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Cape Town - South African No 2-ranked player Christo Potgieter fell to a shock defeat to Egyptian Abdallah Elmasry as the SA Open kicked off at the Western Province Squash Club in Cape Town.
The Professional Squash Association (PSA) sanctioned tournament sees South Africa’s top squash players taking on a powerful international field led by the Frenchman Lucas Serme alongside Egyptian Salma Youssef.
Day 1 of the tournament saw the men’s round of 24 hosted at the Western Province Squash Club in Cape Town.
Eight matches took place to determine the eight players that will progress to face the eight seeded players in the tournament in the round of 16 taking place on Tuesday.
A predictable day saw the favourites easily progress to the next round with comfortable wins, that was until the final match of the day with South African hopeful Potgieter taking on PSA world No 452, Elmasry.
The first game lasted 16 minutes with both players going toe-to-toe in which Elmasry finally won 16-14. Potgieter fought back in the second game to take it 11-7 and tie the match. Unfortunately, Potgieter wasn’t able to build on the switch in momentum and lost the third game 11-6, before a few sloppy shots in the final game saw him lose 11-2.
The SA Open continues on Tuesday for the second day’s action, which will see the round of 16 played at the Western Province Squash Club.
Those who progress to the quarter-finals will then head to the V&A Waterfront in the all glass squash court where the real action will begin.
SA Open results - Day 1:
Faisal Hassan (ZIM) beat Robert Howarth (RSA) 11-4, 12-10, 11-6
Gary Wheadon (RSA) beat Tremayne McDonald (RSA) 11-6, 11-0, 11-6
Ruan Olivier (RSA) beat Javier Martin (ESP) 11-8, 8-11, 11-6, 11-5
Abdelrahman Abdelkhalek (EGY) beat Armando Olguin (MEX) 11-2, 11-5, 11-4
Hazen Helmy (EGY) beat Jacques Duminy (RSA) 11-5, 8-11, 11-4, 11-9
Wayne Sithole (RSA) beat Hayden Worth (RSA) 11-1, 11-3, 11-6
Kelvin Ndhlovu (ZAM) beat Makho Ntuli (RSA) 11-5, 12-10, 11-5
Abdallah Elmasry (EGY) beat Christo Potgieter (RSA) 16-14, 7-11, 11-6, 11-2
SA Open fixtures - Day 2:
(W) 16:30 – (8) Alexa Pienaar (RSA) vs Jordyn Campbell (RSA)
(W) 16:30 – (6) Marie Stephan (FRA) vs Bongi Seroto (RSA)
(M) 17:15 - Ruan Olivier (RSA) vs (4) Tristan Eysele (RSA)
(M) 17:15 – (3) Ahmed Hosny (EGY) vs Kelvin Ndhlovu (ZAM)
(M) 17:15 – (8) Khaled Labib (EGY) vs Faisal Hassan (ZIM)
(M) 18:15 – (6) Blessing Muhwati (ZIM) vs Abdelrahman Abdelkhalek (EGY)
(M) 18:15 – Abdallah Elmasry (EGY) vs Ahmed Hassan (ZIM)
(W) 18:15 – Siyoli Waters (RSA) vs Farah Momen (EGY)
(M) 19:00 – (2) Youssef Ibrahim (EGY) vs Gary Wheadon (RSA)
(W) 19:00 – Makgosi Peloakgosi (RSA) vs (5) Milnay Louw (RSA)
(W) 19:00 – (4) Cindy Merlo (SUI) vs Thaisa Serafini (BRA)
(M) 19:45 – (1) Lucas Serme (FRA) vs Wayne Sithole (RSA)
(M) 19:45 – Hazen Helmy (EGY) vs Omar Elkattan (EGY)
SA Open schedule:
August 5-6: Round of 32 & Round of 16 – Western Province Squash Club
August 7 (Quarter-finals) 17:30-21:00 – V&A Waterfront
August 8 (Quarter-finals) 17:30-21:00 – V&A Waterfront
August 9 (Semi-finals) 17:30-21:00 – V&A Waterfront
August 10 (Finals) 15:30-18:00 – V&A Waterfront
