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 Suez Helsinki Winter Challenger 2016
21-24 Jan, Helsinki, Finland, $5k |
24-Jan, Final
Hopkin rises to the challenge
Matthew Hopkin from
Australia became the new champion of the Suez Helsinki Challenger in
the Talihalli in Helsinki. In the final Hopkin defeated last year’s
runner up Baptiste Masotti from France with 3 games to 1.
The winner was of course delighted to win the event and thanked
Masotti for a good and fair fight.
”I did’nt make mistakes, he did in the end,” was Hopkin’s
analysis of the match. ”The fact that all matches were played on
the glass was much appreciated. We don’t get that many chances to
play on a glass court, now all matches, great,” commented the
champion after the match.
23-Jan, Quarters & Semis:
Masotti and Hopkin to the final
After two rounds of good
squash on Saturday the Suez Helsinki Winter Challenger has reached
the finals stage.
Last year’s runner up Baptiste Masotti showed good form in
beating top seed Shehab Essam in the quarters and then secured a
place in the final by an easy 3-0 victory over Joshua Masters.
Matthew Hopkin took his final place by winning 8th seed Asim
Khan in four games with three of the going to the tie break. In the
Semi Hopkin put an end to the only Finn remaining in the draw,
Kristian Rautiainen.
Kristian fought well but made too many errors to be able to win
against a player like Hopkin.
The day produced good entertainment and the croud is looking forward
to an exciting match on Sunday afternoon.
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  Helsinki
Winter Challenger 2016
21-24 Jan, Helsinki, Finland, $5k |
Round One
22 Jan 14.00-19.45 |
Quarters
23 Jan |
Semis
23 Jan |
Final
24 Jan |
[1] Shehab Essam (Egy)
9/11, 11/9, 11/3, 11/7
[Q] Jami Aijanen (Fin) |
[1] Shehab Essam
11/8, 7/11, 11/7, 11/9
[8] Baptiste Masotti |
[8] Baptiste Masotti
11/3, 11/8, 11/7
[5] Josh Masters |
[8] Baptiste Masotti
9/11, 11/9, 11/7, 11/7
[4] Matthew Hopkin
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[8] Baptiste Masotti (Fra)
7/11, 11/7, 11/7, 11/8
Miko Aijanen (Fin) |
[5] Josh Masters (Eng)
11/4, 11/4, 11/7
[Q] Julian Tomlinson (Eng) |
[5] Josh Masters
7/11, 11/3, 11/4, 11/6
[3] Geoffrey Demont |
[3] Geoffrey Demont (Fra)
11/5, 11/8, 11/4
[Q] Roshan Bharos (Ned) |
Kale Wilson (Tri)
11/3, 11/5, 11/8
[4] Matthew Hopkin (Aus) |
[4] Matthew Hopkin
11/5, 10/12, 13/11, 13/11
[7] Asim Khan |
[4] Matthew Hopkin
11/7, 7/11, 11/8, 11/6
[wc] Kristian Rautiainen |
[Q] Bradley Masters (Eng)
11/9, 11/6, 5/11, 11/8
[7] Asim Khan (Pak) |
[wc] Kristian Rautiainen (Fin)
6/11, 9/11, 11/4, 11/8, 11/8
[6] Ashley Davies (Eng) |
[wc] Kristian Rautiainen
11/8, 11/8, 10/12, 11/5
[2] Aqeel Rehman |
Tristan Eysele (Rsa)
8/11, 11/7, 11/5, 11/7
[2] Aqeel Rehman (Aut) |
21-Jan,
Qualifying :
Finals:
Julian Tomlinson (Eng) 3-2 Tatu Knuutila (Fin)
11/5, 10/12, 11/4, 5/11, 12/10
Jami Aijanen (Fin) 3-2
Robert Dadds (Eng)
8/11, 11/13, 11/4, 11/7, 11/5
Roshan Bharos (Ned) 3-0
Hendrik Vossing (Ger)
15/13, 11/6, 11/5
Bradley Masters (Eng) 3-0
Elliot Selby (Eng)
11/1 11/6 11/5
Round One:
Tatu Knuutila (Fin) 3-0 Viktor Hogberg (Swe)
11/4, 11/8, 11/7
Jami Aijanen (Fin) 3-0 Joonas Karhu (Fin)
11/1, 11/6, 11/6
Hendrik Vossing (Ger) 3-1 Ville Karsikas (Fin)
11/7, 8/11, 14/12, 11/4
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22-Jan, Round One:
Rautiainen the home crowd hero
Wild card Kristian Rautiainen saved the night for the home
crowd by coming from two games down to win against England's 6th
seed Ashley Davies in the seventh match of the day.
Kristian Rautiainen did not get his game going in the
beginning of the match and Englishman Ashley Davies was in charge
for the two first games. In the third Rautiainen found an extra gear
and cruised to win the game. The rest of the match could have goine
to either player but Rautiainen was the better player in the crucial
points of the two last games.
Jami Äijänen put up a good fight with top seed Shehab Essam
from Egypt. He took the first game and was close in the second.
Essam was however a bit to difficult to beat and clinched the third
and fourth games comfortably.
The much awaited replay of last years final between Frenchman
Baptiste Masotti and Finnish junior Miko Äijänen was an even
match.
Äijänen started stronger and got a 1-0 lead. The Frenchman stayed
calm and kept a good pace while Äijänen seemed to be a little bit
slower than usual. The score was quite even till the end, but
Masotti stayed in command and won in four games.
Straight games victories for Joshua Masters against Julian
Tomlinson, Geoffrey Demont against Roshan Bharos and
Matthew Hopkins against Kale Wilson. Asim Khan lost one
game to Bradley Masters as did Aqeel Rehman to Tristan Eysele.
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21-Jan:
Qualifying Complete in Helsinki
Jami Aijanen was the only home
player who made it to the main draw in the Suez Helsinki Winter
Challenger in the Talihalli center, and takes on Baptiste Masotti
in the first round, which means that the main draw kicks off where
the previous edition ended!
Aijanen had an easy first round with local Joonas Karhu but had to
come from two games down against third seed Robert Dadds in the second
round. Aijanen was in the end the stronger of the two and claimed
the place in the main draw in five games.
Top seed Julian Tomlinson had to fight hard to beat local
Tatu Knuutila, and he was rewarded with a place in the main draw by
a 3-2 victory.
Roshan Bharos and Bradley Masters had a much easier run to
the main draw through straight games victories against Hendrik
Vossing and Elliot Selby.
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Aijanen and Dadds
Knuutila and Tomlinson |
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