Rory Stewart reaches semi-finals of PSA Georgia Squash Open 2023

Alfredo Avila delivered a knockout blow to the top-seeded Rory Stewart in the Scotsman’s attempt to win the Georgia Squash Open 2023 staged at the Concourse Athletic Club in Atlanta, USA.

Entering the tournament on the heels of a victory at the Copa Mexico Temazcal just two weeks prior, his third PSA World Tour title in 2023, the Mexican now finds himself in contention for a remarkable fourth tournament win after a gruelling four-game win over Rory Stewart.

The opening two games were tightly contested, with the No. 4 seed seizing the first in a nail-biting tiebreak before Stewart retaliated, levelling the match at 1-1 by taking the second game 11-8.

However, from that point onward, the momentum swung decisively in Avila's favour as he stormed through the third game and went on to secure the victory by clinching the fourth game 11-5.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the draw, Juan Camilo Vargas ended the aspirations of Sanjay Jeeva, who endured his fourth semi-final defeat of the year. Jeeva had upset formidable opponents in Jeremias Azaña and Ronald Palomino to reach the final four but was ultimately overpowered by the third seed, who won the match 11-5 11-7 11-6.

The forthcoming final between Avila and Vargas promises to be a tantalising clash, marking their first encounter in nearly four years. In their previous bouts during 2018 and 2019, Alfredo Avila emerged victorious in all three meetings. However, it's worth noting that Juan Camilo Vargas has since ascended the rankings, currently occupying the No. 57 spot, just one position shy of his career-high, and positioned 13 places above Avila.

Professional Squash Association (PSA) Georgia Squash Open 2023, Concourse Athletic Club, Atlanta, USA
Semi-Finals:
[4] Alfredo Avila (MEX) bt [1] Rory Stewart (SCO) 12-10, 8-11, 11-2, 11-5 (61m)
[3] Juan Camilo Vargas (COL) bt Sanjay Jeeva (MAS) 11-5, 11-7, 11-6 (39m)

Top seed Rory Stewart of Scotland defeated Finnlay Withington of England 11-4 7-11 11-2 11-9 in 34 minutes to advance to the semi-finals of the 2023 Georgia Squash Open where he will face fourth seed Alfredo Avila of Mexico.

Fellow UNSQUASHABLE player Ronald Palomino was beaten in his quarter-final match 11-7 11-4 11-6 by Sanjay Jeeva of Malaysia, ending an impressive run at the Concourse Athletic Club in Atlanta which included wins over Egyptian Salman Khalil and second seed Faraz Khan of the USA.

The semi-finals of the Georgia Squash Open being staged at the Concourse Athletic Club in Atlanta will feature three of the top four seeds, with Malaysia's unseeded talent, Sanjay Jeeva, securing his place among them.

While the No.2 seed, Faraz Khan, suffered an early exit at the hands of Ronald Palomino in round two, the top seed Rory Stewart, No.3 seed Juan Camilo Vargas, and fourth seed Alfredo Avila all notched-up impressive wins to advance to the semi-finals.

In particular, Scotland's Stewart faced a formidable challenge against Finnlay Withington, last year's British Junior Squash Champion who had earlier ousted the fifth seeded American Christopher Gordon. Nevertheless, Rory Stewart prevailed as he claimed a 34-minute 11-4 7-11 11-2 11-9 victory in the day's inaugural match.

The journey of Alfredo Avila to the semi-finals was marked by an extended battle. Despite losing the opening game of his quarter-final 11-8, the Mexican regrouped and took command, ensuring that he conceded no more than six points in any of the subsequent three games. His victory was secured in a hard-fought 43-minute victory.

Juan Camilo Vargas, too, encountered a four-game challenge, ultimately defeating Viktor Byrtus. His reward is a semi-final showdown with the resilient Sanjay Jeeva who progressed with a win over Ronald Palomino, who had upset Faraz Khan on day two.

