Nick Wall reaches final of 2024 PSA Charlottesville Open

Nick Wall was denied a successful title defence in the final of PSA Charlottesville Open by Pakistan No.1 Muhammad Asim Khan who closed-out a 65-minute 12-14 12-10 11-5 11-6 victory over the defending champion at Boar’s Head Resort in Virginia, USA.

The Englishman, who had come through a five-game semi-final battle with Moustafa Elsirty just 24 hours earlier, made a fast start in the eagerly anticipated final to open-up a 4-1 lead in the opening game. However, the lefthander was unable to shake-off a determined challenge from the Pakistani No.1 who remained within touching distance throughout a tense 20-minute first game which was eventually settled in a tiebreak, secured 14-12 by the Englishman with a spectacular backhand winner.

The second game followed a similar pattern with the referee called upon several times before Khan levelled the match at one game apiece after facing two game balls at 10-8 before winning four consecutive points.

Playing with greater confidence and freedom as the match progressed, Khan slowly began to take control of the final to win the third game 11-5 and eventually close-out the match by winning the fourth game 11-6.

Professional Squash Association (PSA) Charlottesville Squash Open 2024, Boars Head Resort, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
Final:
Muhammad Asim Khan (PAK) bt [1] Nick Wall (ENG) 12-14, 12-10, 11-5, 11-6 (65m)

Defending champion Nick Wall overcame a fierce challenge from Egypt’s Moustafa El Sirty to secure his place in the final of the PSA Charlottesville Squash Open, where he will meet unseeded Pakistani player Muhammad Asim Khan.

UNSQUASHABLE player Nick Wall, the tournament’s top seed and last year’s winner, anticipated a tough battle against the 22-year-old El Sirty, especially after the Egyptian's dramatic quarter-final win, where he saved two match points to defeat Ibrahim Elkabbani.

The opening game saw little to separate the pair, with neither gaining more than a two-point advantage until Nick earned three game balls at 10-7. El Sirty saved two of them, but the top seeded Englishman clinched the game on the third, powering a forehand return down the line past his opponent’s reach, despite El Sirty’s protest for a let falling on deaf ears.

The defending champion close-out the second game 11-2, however the Egyptian came out fighting in the third game to take an early 5-2 lead. Nick fought back to level the score at 9-9, but a crucial stroke decision handed El Sirty the edge, and he took the game 11-9.

The fourth game was another tense, physical battle, with both players contesting calls. At 10-9, El Sirty had another game ball and this time he finished it emphatically, drilling a forehand winner to force a decider.

The fifth game saw the Englishman regain control, extending his lead from 6-2 to 10-3. On his first match ball, El Sirty attempted a risky ‘tweener off the back wall, but the shot found the tin, sealing a deserved 11-9 11-2 9-11 9-11 11-3 win for the defending champion.

“I knew it was going to be a tough one going into it,” commented Nick Wall after the match.

“He’s a physical player and his ball striking is very powerful, so you’ve got to be careful not to leave the ball around the middle against him and you’ve got to make him go into the corners.

“When I got that right I felt like I was on top of the rally and I was able to make him do the work, but then on the flip side, when I lost that length, he’s so dangerous when you leave it half-court.

“So it was a mental challenge to try and find that length consistently and then do something with the ball when I created an opportunity.

“With Moustafa, he’s not a player who will ever give up. At 2-0 up I was actually very aware that he was going to come harder in that third game than at any point in the match, which is what he did.

“And perhaps I slightly got the tactics wrong in the third and fourth but I’m happy to bounce back in the fifth and get the job done either way.”

Professional Squash Association (PSA) Charlottesville Squash Open 2024, Boars Head Resort, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
Semi-Finals:
[1] Nick Wall (ENG) v [14] Moustafa El Sirty (EGY) 11-9, 11-2, 9-11, 9-11, 11-3 (63m)
[12] Muhammad Asim Khan (PAK) v [5] Cesar Salazar (MEX) 11-5, 11-5, 11-4 (35m)

Nick Wall will face Moustafa El Sirty of Egypt in the semi-finals of the PSA Charlottesville Open 2024 being staged at Boars Head Resort in Charlottesville, Virginia, USA.

The defending champion produced another commanding performance in the quarter-finals to overcome Japan No.1 Ryunosuke Tsukue 8-11 11-6 11-6 11-7 in 43 minutes after beating fellow Englishman Ben Smith 11-9 11-9 11-6 in his opening match.

