Seeds prevail as Baywatch battles launch 2015 NetSuite Open in style
By BETH RASIN
Battle commenced in the 2015 NetSuite Open with some phenomenal contests in the men’s and women’s qualifying competitions. When the dust had settled, all the main seeds had prevailed, but there were more than one or two close encounters along the way.
San Francisco, CA – Sept. 23, 2015. The NetSuite Open Squash Championships got under way with all the seeded players prevailing in their opening matches in the qualifying draws played at the Olympic Club, and the Bay Clubs in San Francisco and Marin.
Although top seed Coline Aumard of France dropped the first game to Brazil’s Thaisa Serafini, the Frenchwoman rebounded to win the next three games decisively. She will play England’s Fiona Moverley (right), who dispatched Belgian Nele Gillis in three games.
Fourth seed Nouran El Torky of Egypt and Maria Toorpakai Wazir of Pakistan will play for a spot in the main draw after easily defeating their local opponents, Jessenia Pacheco and Tara Arya.
Veteran USA player Latasha Khan of Seattle eliminated fellow American Madeleine Gill and will face off against second seed Amanda Landers- Murphy of New Zealand, who dispatched local player Mariam Kamal.
Another local player, Toby Eyre, lost to third seed Aisling Blake. The Irishwoman will next face England’s Millie Tomlinson, who defeated Canada’s Hollie Naughton in three games.
A mix of veteran players and rising stars won their matches in the men’s qualifying draws. World #23 Alister Walker needed four games to dispatch Mexico’s Alfredo Avila and will next take on Australia’s Ryan Cuskelly, who defeated American Chris Hanson in straight games.
It took four games with two injury time-outs for Egypt’s Ali Farag to defeat Abdullah Al Tamami of Qatar.
The Harvard graduate and two-time US National Intercollegiate champion will next face France’s Gregoire Marche (right), who claimed three closely contested games from Finland’s Henrik Mustonen.
Nine-time US national champion Julian Illingworth was defeated by Mexico’s Cesar Salazar, whose next opponent will be Dutchman Laurens Jans Anjema.
The former top 10 player, who is returning the PSA tour after an injury hiatus, eliminated Germany’s Raphael Kandra in three games.
World #24 Tom Richards dispatched the Bay Club pro and fellow Englishman Charlie Johnson (right) to set up a main draw determining match with Scotsman Alan Clyne after he defeated local player Gabriel Morgan.
NetSuite Open Qualifying Draw,
San Francisco, CA
Women’s First Round:
[1] Coline Aumard (FRA) def. Thaisa Serafini (BRA)
8-11, 11-2, 11-5, 11-4 34 mins
Fiona Moverly (ENG) def. Nele Gillis (BEL) 11-2, 11-5,
11-7 24 mins
Maria Toorpakai Wazir (PAK) def. [L] Jessenia Pacheco (USA) 11-4, 11-2,11-6 17 mins
[4] Nouran El Torky (EGY) def. [L] Tara Arya (USA) 11-3, 11-7, 11-6 15 mins
[3] Aisling Blake (IRL) def. [L] Toby Eyre (USA) 11-0, 11-5, 11-4 15 mins
Millie Tomlinson (ENG) def. Hollie Naughton (CAN) 11-6, 11-4, 11-3 23 mins
Latasha Khan (USA) def. Madeleine Gill (USA) 11-6, 11-8, 11-2 18 mins
[2] Amanda Landers-Murphy (NZL) def. [L] Mariam Kamal (USA) 11-6, 11-4, 11-1 20 mins
NetSuite Open Men’s Qualifying Draw.
First Round Results
[1] Alister Walker (BOT) def. Alfredo Avila (MEX) 4-11, 11-9, 11-7, 11-8 48 mins
Ryan Cuskelly (AUS) def. Chris Hanson (USA) 11-4, 11-8, 11-7 38 mins
Ali Farag (EGY) def. Abdullah Al Tamami (QTR) 10-12, 11-7, 11-3, 11-1 50 mins (3 and 5 min injury timeouts for blood)
[4] Gregoire Marche (FRA) def. Henrik Mustonen (FIN) 13-11,11-7,11-8 54 mins
[3] Cesar Salazar (MEX) def. Julian Illingworth (USA) 11-9. 11-0, 11-7 26 mins
Laurens Jans Anjema (NED) def. Raphael Kandra (GER) 11-8, 11-4, 11-9 39 mins
Alan Clyne (SCO) def. Gabriel Morgan (USA) 11-7, 11-6, 11-2 28 mins
[2] Tom Richards (ENG) def. Charlie Johnson (ENG) 11-6, 11-5, 12-10 45 mins
NetSuite Open Schedule of play – Thursday, Sept. 24, 2015
Women’s Qualifying Final Round
[1] Coline Aumard (FRA v. [8] Fiona Moverly (ENG) 12:00 pm, Bay Club SF
[4] Nouran El Torky (EGY) v. [5] Maria Toorpakai Wazir (PAK) 6:45 pm Bay Club SF
[3] Aisling Blake (IRL) v. [7] Millie Tomlinson (ENG) 4:45 pm, University Club
[2] Amanda Landers-Murphy (NZL) v. [6] Latasha Khan (USA) 5:30 pm, University Club
Men’s Qualifying Final Round
[1] Alister Walker (BOT) v. Ryan Cuskelly (AUS) 7:00 pm University Club
[4] Gregoire Marche (FRA) v. Ali Farag (EGY) 6:00 pm Bay Club SF
[3] Cesar Salazar (MEX) v. Laurens Jan Anjema (NED) 6:00 pm, University Club
[2] Alan Clyne (SCO) v. Tom Richards (ENG) 7:30 pm, Bay Club SF