Results – Final Qualifying Round: Helsinki Winter Challenger 2016
[1] Julian Tomlinson (ENG) bt [7] Tatu Knuutila (FIN) 3-2: 11-5,
10-12, 11-4, 5-11, 12-10
[6] Jami Äijänen (FIN) bt [3] Robert Dadds (ENG) 3-2: 8-11, 11-13,
11-4, 11-7, 11-5,
[4] Roshan Bharos (NED) bt Hendrik Vössing (GER) 3-0: 15-13, 11-6,
11-5
[5] Bradley Masters (ENG) bt [2] Elliot Selby (ENG) 3-0: 11-1, 11-6,
11-5
REPORTS
Hopkin Lifts Helsinki Challenger Crown
Australian Matthew Hopkin collected the third title of his PSA
career and the first outside of his homeland of Australia as he
defeated Baptiste Masotti in the final of the 2016 Suez Helsinki
Winter Challenger, inflicting a second consecutive runner-up finish
on the Frenchman.
The number four seed was assured throughout the tournament as he
recorded impressive wins over Asim Khan and Kristian Rautiainen en
route to the final and he proved touch for Masotti, eventually
securing the title 11-9, 9-11, 11-7, 11-7.
”I didn’t make mistakes and he did in the end – that was the
difference,” said Hopkins after his win.
Inaugural Helsinki Winter Challenger Gets Under Way
#PSAWorldTour
The Suez Helsinki Winter Challenger, PSA M5 event makes its debut on
the PSA World Tour on Friday January 22 with the main draw getting
off to an exciting start as a talented field looks set for some
spectacular showdowns.
Following on from 2015’s successful Suez Helsinki Summer Challenger,
the Winter Challenger sees Egypt’s Shehab Essam named the number one
seed as he looks to lift his maiden PSA World Tour title.
The 20-year-old, who is spending his third cumulative month inside
the world’s top 100, has a solitary PSA World Tour final appearance
to his name which came in October 2014. However, as the top seed,
the onus will be on Essam to battle for the title in Helsinki to
break his PSA World Tour title duck.
Essam will face off against Jami Äijänen in round one as he looks to
progress to the quarter-final stage of a PSA World Tour event for
the first time since October.
Austria’s Aqeel Rehman, on the other hand, does have a wealth of
title-winning experience with four PSA World Tour crowns to his
name. A 16-month barren spell has seen him drop out of the world’s
top 100 though and he will be eager to bring an end to that drought
this time around.
Rehman goes head-to-head with South Africa’s Tristan Eysele in the
opening round as he looks to get his title challenge off to a good
start.
World No.110 Geoffrey Demont is also without a PSA World Tour title
since 2014 but did achieve a runner-up finish at the Goodlife Open
towards the end of last year which helped move him closer to a place
inside the world’s top 100.
Demont will need to get past Roshan Bharos to reach the
quarter-final and is seeded to meet Essam in the last four if both
players make it that far.
Australia’s Matthew Hopkin has had some mixed form in recent months
but could successfully claim a third PSA World Tour title if he
plays to his full potential in Helsinki. The 24-year-old reached the
final of the LOC Charing Cross Classic in October of last year but
followed that up with three consecutive first round defeats. He will
aim to end that run against Kale Wilson in the first round.
Tomlinson Takes Out Knuutila In Winter Challenger
Qualification
#PSAWorldTour
England’s Julian Tomlinson edged out local player Tatu Knuutila 3-2
in an extremely tight match in the final qualifying round of the
Suez Helsinki Winter Challenger, PSA M5 event to reach the main
draw.
Tomlinson, the top qualifying seed, had to fight tooth and nail
throughout the gruelling encounter and was forced to go the whole
distance against a player who was bidding to reach only his second
PSA World Tour main draw since 2014.
World No.204 Tomlinson will now take his place in round one of the
main draw against compatriot Joshua Masters who has a single PSA
World Tour title to his name.
Representing his native Finland in the main draw is Jami Äijänen,
who progressed courtesy of a surprise success against World No.240
Robert Dadds. His reward is a tie against title favourite Shehab
Essam in the next round.
Elsewhere, Roshan Bharos cruised through to the main draw after
disposing of Hendrik Vössing in an impressive 3-0 win but will have
to be at his best to advance beyond the opening round of the main
draw when he plays third seed Geoffrey Demont.
Finally, another shock result saw Bradley Masters, brother of
Joshua, eliminate fellow Englishman and second qualifying seed
Elliot Selby. Masters dominated from the off, taking the first game
11-1 before repelling any attempts from Selby to battle back.
Masters will face Asim Khan in round one.
Results – Final Qualifying Round: Suez Helsinki Winter Challenger
2016 [1] Julian Tomlinson (ENG) bt [7] Tatu Knuutila (FIN) 3-2: 11-5,
10-12, 11-4, 5-11, 12-10
[6] Jami Äijänen (FIN) bt [3] Robert Dadds (ENG) 3-2: 8-11, 11-13,
11-4, 11-7, 11-5,
[4] Roshan Bharos (NED) bt Hendrik Vössing (GER) 3-0: 15-13, 11-6,
11-5
[5] Bradley Masters (ENG) bt [2] Elliot Selby (ENG) 3-0: 11-1, 11-6,
11-5