Professional Squash Association (PSA) Georgia Squash Open 2023, Concourse Athletic Club, Atlanta, USA
Quarter-Finals:
[1] Rory Stewart (SCO) bt [9/16] Finnlay Withington (ENG) 11-4, 7-11, 11-2, 11-9 (34m)
[4] Alfredo Avila (MEX) bt [9/16] Veer Chotrani (IND) 8-11, 11-6, 11-3, 11-4 (43m)
[3] Juan Camilo Vargas (COL) bt [9/16] Viktor Byrtus (CZE) 11-2, 11-5, 3-11, 11-6 (38m)
[9/16] Sanjay Jeeva (MAS) bt [9/16] Ronald Palomino (COL) 11-7, 11-4, 11-6 (27m)

UNSQUASHABLE players Ronald Palomino and Rory Stewart have both progressed to the quarter-finals of the 2023 Georgia Squash Open being staged at the Concourse Athletic Club in Atlanta, USA.

Ronald Palomino followed-up his 71-minute 1st round over Salman Khalil with another sensational performance to defeat 2nd seed Faraz Khan of the USA 11-7 11-9 11-9 in 43 minutes.

The young Colombian will join top seed & fellow UNSQUASHABLE player Rory Stewart who overcame Emyr Evans of Wales 14-12 11-3 9-11 11-5 in 75 minutes.

Rory Stewart will face Finnlay Withington of England in the quarter-finals, whilst Ronald Palomino will be up against Sanjay Jeeva of Malayasia.

The unseeded Ronald Palomino, fresh from his recent appearance in the Copa Mexico Temazcal final just two weeks ago, has delivered the most significant upsets of the 2023 Georgia Squash Open to date.

After embarking on a remarkable comeback journey in the first round, overcome a daunting two-game deficit against Salman Khalil, the second day saw Ronald Palomino inflict a swift 3-0 victory, lasting only 43 minutes, to vanquish USA's Faraz Khan, who had reached the final in his last two PSA World Tour events. Palomino's victory now paves the way for an intriguing quarter-final encounter with Sanjay Jeeva.

Faraz Khan's departure from the competition signalled the conclusion of hopes for a homegrown champion, as Christopher Gordon had earlier succumbed to the 19-year-old Finnlay Withington. Despite conceding a game, Withington showed his class, requiring just 25 minutes to dispatch the fifth-seeded player. With this victory, Withington has secured a spot in the quarter-finals where he is set to face top-seeded Rory Stewart.

Rory Stewart faced a tough challenge in his own right, battling it out for 75 minutes to overcome Welshman Emyr Evans in four games. With the second-seeded Khan out of contention, Ropy Stewart is now positioned as a strong contender for his second PSA World Tour title of 2023, however, in the same half of the draw, he must contend with the fourth-seeded Alfredo Avila.

Alfredo Avila, who emerged victorious over Ronald Palomino in the Copa Mexico Temazcal final, will square off against India's Veer Chotrani for a chance to advance to the semi-finals. The winner of this match will likely face the formidable opponent of either Rory Stewart or Finnlay Withington in the next round.

Professional Squash Association (PSA) Georgia Squash Open 2023, Concourse Athletic Club, Atlanta, USA
2nd Round:
[1] Rory Stewart (SCO) bt [9/16] Emyr Evans (WAL) 14-12, 11-3, 9-11, 11-5 (75m)
[9/16] Finnlay Withington (ENG) bt [5] Christopher Gordon (USA) 11-5, 11-9, 8-11, 11-2 (25m)
[9/16] Veer Chotrani (IND) bt [8] Daniel Poleshchuk (ISR) 11-9, 11-5, 11-3 (37m)
[4] Alfredo Avila (MEX) bt [9/16] Edgar Ramirez (COL) 8-11, 11-7, 11-3, 11-5 (47m)
[3] Juan Camilo Vargas (COL) bt [9/16] Muhammad Ashab Irfan (PAK) 11-9, 11-3, 13-11 (41m)
[9/16] Viktor Byrtus (CZE) bt [6] Seif Shenawy (EGY) 15-13, 11-5, 9-11, 11-9 (55m)
[9/16] Sanjay Jeeva (MAS) bt [7] Jeremías Azaña (ARG) 11-9, 7-11, 11-6, 11-5 (54m)
[9/16] Ronald Palomino (COL) bt [2] Faraz Khan (USA) 11-7, 11-9, 11-9 (43m)

