Aussie Jess powers through to final
By BEN ROWLES in Bendigo
A thrilled Jessica Turnbull, the only Australian left in the Bendigo International, has won her first PSA semi final which takes her directly into the final tomorrow. Turnbull defeated her South Korean opponent in just 23 minutes and three games.
Sixth seed Hana Ramadan defeated third seed Nouran El Torky (EGY) in an extraordinary five-game match over 72 minutes. Turnbull and Ramadan will meet in the final at Bendigo tomorrow at 3:00pm.
In the men’s draw, first seed New Zealander Evan Williams played Vincent Droesbeke and won, while fourth seed Dimitri Steinmann (SUI) defeated second seed Elvinn Keo (MAS).
Earlier news …
The shock exit of the top two seeds in the Women’s Open draw was the major talking point of the Bendigo International Open Squash Championships. But more drama was to follow in the semi-finals as Aussie Jess Turnbull won through ti face young Egyptian Hana Ramadan.
Top seeds Mille Tomlinson (ENG) and Siyoli Waters (RSA) fell to surprise defeats in the PSA W5 quarter-finals; each going down in 3-1 losses against Hana Ramadan (EGY) and Yura Choi (KOR) respectively.
Then, in a marathon match, 18-year-old Ramadan backed up this result by beating countrywoman and tournament third seed, Nouran El Torky.
In the other semi-final, Choi fell to top Australian seed Jessica Turnbull, after the Queenslander discarded fellow Aussie Jasmine Chan and fourth seed Sachika Ingale (IND) in her two earlier matches. Turnbull won in 23 minutes while Ramadan was forced to battle for 72 minutes before seeing off El Torky. It will be interesting to see who has most energy in the tank for the final.
In the Men’s Open, unseeded Frenchman Vincent Droesbeke set up a semi-final date with top seed Evan Williams (NZL) after downing India’s Sandeep Ramachandran in their quarter-final clash.
Williams on the other hand was made to battle hard against the highest remaining local Victorian seed Mithran Selvaratnam (MAS), but eventually got the better of the contest in four.
In the other semi-final, second and fourth seeds Elvinn Keo (MAS) and Dimitri Steinmann will meet each other after both won their quarter-final battles in three.
Full results for the Men’s Open matches can be found here.
Day 3 of competition today will see the Women’s semi-final clashes begin at 3:15pm, while the first of the Men’s semis will kick off at 4:45pm.
Today has also seen the graded events begin, with a record 130 entries registering to take part in the event.
Bendigo International 2016, Bendigo Squash Centre, Bendigo, Victoria, Australia
Men’s Semi-finals:
[4] Dimitri Steinmann (SUI) def [2] Elvinn Keo (MAS) 11/2, 11/5, 6/11, 11/9 (54 mins)
[1] Evan Williams (NZL) def Vincent Droesbeke (FRA) 9/11, 11/7, 3/11, 11/8, 11/3 (46 mins)
Quarter-finals:
[1] Evan Williams (NZL) bt [8] Mithran Selvaratnam (MAS) 11-7, 11-6, 3-11, 11-5 (43m)
Vincent Droesbeke (FRA) bt Sandeep Ramachandran (IND) 11-7, 11-6, 11-5 (29m)
