Jonah Bryant (Photo PSA)
Home favourite and World No.11 Jonah Bryant got his Optasia Squash Championships campaign through an entertaining 11-9, 11-8, 11-3 win over German No.1 Raphael Kandra.
The pair contested several exhibition-style rallies during the 31-minute clash and after two tight opening games went the way of the Englishman, he stormed to victory in game three, winning 11-3.
“It was very open, he’s very skilful, so the rallies were open, and you’re doing a lot of moving, but it was an enjoyable game, very clean and fair and that’s the way I like to play the sport.
“The first two, I gave him too many cheap errors and he hit some great shots, but I closed the court down in the third game and still got my attacking shots in too. I play Surrey Cup here at Wimbledon so this is familiar territory so I can’t wait to play again.”
Training partner of Braynt and one of two wildcards Sam Osborne-Wylde was the first men’s match of the day. He took the opening game against France’s experienced Gregoire Marche but was eventually worn down by the Frenchman who took the match 3-1 to advance.
The Optasia Championships got underway with 16 matches taking place with players advancing to round two with the top seeds awaiting the winners.
The men’s matches also saw two competitive matches take place with the two higher ranked players progressing. Former World No.7 Mohamed Abouelghar came through a challenging fixture with France’s Melvil Scianimanico. ‘The Bullet’ won the first two games and after the up and coming Frenchman clawed a game back, Abouelghar finished the job 13-11, 11-4, 9-11, 11-8.
Pakistan’s Noor Zaman won the only match to go the distance in the afternoon session, beating former World No.5 Mazen Hesham 11-4, 7-11, 11-3, 12-14, 11-2 in 46 minutes. Despite still not moving at full capacity, the skills of Hesham took him to a fifth game, but Zaman’s quality forced Hesham into one too many tough movements, 11-2 was the score in the final game.
Yorkshire’s Sam Todd lost out 6-11, 11-2, 11-8, 9-11, 11-2 to Colombia’s Juan Vargas in the first men’s match of the evening session. After leading 1-0, Todd was put under pressure by the Colombian as he moved ahead to 2-1. Todd battled back in the fourth game and managed to level at 11-9. Vargas looked the better of the two physically and used this to his advantage, claiming the fifth game 11-2. Haya Ali and Curtis Malik were the other winners on the glass court in the evening session, beating Hana Ramadan and Patrick Rooney, respectively.
India’s Ramit Tandon scored the pick of the wins as he defeated former British Open champion Miguel Rodriguez 11-5, 11-9, 4-11, 11-7. Tandon bounced back from his Indian Open disappointment to reach round two. Declan James defeated former World Junior Champion Karim El Hammamy in three games, setting up an all-British clash with Joel Makin in the next round.
Ramit Tandon had this to say after his win:
“That’s sport actually. You can be down one day, and up the next day. Every match is an opportunity.
“I’ve got to thank my team, I was very down in Bombay after the event. I don’t mind losing but I don’t like when I don’t play my best squash.
“I was coming out of my brother’s wedding, you know Indian weddings, they go on for 5, 6 days, and I had also a lot of attention from the press, not enough time on the court, not enough rest. So jumping into the event was a big shot to the system.
England’s Torrie Malik defeated teammate Lucy Turmel in a tightly contested five-game battle 11-9, 6-11, 14-12, 7-11, 11-2 in the women’s draw. Malik took the opening game 11-9 before Turmel equalised at 1-1. With both players determined to control the middle, the referee was called into action several times.
Malik managed the situation better and stole the game 14-12. Turmel responded in strong fashion to force a fifth game but it looked as though the efforts to secure the fourth game took too much toil on Turmel as Malik stormed the decider 11-2 to secure her place in round two.
There was double Egyptian success on the glass court in the women’s draw as both Kenzy Ayman and Zeina Mickawy progressed. Ayman scored the first win of the championships, beating France’s Marie Stephan 11-7, 11-8, 12-10 to kickstart the day’s play. Mickawy needed four games and 44 minutes to see off a spirited Canadian Nicole Bunyan 11-4, 10-12, 11-4, 11-9 .
Elsewhere, over on the side court, Melissa Alves and Rachel Arnold came through their matches with Egyptian duo Nadine Shahin and Amina El Rihany. Alves needed just 21 minutes to overcome Shahin 11-6, 11-9, 11-4 , whereas Arnold was forced to recover from a game down to beat El Rihany 6-11, 11-7, 11-8, 11-5.
Mariam Metwally and Chan Sin Yuk claimed victories in the women’s draw, beating Nour Aboulmakarim and Nour Heikal both in straight games.
First Round Results
Women’s: Kenzy Ayman (EGY) bt. Marie Stephan (FRA) 3-0: 11-7, 11-8, 12-10 (23m); Melissa Alves (FRA) bt. Nadine Shahin (EGY) 3-0: 11-6, 11-9, 11-4 (21m); Zeina Mickawy (EGY) bt. Nicole Bunyan (CAN) 3-1: 11-4, 10-12, 11-4, 11-9 (44m); Rachel Arnold (MAS) bt. Amina El Rihany (EGY) 3-1: 6-11, 11-7, 11-8, 11-5 (34m); Torrie Malik (ENG) bt. Lucy Turmel (ENG) 3-2: 11-9, 6-11, 14-12, 7-11, 11-2 (63m); Mariam Metwally (EGY) bt. Nour Aboulmakarim (EGY) 3-0: 13-11, 11-5, 11-6 (33m); Sin Yuk Chan (HKG) bt. Nour Heikal (EGY) 3-0: 13-11, 11-6, 11-5 (27m); Haya Ali (EGY) bt Hana Ramadan (EGY) 3-1: 12-10, 5-11, 11-7, 12-10 (39m)
Men: Mohamed Abouelghar (EGY) bt. Melvil Scianimanico (FRA) 3-1: 13-11, 11-4, 9-11, 11-8 (54m); Gregoire Marche (FRA) bt. Samuel Osborne – Wylde (ENG) 3-1: 6-11, 11-7, 11-4, 11-8 (50m); Noor Zaman (PAK) bt. Mazen Hesham (EGY) 3-2: 11-4, 7-11, 11-3, 12-14, 11-2 (46m); Jonah Bryant (ENG) bt. Raphael Kandra (GER) 3-0: 11-9, 11-8, 11-3 (31m); Ramit Tandon (IND) bt. Miguel Rodriguez (COL) 3-1: 11-5, 11-9, 4-11, 11-7 (49m); Juan Vargas (COL) bt. Sam Todd (ENG) 3-2: 6-11, 11-2, 11-8, 9-11, 11-2 (63m); Declan James (ENG) bt Karim El Hammamy (EGY) 3-0: 11-6, 11-8, 11-4 (49m); Curtis Malik (ENG) bt Patrick Rooney (ENG) 3-1: 4-11, 11-9, 11-5, 13-11 (57m)
