Defending champion Phillip Squires and GBTI Open winner Anthony Downes will next face off in the next round of the Le Meridien Pegasus Hotel Open tournament after the two registered wins Thursday last in men’s singles matches at the hotel’s courts.
Squires defeated Sandeep Chand while Downes eased past Jason Glasgow.
Five times men’s singles champion Squires had a challenging time against Chand from the get go, with both players holding serve until 2-2 when Squires secured a service break. The lead was short-lived however as Squires lost his serve in the next game when Chand sent in some big service returns.
Both players had their moments and the set went to a tiebreak.
Squires secured a 4-2 lead before Chand started to get in some first serve winners including an ace to take the tiebreak 8-6.
Squires, who seemed match rusty found a groove in the second set as he approached the net and secured an early 4-1 lead before he wrapped up the set 6-2.
The match ended prematurely when Chand pulled up injured whilst trailing 0-1 in the third and decisive set.
Downes defeated Glasgow 6 – 0, 6 – 1.
In the other match of the night 2011 ladies doubles winners Nicola Ramdyhan and Krystal Sukra faced each other in a ladies singles encounter with Ramdyhan finally getting the better of Sukra defeating the tournament’s second seed 6-3 6- 2.
Ramdyhan stands a chance at becoming the tournament’s youngest ladies singles champion if she can get past favorite and top seed Carol Humphrey.
Meanwhile, in matches on Wednesday, Andre Lopes and his nephew Daniel Lopes proved to be too good for brothers Kris and Viraj Jugdeo whom they defeated 6-1 6-1 to book a place against second seeds Godfrey Lowden/ Sandeep Chand today.
Juniors Gavin Lewis and Benedict Sukra also booked wins in the men’s singles as Gavin Lewis defeated Owen Lewis in three grueling sets after dropping the first 6-3.Sukra was less impressive in his win against Oswin Coggins whom he edged 7-6 6-3.
