Thursday Preview
The NASH Cup enters the quarter finals with 14 of the top 16 seeds still in the draw. Some notes (colour commentary) on each match are included on each match to prepare you for the action.
It will be a busy day for our visiting professionals with a Doubles Pro/AM Calcutta at London Squash from noon to 3pm and an Exhibition Match in Chatham (Maple City Squash) at 5:30pm.
It’s a full house tonight. Be sure to arrive early and grab your beverage before sitting down.
Thursday Quarter Final Match Schedule
(square bracket is the player’s tournament seeding; number with country is their world ranking)
Court 2 4:30pm [1] Melissa Alves (FRA; 45) vs. [7] Nikki Todd (CAN; 62)
Melissa Alves gained last minute entry to the 2018 NASH Cup ranked 194th in the world. She proved that ranking meant nothing and made it to the quarter finals.
After a great year in the PSA Melissa returns as the tournament’s top seed looking to be the first French Athlete to claim the NASH Cup trophy.
Nikki Todd is making her 7th NASH Cup appearance (10th if you include the times there was no women’s draw and she played in the amateur). She has made it to the Semi-Finals or better 6 times.
Nikki and Melissa faced off in the 2018 NASH Cup (second round) with Melissa winning 3-1.
Court 1 4:30pm [1] Vikram Malhotra (IND; 63) vs. [7] Reiko Peter (SUI; 116)
Vikram Malhotra is returning for his second NASH Cup after losing to Chris Binnie in the 2018 Semi-Finals. A win tonight could lead to a rematch.
After the 2018 NASH Cup Vikram continued to the Aspin Cup in Charlottetown which he won. Reiko was his quarter final opponent and he took the match 3-1.
Reiko Peter returns for his second NASH Cup. The last was in 2015. He’s been playing PSA since 2006 and has suggested that the NASH Cup may be one of his final stops.
Court 1 5:45pm [8] Donna Lobban (AUS; 64) vs. [3] Enora Villard (FRA; 55)
This is Donna’s first NASH Cup appearance. She has been ranked as high as 13th in the PSA.
Enora is back for her 3rd NASH Cup and this is her first quarter final appearance.
These players have no PSA experience against each other.
Court 2 5:45pm [5] Christopher Binnie (JAM; 96) vs. [4] Leonel Cardenas (MEX;79)
Chris knows he had a shot at the 2018 NASH Cup and is looking to take the title this time. He took down world #1 Junior Mostafa Asal, who is now ranked in the worlds top 30, before falling to Alfredo Avila in the final. This is Chris’s 3rd NASH Cup appearance.
Leonel is at London Squash for the first time. He’s favour by rank, but it’s going to come down to how the two playing styles mix.
These players have not met before in PSA competition
Court 2 7:00pm [4] Emilia Soini (FIN; 57) vs. [10] Cindy Merlo (SUI; 74)
Emilia and Cindy are both first time NASH Cup participants, and both enter near the best ranking of their carriers. Both have appeared in 2 PSA finals, but neither has claimed a title yet
These players have not met before in PSA competition
Court 1 7:00pm [3] Alfredo Avila (MEX; 71) vs. [8] Cameron Seth (CAN; 126)
Alfredo first came to the NASH Cup in 2010 as a junior and returned for the first time in 2018. He was a finalist in 2010 and champion in 2018. He’s looking to be the 3rd player to take the trophy twice.
Cameron Seth is a rising Canadian with something to prove. This is his 5th NASH Cup and his first appearance in the quarter finals.
These players have not met before in PSA competition
Court 1 8:15pm [2] Jasmine Hutton (ENG;54) vs. [13] Alison Thomson (SCO;78)
Jasmine returns for her second NASH Cup. In 2018 she was taken by surprise in the opening round against Melissa Alves, but so far in 2019 she has owned the court.
Ali Thomson returns for her 5th NASH Cup and second appearance in the quarter finals.
These players have not met before in PSA competition
Court 2 8:15pm [6] Lyell Fuller (ENG; 108) vs. [2] Auguste Dussourd (FRA; 68)
This is Lyell’s 4th NASH Cup and first time to the Semi-Finals. Lyell has 2 PSA titles.
Dussourd joins the NASH Cup for the first time. His current ranking of 66 (Sept) is within one of his best level. He has 6 PSA titles to his name and will continue to Charlottetown next week as the #1 seed.
Lyell and Auguste faced off in opening round of the AJ Bell PSA World Championships with Auguste winning 3-1.
Further back they matched up in a 2014 Semi-Final where Auguste pulled out a tight 3-2 win.