It has been a great start to the year for Omar Jasika. The young Australian finally looked to be reaching his long-heralded potential by reaching the Happy Valley final at the beginning of the year, losing to Peter Gojowcyzk. He then won the Burnie Challenger last week to prove Happy Valley was no fluke.
Yet Jasika was soundly thrashed by American Mitchell Krueger in the second round of the Launceston Challenger, 64 60 in one hour and fifteen minutes. Krueger, after losing to compatriot Noah Rubin in the first round of Burnie, is playing himself into form after knocking out eighth seed and Burnie semi-finalist Akira Santillan in the first round, and adding the scalp of Jasika in the second.
Alex De Minaur did the the draw a favour by beating top seeded Go Soeda in the first round, but the young Aussie was unable to consolidate that win with another in the second round. Instead it was wildcard Alex Bolt who took the win, 46 64 75 in over two hours.
Sixth seed Mohamed Safwat had the most to gain from Soeda’s early exit, and he defeated Christopher O’Connell 63 26 63.
Finally, Maverick Banes was a wildcard entry at this event, but he did make the Burnie quarter-finals. He failed to repeat that run in Launceston though, as he fell to qualifier Tsung Hua Yang 36 62 75.
In the final hold-over from the first round, Bradley Mousley defeated lucky loser Luca Margaroli 76 64. Mousley will next face Noah Rubin in the second round.
