(01.12.2015) Both women’s and men’s top half of the first round of Cathay Pacific Sun Hung Kai Financial Hong Kong Squash Open 2015 commenced today at Hong Kong Squash Centre. Home favourites, Max Lee, Joey Chan and Vanessa Chu failed to proceed to the second round.
Being the first local player performed in the main draw event today, Joey Chan was stopped by the No.6 seed Nouran Gohar. Though she once came back in the third at 11-7 from two games down, the Egyptian was too powerful, Joey was finally eliminated in 1-3. Vanessa Chu was also unable to make a step further as she was beaten by another Egyptian, Heba El Torky at a straight.
Hong Kong Men’s No.1 Max Lee encountered the world No.4, Omar Mosaad in front of the home crowd tonight. Losing in the first two close sets at 10-12 and 7-11, Max pushed very hard to battle back in the third at 11-7. However, the runner-up of the Men’s World Championship made the better execution at crucial points and took the deciding set at 11-5.
Top seeds, Raneem El Welily and Mohamed Elshorbagy both safely passed through to the round two by defeating Siyoil Waters and Peter Barker at 3-0 and 3-1 respectively. The audience gave a standing ovation to Peter Baker who will retire from the professional squash scene after competing more than thirteen years in the circuit.
The biggest upset of today was produced by the qualifier Lucas Serme, he sent Borja Golan, the former runner-up of Hong Kong Open 2013 in a tough four sets at 10-12, 11-6, 12-10 and 14-12.
The other sixteen matches from the bottom half of the Men's and Women's event of the opening round featuring five local interests will be held tomorrow.
Nicol David , the nine-times HK Open champion, will be on court meeting the local star Liu Tsz Ling at 6:30pm. Hong Kong Women’s No.1 Annie Au will meet Joelle King from New Zealand at 5:30pm whereas Ho Tze Lok will make her debut appearance at 1:30pm. Two local men players, Yip Tsz Fung and Leo Au will start their journey at 3:30pm and 7:30pm meeting Tom Richards and the current World Champion Gregory Gaultier respectively.
Come and support the local players! Please visit the updated draw and results for the detail schedule.
