Sobhys Steer US Hopes Into Windy City R2 In Chicago

US No.3 Sabrina Sobhy overcame Egyptian teenager Nada Abbas on day one of the Windy City Open presented by the Walter Family to join older sister Amanda Sobhy and compatriot Olivia Blatchford Clyne in round two of the PSA World Tour Platinum event which will feature three Americans for the first time.

The match at the University Club of Chicago was played at a ferocious pace, with both players looking to attack whenever the opportunity presented itself. Sobhy didn't start well as Abbas dominated the opening stages, but grew into the match as it went on. Buoyed by partisan home support, the world No.30 claimed an 4-11, 14-12, 12-10, 8-11, 11-8 victory to set up a second round clash with Egypt's Yathreb Adel.

"I wasn't expecting this support at all, but I guess that's one of the perks of being on the glass, you get fans from all over, which is really rewarding. " said Sobhy junior, who has based herself in Cairo since the latter stages of 2019.

"It's a complete 180 from what I'm used to [moving to Cairo]. It's 100 per cent all squash and I think I needed that as a big motivator. There are no distractions, it's just squash, and you've got to be really focused with it. I clearly needed it to get going in my squash career as I was pretty lenient in the past couple of years with it, I think."

Sobhy was almost joined by fellow American Olivia Fiechter in the last 32. The world No.36 put in a tenacious display against Australia's Donna Lobban, ultimately going down 10-12, 11-8, 11-7, 11-13, 14-12 after a gripping 62-minute battle. Brooklyn-born Haley Mendez was the other female American in action on day one, and she went down to Belgium's Tinne Gilis in straight games.

On the side courts, England's Lucy Turmel has reached the second round of a PSA World Tour Platinum tournament for the first time after a superb comeback saw the 20-year-old defeat 2007 World Champion Rachael Grinham.

It was youth versus experience, and experience looked to be winning out as 43-year-old Grinham took the first game after a lengthy tie-break, winning it 15-13, and the momentum stayed in her favour she then went on to take the second game 11-8.

However, world No.46 Turmel fought back to win the last three games, restricting the 43-year-old to just 13 points across them all. That win, her second over Grinham, has seen Turmel set up a clash with compatriot Victoria Lust in the last 32.

"I am very pleased to get through in five today," Turmel said.

"I had a very nervy start going 2/0 down and I felt a bit lost on court, but I managed to turn it around and play good squash at the end."

Elsewhere, France's Melissa Alves saved three match balls to beat Egypt's Zeina Mickawy, while a 77-minute encounter between former world No.5 Low Wee Wern and English youngster Jasmine Hutton went the way of the Malaysian in five games.

In the men's event, world No.63 Shahjahan Khan saw his tournament come to an end after he was on the receiving end of a masterclass of a performance from Hong Kong's Leo Au.

Khan, who was born in Quetta, Pakistan before switching allegiance to the United States, was backed to the hilt by spectators at the University Club of Chicago and showed some nice touches throughout the 34-minute clash. But Au was always ahead, and it was a consummate performance from the world No.22 as he went about his business with minimum fuss. He will line up against top seed Ali Farag next.

"I'm happy to come back to this event, it's always nice to play at such an amazing place," Au said.

"I'm happy to get through the first round and I hope I can keep the performance up. I think it will be a tough match [against Farag] and I will look forward to it."

Meanwhile, Egypt's world No.19 Mostafa Asal slumped to a surprise defeat against compatriot Youssef Soliman in a 109-minute battle which was halted due to a 35-minute injury break during the first game.

Asal left court on a wheelchair in the opener after going down with an injury to his right leg, but he hobbled back onto court and fought through the pain barrier to lead 2/1. The 18-year-old then went 6-1 up in the decider, only to see Soliman take 10 points in a row to finally halt the World Junior Champion.

That was the longest match of the first round, with the second longest seeing English veteran Daryl Selby overcome Frenchman Lucas Serme 15-13, 8-11, 5-11, 12-10, 11-8 after 98 minutes of action.

"I think we both move well, he's exceptional around the court and he picks up everything," said Selby, 37.

"I've got to use my experience at those crucial times. The two games I won in the first and fourth were both tie-breaks, and it's those crucial points that make the difference."

World No.16 Mazen Hesham also required five games to overcome fellow Egyptian Mohamed ElSherbini, while Scotland's Greg Lobban overturned five match balls against Hong Kong's Max Lee to advance.