will take on top seed Cesar Salazar in the final after the Mexican
came from behind to beat Pakistan’s Noor Zaman. The Pakistani won the
second and third to lead 2-1, but Salazar fought back strongly. The
tournament’s top seed won the fourth game 11-6, before a tight deciding
game also went his way, winning it 11-9, to advance to the final. |
Quarter Finals
Zaman, Amani and Ali Gatecrash Last Four
Ainaa Amani, pictured at the PSA World Championships
Qualifying Event
Malaysia’s Ainaa Amani, Egypt’s Haya Ali and Pakistan’s Noor Zaman are
all unseeded at the RC Pro Series, but they are all into the last four.
The Challenger 10 level competition is being held for the first time
since 2020. Malaysia’s Amani came into the tournament in good form,
having been one of the twelve players to secure their spot at the PSA
World Championships thanks to their performances at the Qualifying Event
in Birmingham.
She came into this event unseeded, and defeated the No.5 seed, Jessica
Turnbull, in the opening round. On Thursday evening, Amani took on top
seed Nour Aboulmakarim for a place in the quarter finals.
Despite sitting 25 places below the Egyptian in the world rankings,
Amani looked in control throughout. She regrouped brilliantly after
losing the second game to win the third 11-3, before then going on to
secure the match with a fourth game tie-break victory.
The young Malaysian will now take on another Egyptian, in Haya Ali. Also
unseeded, and coming in to this event off the back of winning her maiden
Tour title, Ali took on Ukraine’s Alina Bushma in the last eight of the
competition.
She required just 25 minutes to get the job done on Thursday, in one of
the shortest matches of the day. Ali won in straight games against the
Ukrainian to set up a clash with Amani, guaranteeing there will be an
unseeded player in the women’s final.
The other women’s semi-final will see the Egyptian duo of Kenzy Ayman
and Salma Eltayeb go head-to-head. They both came through their
respective quarter finals unscathed, and will do battle for the second
time this season after meeting at the Open de France de Squash in
September.
Salma Eltayeb (left) and Kenzy Ayman (right) in action
at the Open de France de Squash
There was also a surprise in the men’s event. Pakistan’s Noor Zaman
overcame the challenge of Egypt’s No.7 seed, Seif Shenawy. Zaman had
already downed No.4 seed Ivan Yuen on day one of the event, and he
downed Shenawy in straight games to move through to the last four.
He will now take on top seed Cesar Salazar in the semi-finals. The
Mexican came from behind to defeat Malaysia’s Addeen Idrakie. The
Malaysian won the opening game on a tie-break, but Salazar fought back
strongly to win in four.
The other semi-final will be a South American clash. Argentina’s Leandro
Romiglio and Colombia’s Juan Camilo Vargas are set for battle in the
last four. The pair both lost in their opening matches at the Atlanta
Open last week, and were looking for better this time round.
Romiglio ended Yassin Elshafei’s unbeaten run to reach the semis. The
Egyptian had won his last two events, taking glory at the UCNY PSA
Classic, before then also winning the Rochester ProAm, but the Argentine
won in four games. Meanwhile, Vargas downed Mohammad Syafiq Kamal in the
only match to go to five on quarter finals day.
The RC Pro Series continues on Friday, April 28 with the semi-finals in
St Louis.
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Round 1
Five Seeds Fall On Opening Day
Haya Ali (left) in action against Millie Tomlinson
(right) at the RC Pro Series
The opening day of the RC Pro Series saw several surprises, with five of
the seeded players being knocked out of the tournament.
The Challenger 10 competition is being held for the first time since
2020, with a men’s draw being featured at the event for the first time
in eight years.
14 matches took place on the opening day, with four surprises coming in
the women’s draw. Due to a couple of late withdrawals, the top two
seeds, Nour Aboulmakarim and Kenzy Ayman, both received first round
byes, with six matches being played in the tournament.