Ronald Palomino of Colombia defeated Egyptian Salman Khalil 8-11 10-12 11-8 14-12 11-4 in the 1st round of the Georgia Squash Open 2023 being staged at the Concourse Athletic Club in Atlanta, USA.

The young Colombian battled back from losing the opening two games to claim a hard-fought 71-minute victory which sees him advance to the 2nd round where he will face 2nd seed Faraz Khan of the USA.

Top seed Rory Stewart of Scotland will play Emyr Evans of Wales in his 2nd round match after receiving a bye in the opening round.

The opening day of the 2023 Georgia Squash Open saw all 9/16 seeds secure their places in the second round.

The eight 1st round winners will join the top eight seeds in the quest for coveted quarter-final berths.

Notably, two thrilling encounters on the opening day saw Colombian contenders Ronald Palomino and Edgar Ramirez showing their resilience in gruelling five-game battles.

UNSQUASHBLE player Ronald Palomino found himself in a precarious 2-0 deficit against Egypt's Salman Khalil but mounted a remarkable comeback, dominating the fifth game to secure a 71 minute 8-11 10-12 11-8 14-12 11-4 victory.

Meanwhile, Edgar Ramirez faced a similar predicament, trailing 2-1 against USA's Jamie Riggeiro, however the Colombian also showed exceptional determination to claim the fourth and fifth games to eventually claim a 59-minute 11-8 12-14 8-11 11-7 11-9 win to avoid a premature exit from the tournament.

Former World No.35 and event wildcard Henrick Mustonen, despite a valiant effort, was denied a spot in the second round. Mustonen engaged in a closely contested four-game clash with Pakistan's Muhammad Ashab Irfan after taking the opening game 11-8. Unfortunately, the Finn struggled to maintain his form, surrendering the next two games with scores of 11-4 and 11-3, ultimately ending his bid for a place in the 2nd round.

Emyr Evans of Wales and Finnlay Withington of England displayed remarkable confidence in their opening matches, defeating Seed Abdul and Cory McCartney respectively. Emyr vans now looks ahead to a second-round face-off with UNSQUASHABLE player and top seed Rory Stewart, while Finnlay Withington is set to take on the seasoned USA PSA World Tour veteran, Chris Gordon.

Professional Squash Association (PSA) Georgia Squash Open 2023, Concourse Athletic Club, Atlanta, USA
1st Round:
[1] Rory Stewart (SCO) bye
[9/16] Emyr Evans (WAL) bt Saeed Abdul (PAK) 11-2, 11-2, 11-6 (19m)
[9/16] Finnlay Withington (ENG) bt Cory McCartney (CAN) 13-11, 11-0, 11-4 (20m)
[5] Christopher Gordon (USA) bye
[8] Daniel Poleshchuk (ISR) bye
[9/16] Veer Chotrani (IND) bt [WC] Matias Lacroix (CHI) 11-4, 12-10, 11-2 (35m)
[9/16] Edgar Ramirez (COL) bt Jamie Ruggiero (USA) 11-8, 12-14, 8-11, 11-7, 11-9 (59m)
[4] Alfredo Avila (MEX) bye
[3] Juan Camilo Vargas (COL) bye
[9/16] Muhammad Ashab Irfan (PAK) bt [WC] Henrik Mustonen (FIN) 8-11, 11-9, 11-4, 11-3 (41m)
[9/16] Viktor Byrtus (CZE) bt [WC] Fletcher Cline (USA) 11-1, 11-3, 11-3 (14m)
[6] Seif Shenawy (EGY) bye
[7] Jeremías Azaña (ARG) bye
[9/16] Sanjay Jeeva (MAS) bt Mark Broekman (ENG) 11-7, 11-5, 11-5 (23m)
[9/16] Ronald Palomino (COL) bt Salman Khalil (EGY) 8-11, 10-12, 11-8, 14-12, 11-4 (71m)
[2] Faraz Khan (USA) bye