[4] Dimitri Steinmann (SUI) bt Mohamed Saeed (EGY) 11-9, 11-6, 12-10 (36m)
[2] Elvinn Keo (MAS) bt [6] Patrick Miescher (SUI) 11-8, 11-7, 11-9 (23m)
2nd round:
[1] Evan Williams (NZL) bt Jong Myoung Park (KOR) 11-9, 11-3, 11-8 (25m)
[8] Mithran Selvaratnam (MAS) bt Remo Handl (SUI) 11-5, 5-11, 11-7, 11-6 (35m)
Vincent Droesbeke (FRA) bt [7] Ko Youngjo (KOR) 11-8, 1-11, 11-8, 8-11, 11-8 (60m)
Sandeep Ramachandran (IND) bt [3] Ben Grindrod (NZL) 13-11, 13-15, 11-9, 11-9 (50m)
[4] Dimitri Steinmann (SUI) bt Daehoon Jeong (KOR) 11-5, 11-6, 11-7 (31m)
Mohamed Saeed (EGY) bt Lachlan Coxsedge (AUS) 11-8, 8-11, 11-5, 11-7 (45m)
[6] Patrick Miescher (SUI) bt Syed Azlan Amjad (QAT) 11-5, 11-2, 11-8 (23m)
[2] Elvinn Keo (MAS) bt Luke Jones (NZL) 11-5, 6-11, 11-5, 11-4 (32m)
1st round:
[1] Evan Williams (NZL) bye
Jong Myoung Park (KOR) bt Jason Holmes (AUS) 11-3, 11-8, 11-6 (28m)
Remo Handl (SUI) bt Shahzad Khan (PAK) 11-13, 11-6, 11-8, 11-8 (44m)
[8] Mithran Selvaratnam (MAS) bt TJ French (AUS) 11-6, 9-11, 11-3, 11-7 (39m)
[7] Ko Youngjo (KOR) bt Dominique Ratcliffe (AUS) 11-6, 11-7, 11-6 (26m)
Vincent Droesbeke (FRA) bt [WC] Darcy Walsh (AUS) 11-7, 11-7, 11-8 (23m)
Sandeep Ramachandran (IND) bt Nathan Lindner (AUS) 11-6, 11-7, 11-6 (28m)
[3] Ben Grindrod (NZL) bye
[4] Dimitri Steinmann (SUI) bt Courtney West (AUS) 11-5, 11-4, 11-5 (22m)
Daehoon Jeong (KOR) bt Javed Ali (PAK) 10-12, 11-5, 13-11, 11-6 (41m)
Mohamed Saeed (EGY) bt Rohan Toole (AUS) 11-1, 11-7, 11-9 (21m)
Lachlan Coxsedge (AUS) bt [5] David Clegg (AUS) 11-8, 3-11, 11-9, 11-8 (34m)
[6] Patrick Miescher (SUI) bt Arnold Phatraprasit (THA) 11-4, 11-3, 11-9 (25m)
Syed Azlan Amjad (QAT) bt Tyler Hawkins (AUS) 11-6, 11-6, 11-5 (35m)
Luke Jones (NZL) bt Luca Wilhelmi (SUI) 12-10, 8-11, 11-8, 11-5 (45m)
[2] Elvinn Keo (MAS) bye
Women’s Final:
[6] Hana Ramadan (EGY) v [5] Jessica Turnbull (AUS)
Semi-finals:
[6] Hana Ramadan (EGY) bt [3] Nouran El Torky (EGY) 9-11, 12-14, 11-9, 13-11, 11-8 (72m)
[5] Jessica Turnbull (AUS) bt [7] Yura Choi (KOR) 11-5, 11-4, 11-8 (23m)
Quarter-finals:
[6] Hana Ramadan (EGY) bt [1] Millie Tomlinson (ENG) 11-8, 11-8, 5-11, 14-12 (49m)
[3] Nouran El Torky (EGY) bt [8] Stephanie Wighton (AUS) 11-8, 11-7, 11-1 (17m)
[5] Jessica Turnbull (AUS) bt [4] Sachika Ingale (IND) 11-7, 11-9, 11-3 (23m)
[7] Yura Choi (KOR) bt [2] Siyoli Waters (RSA) 7-11, 11-8, 11-8, 11-9 (32m)
1st round:
[1] Millie Tomlinson (ENG) bye
[6] Hana Ramadan (EGY) bt Tiffany Hau (USA) 11-0, 11-1, 11-5 (24m)
[8] Stephanie Wighton (AUS) bt Grazia Guida (AUS) 11-8, 11-4, 11-1 (20m)
[3] Nouran El Torky (EGY) bt Eleanor Epke (NZL) 11-3, 11-4, 11-7 (25m)
[4] Sachika Ingale (IND) bt Selena Shaikh (AUS) 8-11, 11-5, 11-5, 11-2 (40m)
[5] Jessica Turnbull (AUS) bt Jasmine Chan (AUS) 11-4, 11-4, 11-5 (21m)
[7] Yura Choi (KOR) bt Elspeth Young (SCO) 11-3, 11-3, 9-11, 11-9 (28m)
[2] Siyoli Waters (RSA) bt [WC] Taylor Flavell (AUS) 11-6, 11-2, 11-3 (21m)
Pictures from Squash Victoria