Egypt’s Haya Ali joined her compatriots in the second round, as she
downed No.3 seed Millie Tomlinson. The Egyptian is currently at a
career-high World No.89 after winning her first Tour title in the
Netherlands earlier this month.
In the opening round of the RC Pro Series in St Louis, Ali celebrated
turning 19 with a straight games victory over England’s Tomlinson, who
sits 32 places above her in the world rankings. The World No.89 won
11-6, 11-7, 11-8 to book her place in the quarter finals.
She will now take on Ukraine’s Alina Bushma in the quarters of the
Challenger 10 level competition. The Ukrainian No.2 overcame the
challenge of Singaporean Au Yeong Wai Yhann. She recovered after losing
a second game tie-break 15-13 to win in four, and to move through to the
last eight.
Malaysia’s Ainaa Amani and England’s Saran Nghiem were the other two
unseeded women to make it through. The pair both beat Australian
opposition to reach the last eight. The Malaysian downed Jessica
Turnbull, while Nghiem defeated Sarah Cardwell in straight games.
In the men’s draw, there was just a single surprise. Pakistani Noor
Zaman took down Malaysia’s No.4 seed Ivan Yuen in three games. The pair
were on court for only 21 minutes, with Zaman winning 11-6, 11-9, 11-9
to book his spot in the quarter finals.
Elsewhere, the Egyptian duo of Seif Shenawy and Yassin Elshafei both had
to go the distance in their opening matches of the week. Elshafei, who
has won twice this month already, survived a two-game fightback from
Guatemala’s Josue Enriquez, while Shenawy defeated Colombian Andres
Herrera.
The quarter finals of the RC Pro Series will take place on Thursday,
April 27.
For more information on the event, Where available see the
PSA Live Scores page, or follow
on
PSAChallengerTourLivestreams,
Facebook,
Twitter,
Instagram
&
TikTok. Selected
events will also be streamed live on
SQUASHTV. |
Preview
The sole event on the Challenger Tour this week will be the RC Pro
Series, which takes place for the first time since 2020.
The Challenger 10 level competition will feature both a men’s and
women’s draw, with the event hosting a men’s draw for the first time
since 2015. The tournament will be played at the Racquet Club of St
Louis from Wednesday, April 26 to Sunday, April 29.
The event has a long list of winners, including the likes of US No.1
Amanda Sobhy, Canadian No.1 Hollie Naughton and Malaysia’s Sivasangari
Subramaniam. Former top 40 players Alan Clyne and Nasir Iqbal are among
the men to have also won this competition.
This year’s event will start on Wednesday, and will feature two
16-strong draws in St Louis. Mexico’s Cesar Salazar will be the top seed
in the men’s event. Colombia’s Juan Camilo Vargas and Argentinian No.1
Leandro Romiglio make up a Latin American top three for the tournament,
and both well be looking for improvements after losing in the second
round of the Atlanta Open last week.
After a win at the weekend at the Rochester ProAm, his second successive
victory, Egypt’s Yassin Elshafei will certainly be one to watch. He is
joined by compatriot Seif Shenawy and the Malaysian trio of Ivan Yuen,
Addeen Idrakie and Mohammad Syafiq Kamal among the top eight seeds.
The Egyptian duo of Nour Aboulmakarim and Kenzy Ayman will lead the way
in the women’s draw, joined by Salma Eltayeb to make it three Egyptians
in the top four seeds.
England’s Millie Tomlinson will join them in the top four, with Mexico’s
Diana Garcia, Singapore’s Au Yeong Wai Yhann and the Australian pair of
Sarah Cardwell and Jessica Turnbull making up the rest of the eight
seeds for the competition.
For more information on the event, Where available see the
PSA Live Scores page, or follow
on
PSAChallengerTourLivestreams,
Facebook,
Twitter,
Instagram
&
TikTok. Selected
events will also be streamed live on
SQUASHTV.
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