Chris Hanson halted by Finnish veteran Olli Tuominen
By HENRY PAYNE in Detroit
Americans Chris Gordon and Todd Harrity advanced into the qualifying finals of the Motor City Open in Detroit, but compatriot Chris Hanson fell to Finnish veteran Olli Tuominen.
Gordon trailed by two games to love against Mexico’s Cesar Salazar before squeezing home 12-10 in the third. He led 7-2 in the fourth when Salazar retired with an injury.
Harrity overpowered England’s Ben Coates in straight games, but Hanson fell 11-5 in the fifth to Tuominen. Gordon meets Tuominen in the qualifying finals, with Harrity facing a tough task against Leo Au of Hong Kong.
Former world junior champion and Pan-Am Games runner-up Diego Elias of Peru meets Nafiizwan Adnan of Malaysia, while the other final is an all-Pakistani battle between Farhan Zaman and Nasir Iqbal.
$70,000 Men’s Motor City Open 2016, Birmingham Athletic Club, Bloomfield Hills, Detroit, USA
1st qualifying round:
Christopher Gordon (USA) bt Cesar Salazar (MEX) 7-11, 7-11, 12-10, 7-2 ret.
Olli Tuominen (FIN) bt Chris Hanson (USA) 8-11, 4-11, 11-7, 13-11, 11-5
Diego Elias (PER) bt Dylan Cunningham (USA) 11-7, 11-6, 11-5
Nafiizwan Adnan (MAS) bt Shahid Khan (ENG) 11-5, 11-6, 11-3
Nasir Iqbal (PAK) bt Arthur Gaskin (IRL) 9-11, 8-11, 11-6, 11-8, 11-7
Farhan Zaman (PAK) bt Campbell Grayson (NZL) 11-4, 7-11, 11-7, 11-8
Todd Harrity (USA) bt Ben Coates (ENG) 11-3, 11-3, 11-6
Leo Au (HKG) bt Sam Gould (USA) 11-4, 11-2, 11-2
Qualifying finals:
Christopher Gordon (USA) v Olli Tuominen (FIN)
Diego Elias (PER) v Nafiizwan Adnan (MAS)
Farhan Zaman (PAK) v Nasir Iqbal (PAK)
Leo Au (HKG) v Todd Harrity (USA)
1st round draw:
[1] Mohamed Elshorbagy (EGY) v Adrian Waller (ENG)
[7] Ali Farag (EGY) v Qualifier
[5] Ryan Cuskelly (AUS) v Qualifier
[3] Mathieu Castagnet (FRA) v Qualifier
[4] Max Lee (HKG) v Qualifier
[6] Borja Golan (ESP) v Gregoire Marche (FRA)
[8] Chris Simpson (ENG) v Nicolas Müller (SUI)
[2] Nick Matthew (ENG) v Mohamed Abouelghar (EGY)
Pictures by HENRY PAYNE