Seeds Steady as Giant-Killers Strike in Devonshire
16-year old Charlotte Sze bowed out
IslandStats.com
Top seeds Kareem El Torkey and Sabrina Sobhy safely navigated their way into the next round of the 2026 STARR Bermuda Open, but a string of high-profile upsets elsewhere ensured a day of high drama at the Bermuda Squash Club.
In the Men's Draw, world number 21 Kareem El Torkey lived up to his billing as the tournament favorite. Facing Finnlay Withington, the top seed produced a display of clinical precision to win in straight sets. While Withington pushed the Egyptian in a competitive third frame, El Torkey’s superior court coverage saw him emerge with an 11-6, 11-7, 11-9 victory.
However, the form book was torn up in the afternoon's marquee matchup. Rui Soares, ranked 86th in the world, produced the performance of the round to eliminate the 37th-ranked Karim El Hammamy. In a five-set thriller that swung back and forth, Soares showed immense physical resilience to recover from two sets to one down. The Portuguese underdog dominated the final two frames to secure a stunning 9-11, 12-10, 3-11, 11-4, 11-6 win. The upsets continued shortly after as Nicholas Spizzirri, ranked 90th, dumped out world number 50 Nathan Lake in a tight four-set encounter.
The Women's Division saw a more straightforward afternoon for the heavy hitters. World number 19 Sabrina Sobhy was in a ruthless mood, conceding just 14 points in a dominant straight-sets win over Heylie Fung. Sobhy’s pace and variety proved too much for Fung, with the top seed cruising through 11-5, 11-4, 11-5 to signal her intent for the title.
She was joined in the next round by Menna Hamed, who maintained her composure to defeat Laura Tovar in three sets, including a tense 13-11 tie-break in the third. Noa Romero also continued her impressive form, recording a four-set victory over the higher-ranked Madeleine Hylland, while Nadine Shahin recovered from an opening-set setback against Ella Jane Lash to secure her progression. Despite the early shock results in the men's bracket, the path remains clear for the tournament’s elite as the competition moves toward the business end of the week.
