Australian Open 2024

Egyptian pair Salma Hany and Youssef Soliman have been crowned the City Tattersalls Group Australian Open 2024 champions after defeating Amina Orfi and Victor Crouin at the University of Sydney.

Hany clinched her maiden piece of silverware on the PSA World Tour with her success in Sydney, as the top seed overcame second seed Orfi in straight games.

“Very happy, obviously. I’m very proud of myself this week, I produced some good squash and today’s opponent Amina is such a strong player, she’s been pushing all of the top players and to play the final with her was great,” she said. “I’m glad I stayed solid and kept my calm, managed to stick to the plan and I enjoyed my time out there.

“I was 10-4, match ball in the third and I dropped my focus a little bit and she was coming back strong and I managed to win it 11-9. I was able to keep my focus and calm throughout the match and that was the key today. “My head was clear and I was able to think and react to everything she did on court. I’m really happy with the week and to win the title.”

In the men’s final second seed Soliman dispatched top seed Crouin 3-1 to secure his second Bronze-level title in as many months having triumphed at the Squash on Fire Open in Washington D.C. in February.

“I’m over the moon to have this title,” he said. “It’s been a very tough week, the conditions have been very tough and to play Victor [Crouin] in the final for a Bronze event – he’s World No.11 and I’m No.12 – and we both came here to win the title.

“He was coming back when I was 2-0 up and I’m glad with the way that I managed it in the fourth. It’s been a tough week and I’m feeling relieved.”

 

Semis : Top seeds to battle for titles in Sydney

The finals of the City Tattersalls Group Australian Open 2024 will be contested between the top two seeds in the men’s and women’s competitions of the Bronze-level event after Salma Hany, Amina Orfi, Victor Crouin and Youssef Soliman all prevailed in their semi final clashes at the University of Sydney.

Women’s top seed Hany maintained her excellent streak in Sydney after downing her Egyptian compatriot Sana Ibrahim 3-0. It will be an all-Egyptian showdown in the women’s event after 16-year-old second  seed Orfi overcame Tomato Ho 3-1 to reach a final on the PSA World Tour for the fourth time in her fledgling career.

The top seed in the men’s competition Crouin dispatched Swiss #2 Dimitri Steinmann in four games to earn his place in tomorrow’s title decider. It will be the second time Crouin meets Soliman in a final of a Bronze-level event after the second seed produced an accomplished performance to beat Sebastien Bonmalais.

Quarters : Top seeds through to semis in Sydney

Sana Ibrahim and Sebastien Bonmalais are into the semi finals of a PSA World Tour event for the first time after they progressed to the last four in Sydney.

Ibrahim beat third seeded Rachel Arnold in four games, and now meets Salam Hany after the top seed ended the run of Aira Azman in straight games. The other women’s semi final  pits fourth seed Tomato Ho against second seed Amina Orfi. Ho fought back from a game down to see off Chan Yiwen Chan 3-1, while Orfi delivered a clinical display against Marie Stephan, winning in straight games.

In the men’s event Bonmalais earned his maiden semi final appearance on the World Tour after defeating Henry Leung in straight games. The Frenchman now meets second seed Youssef Soliman for a place in the final after the World #12 overcame David Baillargeon in straight games.

Men’s top seed Victor Crouin will take on fourth seed Dimitri Steinmann for the third time on the World Tour in the other semi final.

Round Two :

It was a good day for the men’s seeds in Sydney as all eight won through to the quarter-finals, while in the women’s draw Malaysia’s Chan Yiwen and Aira Azman upset seeds (in Aira’s case it was her sister Aifa!) to reach the last eight.

Top seeds Salma Hany and Victor Crouin both made excellent starts to their City Tattersalls Group Australian Open 2024 campaigns after they progressed to the quarter finals in straight games of the Bronze-level event at the University of Sydney.

Hany was in impressive form against Akanksha Salunkhe, only dropping six points over the three games as the World No.11 clinched the match in just 21 minutes.

“For the first match of the tournament I wanted to make sure I made a good start and it’s always nice to play someone new – I’ve never played her before,” she said. “I prepared pretty well for the match and I’m happy with playing some good squash and getting through in three.”

French No.1 Crouin overcame his fellow countryman Toufik Mekhalfi to reach the last eight in Sydney. Crouin, who won this event in 2019 on the PSA Challenger Tour, was tested by the World No.75 in what was the pair’s first-ever encounter on the PSA World Tour.

Elsewhere, home interest ended after Jessica Turnbull and Sarah Cardwell were defeated by Sana Ibrahim and Marie Stephan.

Round One : Salunkhe And Cheng Produce Comebacks on Opening Day

Akanksha Salunkhe and Cheng Nga Ching both produced stunning comebacks in their round one matches of the City Tattersalls Group Australian Open 2024 Bronze-level event at the University of Sydney.

Salunkhe overturned a 2-0 deficit against Jacqueline Peychär to win in 55 minutes and deny the Austrian an appearance in the second round of a PSA World Tour event for the first time. Meanwhile Cheng secured her place in round two by fighting back from 2-1 down against Yasshmita Jadish Kumar in one of the opening matches of the day.

“I’m very happy to get through to the second round,” said Cheng. “This is my second Bronze event – the first one was in Hong Kong. It was a really tough match for me in the first round because we played up to 14-12 in the first game. It was a really important game for me as she came back as she changed the pace. But I managed to get back in the fourth and the fifth.

“I tried to move her around the court and I think she was a little bit tired, so I tried to move her as much as possible, dominate the ‘T’ and play some good shots.”

Home hopes in the men’s draw were ended in round one, with Australian trio Joseph White and tournament wildcards Rhys Dowling and Dylan Molinaro exiting.

VENUE Update

All matches of the 2024 City Tattersall’s Group Squash Australian Open scheduled for Martin Place will now be played at Sydney University.

Construction of the all-glass court in Sydney’s CBD commenced last Thursday, however poor weather since Saturday has impacted the build which now cannot safely be completed prior to Sunday’s finals.

“The all-glass court in Martin Place was generating fantastic interest through the squash and wider community, which makes this outcome incredibly disappointing,” said Robert Donaghue, Squash Australia CEO.
“Construction was on-schedule last Friday, however the rain and wind we have experienced since then, and a forecast of high winds over the next 24-48 hours, means there is now simply not enough time to safely construct the court and complete final venue bump in.”