(4.12.2013) Women’s top half and the men's bottom half of the first round of Cathay Pacific Sun Hung Kai Financial Hong Kong Squash Open 2013 continue today at Hong Kong Squash Centre. Both local stars, Max Lee Ho-yin and Joey Chan Ho-ling are halted by seeded players; leaving Annie Au Wing-chi as the only home interest in the second round.
Facing the world number 12 Tarek Momen, Max executes his game plan very well of playing the ball tight and wide to place his opponent in a passive position. Leading the first game 11-6 but lost in the second 8-11 to make it a one-all, Max starts the third with some confident winners to 9-5 up, but Tarek claws back one by one to finish the game 14-12 and takes the last one 11-4. Despite the loss, the home crowd is proud to see Max’s improvement and how well he can play.
Another local hope Joey Chan has been keeping in the best shape after her winning in the East Asian Games in October. However her game against the fifth seed Jenny Duncalf is a tough one. Coming back with one set after being led in 2-0, Joey cannot manage to hold in the last and finally to be defeated at 9-11,10-12,11-6 and 8-11. "It’s a shame that I was not able to grasp the chance to win the first two games. There is still a lot of room for improvement and I have learnt a lot from Jenny," said Joey after match.
Except the two upsets in the women’s event, where the higher-ranked Aussie Kasey Brown was lost in five to the Walsh Tesni Evans as well as the loss of the 7th seed Natalie Grinham to Joshana Chinappa, all seeded players successfully advance to the second round.
Women’s defending champion, Nicol David wins in straight 11-5, 11-7, and 11-4 against the qualifier Samantha Cornett. She will play Camille Serme tomorrow at 6:45pm. For the men’s, after beating Laurens Jan Anjema 3-1 today, world number 2 Gregory Gaultier will face the Egyptian Karim Abdel Gawad in the second round tomorrow.
The second round of the competition will debut tomorrow from 1:30pm at Hong Kong Squash Centre. In addition to the appearance of Nicol David, seed number 2 Laura Massaro will play against Rachael Grinham at 3:45pm, while local only hope Annie Au will face the giant-killer Emma Beddoes at 3pm. For the men’s, Ramy Ashour will play Adrian Waller at 4:30pm.
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