Professional Squash Association (PSA) Charlottesville Squash Open 2024, Boars Head Resort, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
Quarter-Finals:
[1] Nick Wall (ENG) bt [6] Ryunosuke Tsukue (JPN) 8-11, 11-6, 11-6, 11-7 (43m)
[14] Moustafa El Sirty (EGY) bt [7] Ibrahim Elkabbani (EGY) 9-11, 8-11, 11-6, 11-4, 12-10 (101m)
[5] Cesar Salazar (MEX) bt [3] Karim El Hammamy (EGY) 11-4, 9-11, 11-2, 8-11, 11-5 (75m)
[12] Muhammad Asim Khan (PAK) bt [8] Aly Hussein (EGY) 11-3, 11-5, 11-9 (40m)

Professional Squash Association (PSA) Charlottesville Squash Open 2024, Boars Head Resort, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
2nd Round:
[1] Nick Wall (ENG) bt [13] Ben Smith (ENG) 11-9, 11-9, 11-6 (35m)
[6] Ryunosuke Tsukue (JPN) bt [11] Sanjay Jeeva (MAS) 11-4, 11-3, 11-3 (25m)
[7] Ibrahim Elkabbani (EGY) bt Muhammad Ashab Irfan (PAK) 11-8, 11-7, 7-11, 11-7 (57m)
[14] Moustafa El Sirty (EGY) bt [4] Rory Stewart (SCO) 12-10, 4-11, 11-9, 11-4 (46m)
[3] Karim El Hammamy (EGY) bt [15] Spencer Lovejoy (USA) 11-5, 11-8, 11-8 (42m)
[5] Cesar Salazar (MEX) bt [9] Tom Walsh (ENG) 5-11, 11-8, 11-5, 11-9 (52m)
[8] Aly Hussein (EGY) bt [10] Addeen Idrakie (MAS) 14-12, 6-11, 11-1, 11-4 (58m)
[12] Muhammad Asim Khan (PAK) bt [2] Yahya Elnawasany (EGY) 11-7, 4-11, 11-6, 7-11, 11-7 (60m)

Professional Squash Association (PSA) Charlottesville Squash Open 2024, Boars Head Resort, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
1st Round:
[1] Nick Wall (ENG) bye
[13] Ben Smith (ENG) bt Joseph White (AUS) 11-4, 11-7, 11-8 (44m)
[11] Sanjay Jeeva (MAS) bt Finnlay Withington (ENG) 15-13, 5-11, 9-11, 11-9, 11-5 (61m)
[6] Ryunosuke Tsukue (JPN) bye
[7] Ibrahim Elkabbani (EGY) bye
Muhammad Ashab Irfan (PAK) bt [16] Alejandro Enriquez (GUA) 11-6, 12-10, 11-4 (36m)
[14] Moustafa El Sirty (EGY) bt [WC] Karim Elbarbary (EGY) 11-7, 13-11, 11-7 (35m)
[4] Rory Stewart (SCO) bye
[3] Karim El Hammamy (EGY) bye
[15] Spencer Lovejoy (USA) bt Nicholas Spizzirri (USA) 7-11, 11-8, 11-7, 12-10 (52m)
[9] Tom Walsh (ENG) bt Lwamba Chileshe (NZL) 11-4, 11-6, 11-5 (70m)
[5] Cesar Salazar (MEX) bye
[8] Aly Hussein (EGY) bye
[10] Addeen Idrakie (MAS) bt Salah Eltorgman (CAN) 11-9, 8-11, 11-7, 12-10
[12] Muhammad Asim Khan (PAK) bt Diego Gobbi (BRA) 5-11, 9-11, 11-8, 11-8, 11-8 (67m)
[2] Yahya Elnawasany (EGY) bye

The 2024 Charlottesville Squash Open will see UNSQUASHABLE player Nick Wall return to defend his title at the Boars Head Resort in Charlottesville, Virginia, USA from the 24th to 28th September.

The young Englishman, who defeated compatriot Nathan Lake in last year’s title decider, has been confirmed as the top seed, with Egyptian’s Yahya Elnawasany and Karim El Hammamy named as the No.2 and No.3 seeds, respectively.

Nick Wall, ranked World No.35, will get his campaign underway against Joseph White of Australia or England’s Ben Smith after receiving a first-round bye, will be looking to claim his first PSA title his win in Charlottesville last year which was his 10th PSA title.

The 2024 Charlottesville Squash Open will also feature UNSQUASHABLE players Rory Stewart of Scotland, Brazil No.1 Diego Gobbi and Lwamba Chileshe of New Zealand.

Professional Squash Association (PSA) Charlottesville Squash Open 2024, Boars Head Resort, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
[1] Nick Wall (ENG) bye
Joseph White (AUS) v Ben Smith (ENG)
Sanjay Jeeva (MAS) v Finnlay Withington (ENG)
[6] Ryunosuke Tsukue (JPN) bye
[7] Ibrahim Elkabbani (EGY) bye
Muhammad Ashab Irfan (PAK) v Alejandro Enriquez (GUA)
Moustafa Elsirty (EGY) v [WC] Karim Elbarbary (EGY)
[3] Rory Stewart (SCO) bye
[4] Karim El Hammamy (EGY) bye
Qualifier v Spencer Lovejoy (USA)
Tom Walsh (ENG) v Lwamba Chileshe (NZL)
[5] Cesar Salazar (MEX) bye
[8] Aly Hussein (EGY) bye
Salah Eltorgman (CAN) v Addeen Idrakie (MAS)
Muhammad Asim Khan (PAK) v Diego Gobbi (BRA)
[2] Yahya Elnawasany (EGY) bye