Ireland’s leading men’s players, Conor Moran and Sam Buckley, will begin the new PSA season at next month’s Helsinki Challenger.
A prize of $12,000 is on the line at the 24-player event in Finland, and both Irish have been given winnable round of 32 matches at opposite ends of the draw.
Moran, the current PSA No.181 rank, will start his campaign with a September 9th meeting with Christopher Gordon, the American who is ranked seven places below in 188th.
Victory in this opener would secure a round of 16 clash the following day with Edwin Clain of France, the PSA No.81, who is seeded No.4 in Finland.
Buckley, the PSA No.123, is also in round of 32 action on September 9th, but in the bottom half of the draw. He has been paired against England’s Jared Carter, the PSA No.193.
At stake is a round of 16 meeting with Ben Smith, another English player who is the PSA No.90 rank. He is seeded fifth for Helsinki.
Top seeds at the tournament are No.1 Rory Stewart, the Scot who is PSA No.54, and No.2 Toufik Mekhalfi, the PSA No.71 from France.
