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Tribune News Network
Doha
India’s Ramit Tandon and Mahesh Mangaonkar kicked off their 2021 edition of the Qatar Q-Terminals Classic in style with a hard-fought opening wins while veterans Borja Colan of Spain and Englishman James Willstrop also moved up into the second round on Sunday.
Day one of the week-long championship at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex did not produce any big surprises but Tandon (World No. 46) provided for thrills galore as he battled past Scotland’s Greg Lobban (World No. 32) 11-9, 11-7, 9-11, 12-14, 11-8 in exactly an hour’s time.
The 29-year-old Tandon found himself 2-0 up after an accurate showing in quickfire exchanges against Lobban, who cut a frustrated figure on court. However, the Scottish player fought his way back into contention in the third before drawing back level on his fifth game ball attempt in the fourth.
In round two, Tandon will face England’s Patrick Rooney, who beat the winner of Hong Kong’s Tsz Fung Yip 11-3, 9-11, 11-6, 5-11, 11-9.
“It’s my first win in Doha, so I’m excited about that,” said Tandon afterwards. “I love the city, it’s an amazing city and I’ve been coming here since I was 12-years-old when they have the junior events and unfortunately on the PSA I was yet to get a win. I think the glass court is lucky for me because my previous matches I have been on the side courts and it’s not gone down too well, so I’m excited to be here.”
Mahesh Mangaonkar (World No.55) completed his first-ever 11-7, 11-6, 3-11, 11-2 win at a PSA World Tour Platinum event with a commanding performance against Scotland’s Alan Clyne.
Mangaonkar showed top from powering into a 2-0 lead.
Clyne did mount a comeback of sorts in the third game as he elongated the rallies and pushed Mangaonkar around all four corners of the court.
That revival was short-lived though as Mangaonkar took the first nine points of the fourth game, and he converted the win to set up a second round fixture with Germany’s Raphael Kandra.
“It’s like a dream come true,” said Mangaonkar. “I’ve been playing World Series tournaments since 2014, and this is my first win in a Platinum event. I have won a few matches at the World Championship, but this is my first and it feels great. I didn’t give up and I’m really happy. I was very nervous because we played last week in Cleveland and he absolutely demolished me. He had that mental edge over me, so I’m glad I got through.”
Mangaonkar had big praise for the organisers. “It’s amazing how Qatar knows exactly how to take care of players. Whether it’s a Challenger event or a Platinum event, they’re all top-class, well organised, and everything is just spot on,” he said.
In what was a swift round, England’s former World No.1 James Willstrop took just 18 minutes to dispatch USA’s Faraz Khan in straight games.
The 38-year-old dominated against Khan to wrap up an 11-1, 11-4, 11-3 victory.
“I have the experienced today, I’ve been here about 500 times,” said Willstrop.
Willstrop will take on US Open finalist Tarek Momen next and Willstrop says movement will be the key.
“I’ll have to be quick and move well on here, and for a big galoot like me that’s not always easy,” Willstrop said.
Rui Soares (World No. 68), who entered the main draw only on Thursday due to a withdrawal from England’s Richie Fallows scored a quick-fire 3-2 victory over Mexico’s Cezar Salazar.
The Portuguese will take on No.2 seed Paul Coll in the second round.
