Many will be wondering how the lop-sided British Open draw, with eight top seeds and 9/16s pitted against title contenders while non seeds had a chance to carve a way through to the glass court stages, saw Joel Makin up against Diego Elias.
The Peruvian World No.1 contender knew he was in for a tough one at Edgbaston Priory. Even at 9-5 and 2-1 up in games, he wasn’t assured of a third round place. This was, after all, against a player currently ranked 10th on the back of a fine season.
Elias fist pumped as he inched towards match ball, then placed two tired hands on the back glass wall after a tiring 72-minute battle 11-7, 8-11, 11-5, 11-8, to negate the home support and atone for their their recent best-of-three at Canary Wharf. Moreover, it kept Elias’s bid on track to finally break the shackles of never having made a British or, for that matter, Worlds semi-final.
Elias said: “It was very tough against Joel – he’s a great player and he’s been playing well. I think I played well in the third and fourth and I think this is very good for me this tournament and hopefully I can go all the way.”
Recent Optasia winner Karim Abdel Gawad also had to contend with a tough opponent in Miguel Rodriguez, the Colombian losing in five as the Egyptian set up a third round with former compatriot Mohamed ElShorbagy, of England, who is vying with Elias for World No.1. It is certainly the most eye-catching encounter as attention turns to the Birmingham Rep stage.
“Everyone’s battling for the British Open title – but there’s an extra bit of pressure for us,” said ElShorbagy on the tournament subplot with his tour friend. “It’s amazing to be competing that with him and at this stage of my career. I really hope we both have an amazing event.”
ElShorbagy will be one of two home players, with Nathan Lake beating fellow Englishman Nick Wall in four as he set up a theatre date with Elias.
Two Englishwomen are left in the British Open women’s draw, with Welsh hope Emily Whitlock also set for a third round match with defending champion Hania El Hammamy, pictured below.
Gina Kennedy will be hoping to keep her winning run in Birmingham alive after Commonwealth gold last summer, while local favourite Sarah-Jane Perry aims to keep ticket holders happy on Tuesday.
Lucy Turmel narrowly failed to advance to a match-up with Perry, thus assuring a Briton in the women’s quarter-finals.
Turmel came from 2-1 down after a controlled fourth game againat Nada Abbas. At 9-7 down in the decider a let was called on what Turnel perceived a double bounce.
She dropped her racket in disgust, then ripped a forehand past the Egyptian. The referee deemed Turmel’s movement as unaaceptable and she was handed a code of conduct warning. It proved her undoing as she lost 7-11, 11-7, 11-8, 6-11, 11-7 and Abbas joined Perry in the last 16.