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Women’s Draw
Hannah Craig was the hometown highlight day 1 of the Cannon Kirk GillenMarkets Irish Squash Open 2024 as she becomes the sole hometown favourite to progress to R2 after a comfortable straight games victory against South African Hayley Ward. Hannah will be back in R2 action on Premier Sports 2 (Sky 419 & VM 417) tomorrow night at 18:45 when she takes on 7th seed Yasshimita Jadish Kumar
The other Irish girls were unable replicate Craig’s success, with Hannah’s namesake Hannah McGugan defeated 3-0 by Scotland’s world no.84 Alison Thomson and Breanne Flynn succumbing to a straight games loss to Lowri Roberts of Wales.
Kaitlyn Watts and Karina Tyma both booked their passage to round 2 with ease. Watts dispatched of Maltese Colette Sultana in 3, while Tyma swept Sofia Aveiro Pita aside 3-0.
Lea Barbeau impressed in the all French affair as she dominated Ana Munos to claim victory in straight games and set up a contest with 5th seed Asia Harris. Additionally, Kiera Marshall dropped just one game as she overcame Ambre Allinckx to set up a showdown with 4th seed Egyptian, Rana Ismail
Tomorrow, top seed Nada Abbas awaits Kaitlyn Watts in R2, while 2nd seed, former runner-up Emily Whitlock takes on Alison Thomson for a quarter-final spot. 3rd seed Torrie Malik matches hometown party spoiler Lowri Roberts in R2, and 6th seed Nadia Pfister challenges Karina Tyma. Finally, Katerina Tycova is rewarded for her R1 win with a match against 8th seed Anna Serme.
Men’s Draw
There was no hometown hero story on the men’s side of the draw as Sam Buckley and Sean Conroy couldn’t muster comebacks in their 3-1 defeats to Noor Zaman and Perry Malik respectively. Buckley went 2 down early on and looked to be mounting an amazing comeback after an 11-2 3rd game victory but world no.84 Noor Zaman closed the match out in 4. Likewise, Conroy was unable to complete a turnaround having fallen 2-1 down after against Perry Malik with the Englishman seeing out a 3-1 victory.
Wins for Malik and Zaman set up mouthwatering ties with 2nd seed George Parker and 3rd seed Todd Harrity respectively.
Teenage sensation Jonah Bryant swept West of Ireland runner-up Viktor Byrtus away in straight games and is rewarded with a tie against fellow English compatriot and 8th seed Finnlay Withington.
Former world no.1 James Willstrop set up a titanic clash with no.1 seed and fellow Englishman Nick Wall as he dispatched James Peach 3-1 in R1.
South African Dewald van Niekerk came from 1 down to defeat Welshman Owain Taylor and will now face 4th seed and tournament darkhorse Lucas Serme in R2.
Spain’s Ivan Perez got over the hurdle of Lwamba Chileshe to set up a clash with 7th seed Ben Smith in R2
Mohamad Zakaria eased through to R2 with a 3-0 victory to set up a challenge with 5th seed Muhammed Asim Khan.
Finally, in-form man, Declan James overcame Scot, Alasdair Prott and will now play 6th seed Daniel Poleshchuk for a quarter-final spot
Full Tournament Draw & Results – here
