In the women’s event, 18-year-old Egyptian Malak Khafagy scored the biggest upset of the day as she conjured up a surprise victory over England’s World No.26 Jasmine Hutton over at the Devoy Squash & Fitness Centre, which is hosting some of the matches across the first two days of the event.
At 70 minutes, the match was the longest fixture of day one and went deep into a fifth-game tie-break. Both women saved multiple match balls, and it was World No.93 Khafagy who held her nerve to claim the biggest win of her career.
“I was so nervous, I didn’t imagine I could win but I am so happy to get the win,” Khafagy said.
“I have had a tough time with tie-breaks and being 10-8 up, it is my fear. I am so glad I won the last game. She is so good… I am so over the moon right now. I don’t know what to say, I was shaking after the match, I am so happy.”
Khafagy will go up against No.7 seed Hollie Naughton for a place in the quarter-finals. Back at the Trustpower Arena, Australia’s Jessica Turnbull earned a second round berth after coming back from a game down to beat 9/16 seed Salma Eltayeb.
Turnbull’s reward is a fixture against top seed and World No.5 Joelle King. The pair met in the Nations Cup last week, and Turnbull is looking forward to testing herself against the crowd favourite once again.
“Playing Joelle last week was a great experience, she’s a world-class player and I love the way she plays,” Turnbull said.
“She’s another tall girl, so it’s lovely to see and learn from someone like her. Unfortunately, I didn’t pick up too much that would help me beat her, but I’m so excited to get on court with her again and to make the second round of my first ever Silver event.”
The New Zealand Open continues tomorrow (November 9) as the second round begins. Action from the glass court at the Trustpower Arena will be shown live on SQUASHTV.
For more on the New Zealand Open, visit the PSA website or follow the PSA on Twitter, Facebook, Instagra
Results - Men’s First Round: 2022 Robertson Lodges New Zealand Open
Timothy Brownell (USA) bt Christopher Gordon (USA) 3-1: 11-6, 8-11, 11-3, 11-3 (41m)
Greg Lobban (SCO) bt Rex Hedrick (AUS) 3-0: 11-6, 11-7, 11-6 (45m)
Balazs Farkas (HUN) bt Syed Azlan Amjad (QAT) 3-0: 13-11, 11-8, 11-7 (37m)
David Baillargeon (CAN) bt [WC] Lwamba Chileshe (NZL) 3-1: 11-7, 11-4, 8-11, 11-1 (52m)
Henry Leung (HKG) bt Spencer Lovejoy (USA) 3-1: 5-11, 11-5, 11-7, 11-6 (43m)
Andrew Douglas (USA) bt Tsz Kwan Lau (HKG) 3-0: 11-4, 12-10, 11-8 (33m)
Leandro Romiglio (ARG) bt Martin Svec (CZE) 3-0: 11-7, 14-12, 11-6 (35m)
Charlie Lee (ENG) bt. Addeen Idrakie (MAS) 3-0: 11-3, 11-3, 11-3 (28m)
Draw - Men’s Second Round: To Be Played November 9th
[1] Paul Coll (NZL) bt Timothy Brownell (USA)
Greg Lobban (SCO) v [6] Adrian Waller (ENG)
[7] Abdulla Mohd Al Tamimi (QAT) v Balazs Farkas (HUN)
David Baillargeon (CAN) v [4] Miguel Rodriguez (COL)
[3] Victor Crouin (FRA) v Henry Leung (HKG)
Andrew Douglas (FRA) v [8] Sebastien Bonmalais (FRA)
[5] Saurav Ghosal (IND) v Leandro Romiglio (ARG)
Charlie Lee (ENG) v [2] Mohamed ElShorbagy (EGY)
Results - Women’s First Round: 2022 Barfoot & Thompson New Zealand Open
Jessica Turnbull (AUS) bt Salma Eltayeb (EGY) 3-1: 2-11, 11-9, 11-7, 11-8 (33m)
Ka Yi Lee (HKG) bt Rana Ismail (EGY) 3-1: 11-4, 11-7, 10-12, 11-9 (33m)
Olivia Clyne (USA) bt Sarah Cardwell (AUS) 3-0: 11-9, 11-6, 11-5 (24m)
Satomi Watanabe (JPN) bt Nadia Pfister (SUI) 3-0: 11-4, 11-6, 11-8 (23m)
Tsz-Wing Tong (HKG) bt Alicia Mead (ENG) 3-0: 11-7, 11-4, 11-8 (29m)
Malak Khafagy (EGY) bt Jasmine Hutton (ENG) 3-2: 9-11, 11-3, 10-12, 14-12, 16-14 (70m)
[WC] Kaitlyn Watts (NZL) bt [9/16] Lisa Aitken (SCO) w/o
[9/16] Tomato Ho (HKG) bt Saskia Beinhard (GER) 3-0: 11-6, 11-4, 11-4 (25m)
Draw - Women’s Second Round: To Be Played November 9th
[1] Joelle King (NZL) bt Jessica Turnbull (EGY)
Ka Yi Lee (HKG) v [8] Sabrina Sobhy (USA)
[5] Tinne Gilis (BEL) v Olivia Clyne (USA)
Satomi Watanabe (JPN) v [3] Salma Hany (EGY)
[4] Nele Gilis (BEL) v Tsz-Wing Tong (HKG)
Malak Khafagy (EGY) v [7] Hollie Naughton (CAN)
[6] Tesni Evans (WAL) v [WC] Kaitlyn Watts (NZL)
Tomato Ho (HKG) v [2] Sarah-Jane Perry (ENG)
