Young England ace meets No.7 seed Tarek Momen in first round
By NATHAN CLARKE in Hong Kong
Declan James of England won a 100-minute marathon match to reach the first round of the PSA World Series Cathay Pacific Sun Hung Kai Financial Hong Kong Open.
James, from Nottingham, beat Ivan Yuen of Malaysia 11-6 in the fifth game. His reward is a first round tie in the main draw against number seven seed Tarek Momen of Egypt.
In the women’s event, 20-year-old local player Ho Tze-Lok, the lowest ranked player in the competition at World No.245, delighted home support as she upset the seedings in the final round of qualification.
Tze-Lok downed Japanese World No.35 Misaki Kobayashi in straight games to earn a place against former World No.1 Rachael Grinham in the main draw of the prestigious tournament, celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, while another local player, Vanessa Chu, also upset the seedings to earn a first round berth with victory over Milou van der Heijden.
In the men’s draw Tsz Fung Yip added his name to the list of surprise local victors after downing Indian Mahesh Mangaonkar 3-0 to set up a first round clash with England’s Tom Richards which he will be eyeing with optimism.
As a result there will now be local interest in five of the Women’s first round matches with Chu and Tze-Lok joining Annie Au, Joey Chan and Wildcard Liu Tsz-Ling in the 32-strong draw while Fung Yip completes a trio of local stars in the Men’s draw, joining Leo Au and Max Lee.
2015 Hong Kong Open, PSA World Series:
Women’s Qualifying Finals:
[1] Samantha Teran (MEX) bt [12] Vanessa Raj (MAS) 3-0: 11-8, 11-7, 11-2 (22m)
[13] Vanessa Chu (HKG) bt [8] Milou van der Heijden (NED) 3-0: 11-9, 11-7, 11-5 (25m)
[7] Megan Craig (NZL) bt [9] Nouran El Torky (EGY) 3-2: 11-8, 4-11, 3-11, 11-9, 11-9 (50m)
[4] Coline Aumard (FRA) bt [10] Deon Saffery (WAL) 3-1: 11-6, 2-11, 13-11, 13-11 (46m)
Ho Tze-Lok (HKG) bt [3] Misaki Kobayashi (JPN) 3-0: 13-11, 11-7, 11-9 (31m)
[11] Christine Nunn (AUS) bt Menna Nasser (EGY) 11-8, 5-11, 11-7, 8-11, 4-0 rtd (57m)
[5] Amanda Landers-Murphy (NZL) bt [16] Tong Tsz-Wing (HKG) 3-0: 11-4, 11-7, 11-5 (30m)
[2] Siyoli Waters (RSA) bt [15] Chloe Mesic (FRA) 3-2: 8-11, 9-11, 11-7, 11-2, 11-8 (47m)
Women’s First Round:
[1] Raneem El Welily (EGY) v [Q] Siyoli Waters (RSA)
[Q] Coline Aumard (FRA) v [9] Low Wee Wern (MAS)
[12] Jenny Duncalf (ENG) v Line Hansen (DEN)
Donna Urquhart (AUS) v [8] Amanda Sobhy (USA)
[6] Nouran Gohar (EGY) v Joey Chan (HKG)
[Q] Samantha Teran (MEX) v [13] Emily Whitlock (ENG)
[16] Heba El Torky (EGY) v [Q] Vanessa Chu (HKG)
[Q] Christine Nunn (AUS) v [3] Laura Massaro (ENG)
[4] Camille Serme (FRA) v Tesni Evans (WAL)
Habiba Mohamed (EGY) v [14] Dipika Pallikal (IND)
[11] Rachael Grinham (AUS) v [Q] Ho Tze-Lok (HKG)
[Q] Amanda Landers-Murphy (NZL) v [5] Omneya Abdel Kawy (EGY)
[7] Annie Au (HKG) v Joelle King (NZL)
[Q] Megan Craig (NZL) v [15] Joshna Chinappa (IND)
[10] Delia Arnold (MAS) v Nicolette Fernandes (GUY)
[WC] Liu Tsz-Ling (HKG) v [2] Nicol David (MAS)
Men’s Qualifying Finals:
[1] Gregoire Marche (FRA) bt [16] Tayyab Aslam (PAK) 3-0: 11-8, 11-2, 11-2 (26m)
[9] Rex Hedrick (AUS) bt [5] Shaun Le Roux (RSA) 3-0: 11-6, 11-8, 13-11 (55m)
[14] Tsz Fung Yip (HKG) bt [8] Mahesh Mangaonkar (IND) 3-0: 11-4, 11-7, 11-6 (34m)
[4] Lucas Serme (FRA) bt [10] Joe Lee (ENG) 3-1: 11-9, 7-11, 12-10, 11-3 (71m)
[3] Greg Lobban (SCO) bt [12] Henrik Mustonen (FIN) 3-0: 11-5, 11-5, 11-4 (27m)
[7] Olli Tuominen (FIN) bt [11] Eddie Charlton (ENG) 3-2: 12-10, 10-12, 4-11, 11-8, 11-9 (74m)
[6] Declan James (ENG) bt [15] Ivan Yuen (MAS) 3-2: 5-11, 11-5, 11-8, 3-11, 11-6 (100m)
[2] Zahed Mohamed (EGY) bt [13] Harinder Pal Singh Sandhu (IND) 3-1: 9-11, 11-6, 11-9, 11-5 (47m)
Men’s First Round:
[1] Mohamed Elshorbagy (EGY) v Peter Barker (ENG)
Saurav Ghosal (IND) v Stephen Coppinger (RSA)
Daryl Selby (ENG) v Nafiizwan Adnan (MAS)
[Q] Greg Lobban (SCO) v [8] Mathieu Castagnet (FRA)
[6] Omar Mosaad (EGY) v Max Lee (HKG)
Borja Golan (ESP) v [Q] Lucas Serme (FRA)
Alan Clyne (SCO) v Chris Simpson (ENG)
[Q] Gregoire Marche (FRA) v [4] Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL)
[3] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) v [WC] Leo Au (HKG)
James Willstrop (ENG) v Ryan Cuskelly (AUS)
Cameron Pilley (AUS) v [Q] Rex Hedrick (AUS)
[Q] Olli Tuominen (FIN) v [5] Simon Rösner (GER)
[7] Tarek Momen (EGY) v [Q] Declan James (ENG)
Tom Richards (ENG) v [Q] Tsz Fung Yip (HKG)
Mazen Hesham (EGY) v [Q] Zahed Mohamed (EGY)
Marwan ElShorbagy (EGY) v [2] Nick Matthew (ENG)
Picture by KIM ROBERTS