Results: George Parker (ENG) bt Bernat Jaume (ESP) 3-2: 3-11, 9-11, 14-12, 13-11, 11-6 (76m); Ramit Tandon (IND) bt Greg Lobban (SCO) 3-2: 11-9, 11-7, 9-11, 12-14, 11-8 (60m); Patrick Rooney (ENG) bt Tsz Fung Yip (HKG) 3-2: 11-3, 9-11, 11-6, 5-11, 11-9 (46m); Iker Pajares Bernabeu (ESP) bt Dimitri Steinmann (SUI) 3-2: 11-4, 11-9, 10-12, 10-12, 11-7 (86m); Declan James (ENG) bt [WC] Syed Azlan Amjad (QAT) 3-0: 11-4, 11-5, 11-7 (35m); Sebastien Bonmalais (FRA) bt Cesar Salazar (MEX) 3-1: 12-10, 6-11, 11-3, 2-0 rtd (48m); Raphael Kandra (GER) bt [WC] Abdulrahman Al-Malki (QAT) 3-0: 11-2, 11-7, 11-5 (22m); Mahesh Mangaonkar (IND) bt Alan Clyne (SCO) 3-1: 11-7, 11-6, 3-11, 11-2 (48m); Borja Golan (ESP) bt Todd Harrity (USA) 3-1: 13-11, 11-8, 7-11, 11-2 (50m); James Willstrop (ENG) bt Faraz Khan (USA) 3-0: 11-1, 11-4, 11-3 (18m); Lucas Serme (FRA) bt Mazen Gamal (EGY) 3-0: 11-4, 11-5, 11-6 (40m); Tom Richards (ENG) bt Shahjahan Khan (USA) 3-0: 14-12, 11-5, 11-5 (41m); Adrian Waller (ENG) bt Nathan Lake (ENG) 3-2: 5-11, 6-11, 11-7, 11-7, 11-9 (66m); Mohamed ElSherbini (EGY) bt Christopher Gordon (USA) 3-2: 3-2: 11-9, 12-10, 10-12, 9-11, 11-3 (75m); Nicolas Mueller (SUI) bt Ryosei Kobayashi (JPN) 3-2: 11-9, 8-11, 7-11, 11-9, 11-7 (63m); Rui Soares (POR) bt Arturo Salazar (MEX) 3-2: 7-11, 11-6, 4-11, 11-6, 11-6 (39m)
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Second Round Fixtures (Monday)
[1] Mohamed ElShorbagy (EGY) v Youssef Ibrahim (EGY)
Mazen Hesham (EGY) v George Parker (ENG)
Ramit Tandon (IND) v Patrick Rooney (ENG)
Iker Pajares Bernabeu (ESP) v [8] Joel Makin (WAL)
[6] Diego Elias (PER) v Declan James (ENG)
Sebastien Bonmalais (FRA) v Gregoire Marche (FRA)
Raphael Kandra (GER) v Mahesh Mangaonkar (IND)
Borja Golan (ESP) v [4] Marwan ElShorbagy (EGY)
[3] Tarek Momen (EGY) v James Willstrop (ENG)
Lucas Serme (FRA) v Tom Richards (ENG)
Youssef Soliman (EGY) v Omar Mosaad (EGY)
Saurav Ghosal (IND) v [7] Mostafa Asal (EGY)
[5] Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY) v Mohamed Abouelghar (EGY)
Adrian Waller (ENG) v Mohamed ElSherbini (EGY)
Nicolas Mueller (SUI) v Baptiste Masotti (FRA)
Rui Soares (POR) v [2] Paul Coll (NZL)
Doha
India’s Ramit Tandon and Mahesh Mangaonkar kicked off their 2021 edition of the Qatar Q-Terminals Classic in style with a hard-fought opening wins while veterans Borja Colan of Spain and Englishman James Willstrop also moved up into the second round on Sunday.
Day one of the week-long championship at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex did not produce any big surprises but Tandon (World No. 46) provided for thrills galore as he battled past Scotland’s Greg Lobban (World No. 32) 11-9, 11-7, 9-11, 12-14, 11-8 in exactly an hour’s time.
The 29-year-old Tandon found himself 2-0 up after an accurate showing in quickfire exchanges against Lobban, who cut a frustrated figure on court. However, the Scottish player fought his way back into contention in the third before drawing back level on his fifth game ball attempt in the fourth.
In round two, Tandon will face England’s Patrick Rooney, who beat the winner of Hong Kong’s Tsz Fung Yip 11-3, 9-11, 11-6, 5-11, 11-9.
“It’s my first win in Doha, so I’m excited about that,” said Tandon afterwards. “I love the city, it’s an amazing city and I’ve been coming here since I was 12-years-old when they have the junior events and unfortunately on the PSA I was yet to get a win. I think the glass court is lucky for me because my previous matches I have been on the side courts and it’s not gone down too well, so I’m excited to be here.”
Mahesh Mangaonkar (World No.55) completed his first-ever 11-7, 11-6, 3-11, 11-2 win at a PSA World Tour Platinum event with a commanding performance against Scotland’s Alan Clyne.
Mangaonkar showed top from powering into a 2-0 lead.
Clyne did mount a comeback of sorts in the third game as he elongated the rallies and pushed Mangaonkar around all four corners of the court.
That revival was short-lived though as Mangaonkar took the first nine points of the fourth game, and he converted the win to set up a second round fixture with Germany’s Raphael Kandra.
“It’s like a dream come true,” said Mangaonkar. “I’ve been playing World Series tournaments since 2014, and this is my first win in a Platinum event. I have won a few matches at the World Championship, but this is my first and it feels great. I didn’t give up and I’m really happy. I was very nervous because we played last week in Cleveland and he absolutely demolished me. He had that mental edge over me, so I’m glad I got through.”