Rory Stewart of Scotland & recently signed UNSQUASHABLE player Ronald Palomino are competing in the Professional Squash Association (PSA) Georgia Squash Open 2023 beings staged at the Concourse Athletic Club in Atlanta, USA.

Top seed Rory Stewart will face the winner of Emyr Evans of Wales and Saeed Abdul of Pakistan in the 2nd round after receiving a 1st round bye.

Ronald Palomino, runner-up at the recent PSA Copa Mexico Temazcal 2023 squash championships, will play Salman Khalil of Egypt in his 1st round match of the Georgia Squash Open 2023, also known as Concourse Athletic Club Squash Open.

Rory Stewart and Faraz Khan lead the pack in the seedings for the upcoming Georgia Open at the Concourse Athletic Club in Atlanta, with top seeded Scotsman arriving fresh from his impressive run at the U.S. Squash Open Presented by Truist where he reached the second round after defeating Yahya Elnawasany.

Faraz Khan, on the other hand, comes to this event after competing in Philadelphia, although he faced a setback with a loss to Ramit Tandon in his opening match. Prior to that, Khan had showed good form, making it to the finals in his two preceding tournaments - the PSA Nash Squash Cup in Canada and the PSA Louisville Squash Open.

Among the notable matchups in the draw, a potential second-round clash looms between Faraz Khan and Ronald Palomino of Colombian and the runner-up in the PSA Copa Mexico Temazcal, his first event in 2023, and his pegged ranking reflects a comeback after missing most of the year due to injury.

Within the draw, Christopher Gordon stands as the sole American player among the seeded competitors, securing the fifth seed and a direct entry to the second round. His potential opponent in the 2nd round is the rising English talent, Finnlay Withington. Withington, the 19-year-old British Junior Squash Champion, currently holds a career-high World No.90 ranking and made it to the quarter-finals in his last outing at the PSA Nash Squash Cup. To reach the quarter-finals, he must first face Canada's Cory McCartney and then potentially take on Rory Stewart should he prevail against both McCartney and Gordon.

Professional Squash Association (PSA) Georgia Squash Open 2023, Concourse Athletic Club, Atlanta, USA
1st Round:
[1] Rory Stewart (SCO) bye
[9/16] Emyr Evans (WAL) v Saeed Abdul (PAK)
[9/16] Finnlay Withington (ENG) v Cory McCartney (CAN)
[5] Christopher Gordon (USA) bye
[8] Daniel Poleshchuk (ISR) bye
[9/16] Veer Chotrani (IND) v [WC] Matias Lacroix (CHI)
[9/16] Edgar Ramirez (COL) v Jamie Ruggiero (USA)
[4] Alfredo Avila (MEX) bye
[3] Juan Camilo Vargas (COL) bye
[9/16] Muhammad Ashab Irfan (PAK) v [WC] Henrik Mustonen (FIN)
[9/16] Viktor Byrtus (CZE) v [WC] Fletcher Cline (USA)
[6] Seif Shenawy (EGY) bye
[7] Jeremías Azaña (ARG) bye
[9/16] Sanjay Jeeva (MAS) v Mark Broekman (ENG)
[9/16] Ronald Palomino (COL) v Salman Khalil (EGY)
[2] Faraz Khan (USA) bye