It was almost joy for another wildcard in Georgina Kennedy as she fought back from two games down against Malaysia’s Sivasangari Subramaniam in the first match of the day on the glass court.
It couldn’t have been any tighter between the two players with three of the games going to tie-breaks. However, it was the Malaysian that had enough in the tank to take the win in five and book her place in the next round where she will face USA’s Amanda Sobhy, who she memory beat the last time the two played at the 2019-20 PSA World Championships.
“She is better than what she is ranked but I am just relieved to get through the first round,” said Subramaniam.
“I knew it would be a tough match, Gina is a tough player. I knew I had to push hard and take the lead because she is really fast, so definitely I will have to recover well because this was a long match and I hope to come back fresh tomorrow.”
Fellow wildcard Katie Malliff also put up a tough fight, but it was not enough to prevent USA’s Haley Mendez – who was celebrating her 28th birthday – from getting the win as she held off a comeback from the brave English teenager.
It turned out to be a good day for British trio Lucy Turmel, Jasmine Hutton and Emily Whitlock will also bolster the home hopes in the second round as they claimed respective wins over Switzerland’s Cindy Merlo, France’s Enora Villard and Finland’s Emilia Soini.
Welshwoman Whitlock continued her strong form that saw her reach the semi-finals of the Manchester Open last week as she downed Soini 11-6, 11-8, 11-4 to set up a mouthwatering battle with compatriot Tesni Evans in the next round.
“It’s been difficult with the long day yesterday in my room and the really late practice,” said Whitlock.
“I felt okay this morning, but I wish I played an hour earlier. I don’t feel too bad, it’s fine but it’s just starting again on a new court at a new tournament, and it’s actually really dead. She’s firing in these boasts, and I’m having to run a lot, but it’s all good, there are worse problems in the world.
“It’s not on the glass court [against Evans], but it should be a good game either way, so I’m looking forward to it.
“I feel like we play a similar game, but who knows. It’s a new court, a new match, a new day, so it’s anyone’s. The strength and depth of the tour is so strong and it’s a new day tomorrow, so we’ll see how it goes.”
Round two of the British Open takes place tomorrow (August 17) and play starts at 12:00 (GMT+1). Action from the Allam Sport Centre will be broadcast live on SQUASHTV and the official Facebook page of the PSA World Tour (excluding Europe & Japan).
For updates on the Allam British Open, please visit the official tournament website or follow the event on Twitter.
Results - First Round: Men’s 2021 Allam British Open
Abdulla Mohd Al Tamimi (QAT) bt Shahjahan Khan (USA) 3-2: 11-8, 11-7, 4-11, 10-12, 11-6 (66m)
George Parker (ENG) bt [WC] Sam Todd (ENG) 3-0: 11-7, 11-7, 13-11 (43m)
Eain Yow Ng (MAS) bt Benjamin Aubert (FRA) 3-0: 11-6, 11-4, 11-4 (30m)
Todd Harrity (USA) bt Tom Richards (ENG) 3-0: 11-7, 11-9, 11-3 (32m)
Raphael Kandra (GER) bt Karim El Hammamy (EGY) 3-1: 12-10, 11-6, 8-11, 11-3 (68m)
Victor Crouin (FRA) bt Ben Coleman (ENG) 3-0: 11-5, 11-4, 11-5 (32m)
[WC] Nick Wall (ENG) bt Daryl Selby (ENG) 3-1: 8-11, 11-8, 11-7, 11-9 (61m)
Youssef Ibrahim (EGY) bt Sebastien Bonmalais (FRA) 3-1: 11-6, 11-8, 9-11, 11-5 (46m)
Nicolas Mueller (SUI) bt Rui Soares (POR) 3-1: 9-11, 11-3, 11-5, 11-5 (35m)
