A number of English players were in action at the 2022 Slovak Open in Trencin with some encouraging performances on show.
In the men’s singles draw, Cholan Kayan came through qualifying before defeating Dominik Kwinta of Poland in a closely fought first round tie which went to three games, Kayan eventually triumphing 24-22, 18-21, 21-19.
The second round proved tougher against sixth seed Chan Yin Chak of Hong Kong, the top 200 ranked player winning 21-18, 21-12.
Alexandra Oprisan was another English shuttler who got through qualifying to the main singles draw in Slovakia, but she was beaten by the home favourite and number one seed Martina Repiska, 21-15, 21-18.
Gauri Shidaye did manage to get past the first round after defeating Kaloyana Nalbantova but was beaten by seventh seed Vivien Sandorhazi in three games, 21-11, 19-21, 21-13.
One of the best English performances came in the men’s doubles, where straight-game wins over pairs from the Netherlands and France put Samuel Jones and Kayan in the quarter-finals.
Their run came to an end after a 21-6, 21-14 loss to Hong Kong’s Law Cheuk Him and Lee Chun Hei Reginald, but there was no disgrace in losing to the pair who went on to lift the trophy.
Two pairs were flying the English flag in the women’s doubles. Oprisan and Pamela Reyes won their opening tie to reach the second round but Repiska and Katarina Vargova were too good for them, winning 21-12, 21-18.
Abbygael Harris and Hope Warner also reached the second round after a superb victory over second seeds Serena Au Yeong and Katharina Hochmeir of Austria.
Harris and Warner produced a brilliant display to knock out one of the favourites in the draw, 21-18, 21-12.
Their run ended in the next round against the Hong Kong pair of former Olympic Youth champion Ng Tsz Yau and Tsang Hiu Yan, but Harris and Warner can still take a lot from their tournament in Slovakia.
In the mixed doubles, Jonty Russ and Hope Warner got past France’s Gregoire Deschamp and Clemence Gaudreau in the first round.
That set-up a clash with Brian Wassink and Alyssa Tirtosentono, the fourth seeds, but the Dutch pair eventually had too much for Russ and Warner.
The English pair took the first set but eventually lost a close match 14-21, 21-18, 21-17.
