Unseeded Frenchman Joan Lezaud produced a significant upset in the first round of the Chicago Open when he upset second seed Danish Atlas Khan in straight games to secure an unexpected place in the quarter-finals of the PSA World Tour Challenger 10 squash event at Life Time Athletic in Vernon Hills, Illinois, USA.<\/p>\n
The 27-year-old from Aix-en-Provence, ranked 114 in the world (pictured above with tournament organiser Franz Schwerer), defeated Khan, the world No75 from Pakistan, 11-6, 13-11, 11-7 to set up a last eight encounter with Canadian Graeme Schnell.<\/p>\n
Qualifier Schnell, a 25-year-old from Calgary, booked a surprise place in the quarter-finals – alongside his younger brother Andrew Schnell – when he battled back from 2\/1 down to overcome higher-ranked Englishman Lewis Walters 11-7, 4-11, 6-11, 11-9, 11-6.<\/p>\n
Schnell junior, aged 21, claimed his anticipated place in the next round after seeing off fellow countryman David Letourneau 12-10, 11-6, 11-4.<\/p>\n
“Pleased to get by Dave Letourneau 3-0 today,” tweeted the world No98 later. “Now for the quarters against Martin (Knight)!”\n<\/p>\n
New Zealander Martin Knight is the event’s top seed. The world No47 from Auckland despatched Pakistan qualifier Muhammad Saqib Yousaf 11-6, 11-7, 11-8.<\/p>\n
A notable upset took place in the top half of the draw where 17-year-old Egyptian qualifier Karim El Hammamy – the youngest and lowest-ranked player in the draw – defeated Canadian hope Michael McCue 11-5, 9-11, 11-3, 11-9.<\/p>\n
Playing in only his second PSA Tour event since becoming the surprise winner of the World Junior Championship title in Poland in July, Cairo-based teenager El Hammamy now faces Pakistan’s No3 seed Farhan Zaman for a place in the semi-finals.<\/p>\n
1st round: Unseeded Frenchman Joan Lezaud produced a significant upset in the first round of the Chicago Open when he upset second seed Danish Atlas Khan in straight games to secure an unexpected place in the quarter-finals of the PSA World Tour Challenger 10 squash event at Life Time Athletic in Vernon Hills, Illinois, USA.<\/p>\n The 27-year-old from Aix-en-Provence, ranked 114 in the world (pictured above with tournament organiser Franz Schwerer), defeated Khan, the world No75 from Pakistan, 11-6, 13-11, 11-7 to set up a last eight encounter with Canadian Graeme Schnell.<\/p>\n Qualifier Schnell, a 25-year-old from Calgary, booked a surprise place in the quarter-finals – alongside his younger brother Andrew Schnell – when he battled back from 2\/1 down to overcome higher-ranked Englishman Lewis Walters 11-7, 4-11, 6-11, 11-9, 11-6.<\/p>\n Schnell junior, aged 21, claimed his anticipated place in the next round after seeing off fellow countryman David Letourneau 12-10, 11-6, 11-4.<\/p>\n “Pleased to get by Dave Letourneau 3-0 today,” tweeted the world No98 later. “Now for the quarters against Martin (Knight)!”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":true,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[37],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-17273","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-others"],"yoast_head":"\n
RESULTS: PSA Challenger 10 Chicago Open, Vernon Hills, Illinois, USA<\/strong><\/p>\n
<\/strong>
[1] Martin Knight (NZL) bt [Q] Muhammad Saqib Yousaf (PAK) 11-6, 11-7, 11-8
Andrew Schnell (CAN) bt David Letourneau (CAN) 12-10, 11-6, 11-4
[Q] Karim El Hammamy (EGY) bt Michael McCue (CAN) 11-5, 9-11, 11-3, 11-9
[3] Farhan Zaman (PAK) bt [WC] Karamatullah Khan (PAK) 11-7, 12-10, 11-9
[4] Eric Galvez (MEX) bt [Q] Benjamin Fischer (SUI) 11-9, 11-6, 11-3
Clinton Leeuw (RSA) bt Fred Reid (CAN) 11-6, 11-8, 11-8
[Q] Graeme Schnell (CAN) bt Lewis Walters (ENG) 11-7, 4-11, 6-11, 11-9, 11-6
Joan Lezaud (FRA) bt [2] Danish Atlas Khan (PAK) 11-6, 13-11, 11-7<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"