Borja Golan (ESP) bt Nathan Lake (ENG) 3-1: 8-11, 11-5, 11-6, 11-9 (61m)
Mathieu Castagnet (FRA) bt Ramit Tandon (IND) 3-2: 7-11, 7-11, 11-7, 11-3, 11-4 (64m)
Youssef Soliman (EGY) bt Richie Fallows (ENG) 3-0: 11-7, 11-4, 11-3 (25m)
Alan Clyne (SCO) bt Auguste Dussourd (FRA) 3-0: 11-9, 11-5, 11-3 (37m)
Iker Pajares Bernabeu (ESP) bt Bernat Jaume (ESP) 3-1: 10-12, 11-6, 11-7, 11-6 (50m)
Baptiste Masotti (FRA) bt Joshua Masters (ENG) 3-1: 11-3, 11-1, 9-11, 11-2 (31m)
Lucas Serme (FRA) bt Dimitri Steinmann (SUI) 3-2: 8-11, 11-6, 13-11, 9-11, 11-9 (100m)
Draw - Men's Second Round: To Be Played August 17th
[1] Ali Farag (EGY) v Greg Lobban (SCO)
Mohamed Abouelghar (EGY) v Adrian Waller (ENG)
Omar Mosaad (EGY) v Abdulla Mohd Al Tamimi (QAT)
George Parker (ENG) v [8] Mostafa Asal (EGY)
[5] Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY) v Eain Yow Ng (MAS)
Todd Harrity (USA) v Miguel Rodriguez (COL)
Raphael Kandra (GER) v Victor Crouin (FRA)
[WC] Nick Wall (EGY) v [4] Marwan ElShorbagy (EGY)
[3] Paul Coll (NZL) v Youssef Ibrahim (EGY)
Mazen Hesham (EGY) v Nicolas Mueller (SUI)
Gregoire Marche (FRA) v Borja Golan (ESP)
Mathieu Castagnet (FRA) v [7] Diego Elias (PER)
[6] Fares Dessouky (EGY) v Youssef Soliman (EGY)
Alan Clyne (SCO) v Iker Pajares Bernabeu (ESP)
Baptiste Masotti (FRA) v Lucas Serme (FRA)
Joel Makin (WAL) v [2] Mohamed ElShorbagy (EGY)
Results - First Round: Women’s 2021 Allam British Open
Olivia Fiechter (USA) bt Nadia Pfister (SUI) 3-0: 11-7, 11-5, 11-2 (20m)
Haley Mendez (USA) bt [WC] Katie Malliff (ENG) 3-1: 11-9, 9-11, 11-9, 11-5 (47m)
Lucy Turmel (ENG) bt Cindy Merlo (SUI) 3-0: 11-8, 11-3, 11-4 (25m)
Rachel Arnold (MAS) bt Hana Ramadan (EGY) 3-1: 11-3, 11-9, 10-12, 11-4 (36m)
Sivasangari Subramaniam (MAS) bt [WC] Georgina Kennedy (ENG) 3-2: 15-13, 14-12, 13-15, 9-11, 11-6 (73m)
Milou van der Heijden (NED) bt Marina Stefanoni (USA) 3-0: 11-4, 12-10, 11-5 (27m)
Alexandra Fuller (RSA) bt Cristina Gomez (ESP) 3-1: 10-12, 11-6, 11-8, 11-3 (35m)
Danielle Letourneau (CAN) bt Ineta Mackevica (LAT) 3-0: 11-3, 11-3, 11-8 (19m)
Melissa Alves (FRA) bt Marie Stephan (FRA) 3-0: 11-8, 11-7, 11-8 (30m)
Sabrina Sobhy (USA) bt Lily Taylor (ENG) 3-0: 11-3, 11-4, 11-3 (19m)
Jasmine Hutton (ENG) bt Enora Villard (FRA) 3-0: 11-2, 11-8, 11-5 (29m)
Coline Aumard (FRA) bt Tessa ter Sluis (NED) 3-0: 11-8, 11-4, 11-5 (24m)
Mariam Metwally (EGY) bt Rachael Chadwick (ENG) 3-0: 11-2, 11-4, 11-2 (19m)
Donna Lobban (AUS) bt Anna Serme (CZE) 3-0: 11-6, 11-7, 11-8 (27m)
Emily Whitlock (WAL) bt Emilia Soini (FIN) 3-0: 11-6, 11-8, 11-4 (27m)
Zeina Mickawy (EGY) bt Nicole Bunyan (CAN) 3-0: 12-10, 11-8, 11-8 (29m)
Draw - Women's Second Round: To Be Played August 17th
[1] Nour El Sherbini (EGY) v Olivia Fiechter (USA)
Joshna Chinappa (IND) v Haley Mendez (USA)
Lucy Turmel (ENG) v Rachel Arnold (MAS)
Nadine Shahin (EGY) v [8] Salma Hany (EGY)
[6] Amanda Sobhy (USA) v Sivasangari Subramaniam (MAS)
Olivia Clyne (USA) v Milou van der Heijden (NED)
Rowan Elaraby (EGY) v Alexandra Fuller (RSA)
Danielle Letourneau (CAN) v [3] Camille Serme (FRA)
[4] Hania El Hammamy (EGY) v Hollie Naughton (CAN)
Melissa Alves (FRA) v Nele Gilis (BEL)
Sabrina Sobhy (USA) v Tinne Gilis (BEL)
Jasmine Hutton (ENG) v [7] Joelle King (NZL)
[5] Sarah-Jane Perry (ENG) v Coline Aumard (FRA)
Mariam Metwally (EGY) v Donna Lobban (AUS)
Tesni Evans (WAL) v Emily Whitlock (WAL)
Zeina Mickawy (EGY) v [2] Nouran Gohar (EGY)
