By MIKE HEGARTY (Squash Mad Correspondent)
The 2022 edition of the Lexden RFC Open PSA Satellite tournament kicks off on Thursday August 25. Sponsored by Anglian Flight Centres, we have a $1k prize fund for both men’s and women’s draws.
Men’s top seed is none other than England legend and Commonwealth Games medalist Daryl Selby. Although technically retired, Daryl still has a ranking of 106. Watching him play at our little club in Essex will be a real treat.
Second seed is Welsh international and WR151 Owain Taylor. In spite of a few injuries this season Owain achieved his highest career ranking of 149 and has only just slipped back from it this month.
Men’s 3/4 seeds are both Scots: John Meehan (WR266), and Martin Ross (WR292). Last years’ finalist John will be looking to show the improvements that another year of training full time have brought to his game.
Since last years’ Lexden RFC Open, Martin has earned selection to the Scottish Senior team at the European Team Championships, proposed to his now fiancé Katriona Allen, and launched the world’s first robot squash coach as part of his PhD!
Robot squash coach article here
Local interest is headed up by first team captain Neil Cross, along with WR795 and 806 Joel Braddock and Stanley Sykes, two young players just starting out on PSA. Former Wales junior Kieran Hillman, Michael ‘Superboy’ Tallentire (as christened by Laura Northeast after making five dives in the same rally) and against everyone’s better judgement I’ve snuck in to complete the line-up.
We also intend to get the radar gun out to see if we can threaten the hardest hit records for men and women. Stay tuned!
The women’s draw is headed by Pakistani international and WR132 Amna Fayyaz, who recently represented her country at the Commonwealth Games in both singles and doubles. Amna studies at Dickinson College in Pennsylvania so hasn’t spent a lot of time on the PSA tour in Europe at least.
Second seed is WR137 Sofia Aveiro Pita. The Portuguese-born Cambridge resident made it to the final of last year’s Lexden RFC Open and is hoping to go one better this year.
Suffolk local Emma Bartley WR138 and Wales’ WR181 Lowri Roberts are 3/4 seeds. Emma recently represented England at the World Junior Championship, while Lowri recently recorded a fantastic win over WR 128 Kiera Marshall at the Northern Joe Cup, showing she is playing well above her ranking.
Lexden is represented by local players Lara Newton WR234, Essex County No.3 Piper Tatum, Elli Barrott, Jenny Wright and Rebecca Woolfe.
Anglian Flight Centres offer complete Private Pilot’s License (PPL) instruction including beginner tuition, ground based theory, and all aspects of instructed and solo flight right up to advanced PPL, varying aircraft types and night flying.
They also offer gift vouchers and fun experiences including aerial tours of the White Cliffs of Dover, tour of WW2 Airfields, Biplane flights and Harvard Warbird experiences.
Lexden Open, sponsored by Anglian Flight Centres, Lexden Rackets and Fitness Club, Colchester, Essex, August 25-28.
Men’s First Round (Thursday August 25):
- Daryl Selby WR106 (Bye)
Joel Braddock WR795 v 9/16 Nick Ratnarajah WR378
9/16 Fraser Steven WR497 v Neil Cross
Mike Hegarty v 5/8 Mike Harris WR309
5/8 Andrew Glen WR372 v Thomas Ramsey
Oliver Ramsey WR809 v 9/16 Gareth Naidoo WR480
9/16 Rob Thirst WR561 v Mike Aley
3/4 John Meehan WR266 (Bye)
3/4 Martin Ross WR292 (Bye)
Kieran Hillman v 9/16 James Singh WR449
9/16 Shamil Wakeel WR531 v Robert Palmer WR661
Nick Mulvey v 5/8 Will Salter WR312
5/8 Tayne Turnock WR333 v Stanley Sykes WR809
Mikey Tallentire v 9/16 Robert Howarth WR617
9/16 Daren Ramsey WR410 v Stephen Hearst WR624
2 Owain Taylor WR151 (Bye)
Women’s Draw (First Round, Friday August 26):
1 Amna Fayyaz WR132 v Rebecca Woolfe
Piper Tatum v 5/8 Catherine Holland WR219
5/8 Isabel McCullough WR197 v Elli Barrott
Jenny Wright v 3/4 Lowri Roberts WR181
3/4 Emma Bartley WR138 v Kainat Amir WR344
Liu Kwai Chi WR288 v 5/8 Ellie Jones
5/8 Lara Newton WR234 v Siobhan Wilkins WR245
Grace Clark WR429 v 2 Sofia Pita WR137
Pictures courtesy of England Squash and PSA World Tour