Mangaonkar had big praise for the organisers. “It’s amazing how Qatar knows exactly how to take care of players. Whether it’s a Challenger event or a Platinum event, they’re all top-class, well organised, and everything is just spot on,” he said.
In what was a swift round, England’s former World No.1 James Willstrop took just 18 minutes to dispatch USA’s Faraz Khan in straight games.
The 38-year-old dominated against Khan to wrap up an 11-1, 11-4, 11-3 victory.
“I have the experienced today, I’ve been here about 500 times,” said Willstrop.
Willstrop will take on US Open finalist Tarek Momen next and Willstrop says movement will be the key.
“I’ll have to be quick and move well on here, and for a big galoot like me that’s not always easy,” Willstrop said.
Rui Soares (World No. 68), who entered the main draw only on Thursday due to a withdrawal from England’s Richie Fallows scored a quick-fire 3-2 victory over Mexico’s Cezar Salazar.
The Portuguese will take on No.2 seed Paul Coll in the second round.
Results: George Parker (ENG) bt Bernat Jaume (ESP) 3-2: 3-11, 9-11, 14-12, 13-11, 11-6 (76m); Ramit Tandon (IND) bt Greg Lobban (SCO) 3-2: 11-9, 11-7, 9-11, 12-14, 11-8 (60m); Patrick Rooney (ENG) bt Tsz Fung Yip (HKG) 3-2: 11-3, 9-11, 11-6, 5-11, 11-9 (46m); Iker Pajares Bernabeu (ESP) bt Dimitri Steinmann (SUI) 3-2: 11-4, 11-9, 10-12, 10-12, 11-7 (86m); Declan James (ENG) bt [WC] Syed Azlan Amjad (QAT) 3-0: 11-4, 11-5, 11-7 (35m); Sebastien Bonmalais (FRA) bt Cesar Salazar (MEX) 3-1: 12-10, 6-11, 11-3, 2-0 rtd (48m); Raphael Kandra (GER) bt [WC] Abdulrahman Al-Malki (QAT) 3-0: 11-2, 11-7, 11-5 (22m); Mahesh Mangaonkar (IND) bt Alan Clyne (SCO) 3-1: 11-7, 11-6, 3-11, 11-2 (48m); Borja Golan (ESP) bt Todd Harrity (USA) 3-1: 13-11, 11-8, 7-11, 11-2 (50m); James Willstrop (ENG) bt Faraz Khan (USA) 3-0: 11-1, 11-4, 11-3 (18m); Lucas Serme (FRA) bt Mazen Gamal (EGY) 3-0: 11-4, 11-5, 11-6 (40m); Tom Richards (ENG) bt Shahjahan Khan (USA) 3-0: 14-12, 11-5, 11-5 (41m); Adrian Waller (ENG) bt Nathan Lake (ENG) 3-2: 5-11, 6-11, 11-7, 11-7, 11-9 (66m); Mohamed ElSherbini (EGY) bt Christopher Gordon (USA) 3-2: 3-2: 11-9, 12-10, 10-12, 9-11, 11-3 (75m); Nicolas Mueller (SUI) bt Ryosei Kobayashi (JPN) 3-2: 11-9, 8-11, 7-11, 11-9, 11-7 (63m); Rui Soares (POR) bt Arturo Salazar (MEX) 3-2: 7-11, 11-6, 4-11, 11-6, 11-6 (39m)
.
Second Round Fixtures (Monday)
[1] Mohamed ElShorbagy (EGY) v Youssef Ibrahim (EGY)
Mazen Hesham (EGY) v George Parker (ENG)
Ramit Tandon (IND) v Patrick Rooney (ENG)
Iker Pajares Bernabeu (ESP) v [8] Joel Makin (WAL)
[6] Diego Elias (PER) v Declan James (ENG)
Sebastien Bonmalais (FRA) v Gregoire Marche (FRA)
Raphael Kandra (GER) v Mahesh Mangaonkar (IND)
Borja Golan (ESP) v [4] Marwan ElShorbagy (EGY)
[3] Tarek Momen (EGY) v James Willstrop (ENG)
Lucas Serme (FRA) v Tom Richards (ENG)
Youssef Soliman (EGY) v Omar Mosaad (EGY)
Saurav Ghosal (IND) v [7] Mostafa Asal (EGY)
[5] Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY) v Mohamed Abouelghar (EGY)
Adrian Waller (ENG) v Mohamed ElSherbini (EGY)
Nicolas Mueller (SUI) v Baptiste Masotti (FRA)
Rui Soares (POR) v [2] Paul Coll (NZL)
