Khan and Hanson Qualify for Phoenix Open Main Draw

Tournament Directors Lako Salais and Lee Knox with Graeme Schnell (middle L) and Chris Hanson (middle R) (Image: Andre Maur)
Tournament Directors Lako Salais (L) and Lee Knox (R) with Graeme Schnell (middle L) and Chris Hanson (middle R) (Image: Andre Maur)

Americans Faraz Khan and Chris Hanson upset higher-ranked opposition in Wednesday night’s Professional Squash Association (PSA) Life Time Phoenix Open qualifying finals to reach Thursday’s sixteen-player main draw.

Khan defeated England’s Anthony Graham, world No. 182 and second seed in the qualifiers, in a back-and-forth five game match. Khan dropped the first game 2-11, but came back to take the second 11-4 and the third 11-5. Khan stumbled in the fourth 2-11, but clinched the fifth 11-7 for the win–the twenty-year-old’s second sanctioned PSA victory adding to his first on Tuesday. In their first career match up, Khan faces recent Charlottesville Open finalist Lucas Serme, world No. 66 and fourth seed in the main draw, today at 7pm local time.

Hanson, world No. 242, defeated Canada’s Graeme Schnell, world No. 162, in four games 11-7, 11-3, 7-11, 11-4, to reach the first round of the main draw. In their career first match up, Hanson faces number one seed, Australian Ryan Cuskelly, world No. 43, today at 5pm local time.

Todd Harrity, American world No. 82 and seeded fifth for the Open, will face qualifier Jamaica’s Christopher Binnie, world No. 235, in the first round. Harrity and Binnie have only played once before, at the 2014 Houston Open this past March, where Harrity took the match in three sets 11-3, 11-4, 11-6.

For more information, visit the Life Time Phoenix Open tournament page.

Life Time Phoenix Open Men’s Main Draw:
[1] Ryan Cuskely (AUS) vs. [Q] Chris Hanson (USA)
[2] Martin Knight (NZL) vs. [WC] Heraclio Salaiz Estrada (MEX)
[3] Ben Coleman (ENG) vs. Andrew Schnell (CAN)
[4] Lucas Serme (FRA) vs. [Q] Faraz Khan (USA)
[5] Todd Harrity (USA) vs. [Q] Christopher Binnie (JAM)
[6] Paul Coll (NZL) vs. Shahjahan Khan (PAK)
[7] Arthur Gaskin (IRL) vs. Diego Elias (PER)
[8] Sebastiaan Weenink (NED) vs. [Q] Baba Tunde Ajagbe (NGR)