Wildcards Malik and Waller Cause Upsets on Opening Day

Wildcards Perry Malik and Adrian Waller caused big upsets on the opening day of the London Squash Classic presented by Bassim Haidar, beating World No.20 Greg Lobban and World No.13 Leonel Cardenas, respectively, at Coolhurst Tennis & Squash Club.

Perry, ranked at No.106 in the world, scored the biggest win of his career after he overturned six match balls to run out an 8-11, 12-10, 11-8 winner against Scotland’s Lobban.

Malik will now play Egypt’s No.7 seed Youssef Ibrahim for a place in the quarter-finals.

“Last season I was injured for around six or seven months, so it was a pretty tough season,” said Malik afterwards.

“In the first game I played really well, I felt like It was pretty nip and tuck all the way. Then I went 10-4 down in the second and managed to win that 12-10, then I won the third game, got up to a 7-2 start and then let him back in. He started getting back into it and I just about pulled away at the end.

“I put in a good summer block and I am feeling a lot better. The body is feeling good and I’m just happy to get going again. I want to keep playing the best squash that I can and then the results will take care of themselves.”

Waller, meanwhile, put together an 11-6, 11-5 victory to see off Mexico’s Cardenas. Waller will go up against No.4 seed Marwan ElShorbagy in the last 16.

England’s Grace Gear ensured that a trio of wildcards will compete in the second round of the Gold-level tournament after the World No.41 beat Egypt’s World No.31 Hana Moataz in round one of the women’s event.

Meanwhile, USA’s former World No.13 Sabrina Sobhy marked her return from injury with an 11-6, 11-5 win over Canada’s Hollie Naughton.

Sobhy has been out of action for a year due to a wrist injury – falling to No.118 in the world in the process – but made up for lost time with a quick-fire victory. The 28-year-old will go up against No.2 seed and World Junior Champion Amina Orfi in the next round.

“I’m feeling really good, I’m glad that that went well, and I feel like I was just excited to play as well as having some nerves,” Sobhy said afterwards.

“I just focused on being grateful that I’m able to play again. I’ve had good support, some good, close friends and family and I’ve just been focusing on the positives. I’m not too experienced with best of three matches, so I tried not to think about it too much and just made sure I was hard to beat out there.”

Round two of the London Squash Classic presented by Bassim Haidar takes place tomorrow (Wednesday September 3), with the action getting under way from 13:00 (GMT+1) at the world-famous Alexandra Palace. All matches will be streamed live on SQUASHTV.

For updates on the London Classic, visit the tournament page or follow the PSA on X, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Threads, WhatsApp and LinkedIn.

Results – Men’s First Round: 2025 London Squash Classic presented by Bassim Haidar

Baptiste Massoti (FRA) bt Raphael Kandra (GER) 2-1: 11-13, 11-6, 11-6 (35m)

[WC] Perry Malik (ENG) bt Greg Lobban (SCO) 2-1: 8-11, 12-10, 11-8 (49m)

Jonah Bryant (ENG) bt Nick Wall (ENG) 2-0: 14-12, 11-5 (33m)

Miguel Rodriguez (COL) bt Mohamed ElSherbini (EGY) 2-0: 11-7, 11-9 (37m)

[WC] Adrian Waller (ENG) bt Leonel Cardenas (MEX) 2-0: 11-6, 11-5 (26m)

Abdulla Mohd Al-Tamimi (QAT) bt Curtis Malik (ENG) 2-1: 13-11, 9-11, 11-8 (44m)

Dimitri Steinmann (SUI) bt Nathan Lake (ENG) 2-0: 0-0 ret. (4m)

Mohamed Abouelghar (EGY) bt Declan James (ENG) 2-0: 11-7, 11-3 (22m)

Draw – Men’s Second Round (Top Half): To Be Played September 3rd

[1] Diego Elias (PER) v Baptiste Masotti (FRA)

[WC] Perry Malik (ENG) v [7] Youssef Ibrahim (EGY)

[5] Mohamed ElShorbagy (ENG) v Jonah Bryant (ENG)

Miguel Rodriguez (COL) v [3] Joel Makin (WAL)

Draw – Men’s Second Round (Bottom Half): To Be Played September 4th

[4] Marwan ElShorbagy (ENG) v [WC] Adrian Waller (ENG)

Abdulla Mohd Al Tamimi (QAT) v [8] Eain Yow Ng (MAS)

[6] Youssef Soliman (EGY) v Dimitri Steinmann (SUI)

Mohamed Abouelghar (EGY) v [2] Paul Coll (NZL)

Results – Women’s First Round: 2025 London Squash Classic presented by Bassim Haidar

Rachel Arnold (MAS) bt Lucy Beecroft (ENG) 2-0: 11-7, 11-5 (17m)

Grace Gear (ENG) bt Hana Moataz (EGY) 2-1: 10-12, 11-9, 11-9 (32m)

Tesni Murphy (WAL) bt Nour Aboulmakarim (EGY) 2-0: 11-7, 11-7 (26m)

Lucy Turmel (ENG) bt Kenzy Ayman (EGY) 2-0: 11-7, 11-6 (21m)

Jasmine Hutton (ENG) bt Mariam Metwally (EGY) 2-1: 11-8, 9-11, 11-1 (29m)

Tomato Ho (HKG) bt Torrie Malik (ENG) 2-0: 11-7, 11-8 (22m)

Georgia Adderley (SCO) bt Hana Ramadan (EGY) 2-0: 11-9, 11-4 (19m)

Sabrina Sobhy (USA) bt Hollie Naughton (CAN) 2-0: 11-6, 11-5 (20m)

Draw – Women’s Second Round (Top Half): To Be Played September 3rd

[1] Olivia Weaver (USA) v Rachel Arnold (MAS)

[WC] Grace Gear (ENG) v [8] Nele Gilis (BEL)

[7] Fayrouz Aboelkheir (EGY) v Tesni Murphy (WAL)

Lucy Turmel (ENG) v [3] Satomi Watanabe (JPN)

Draw – Women’s Second Round (Bottom Half): To Be Played September 4th

[4] Tinne Gilis (BEL) v Jasmine Hutton (ENG)

Tomato Ho (HKG) v [5] Sivasangari Subramaniam (MAS)

[6] Georgina Kennedy (ENG) v Georgia Adderley (SCO)

Sabrina Sobhy (USA) v [2] Amina Orfi (EGY)