Hong Kong ace beats Japanese number one in New Zealand final
By HOWARD HARDING – Squash Mad Correspondent
Hong Kong’s Joey Chan ended a three-year Tour title drought when she beat Japan’s Misaki Kobayashi in today’s final of the Women’s Fitzherbert Rowe Manawatu Lawyers NZ International Classic, the WSA Challenger 10 squash event at SquashGym in Palmerston North, New Zealand.
It was the pair’s sixth Tour meeting since 2010, with honours alternating over the past five clashes.
Chan went into the match as the event favourite, but it was second seed Kobayashi who started the better – opening up a two-game lead.
“I was a little bit tired from yesterday’s match, and had a bit of a slow start,” explained world No.27 Chan (pictured 
right, with Kobayashi) later.
The Hong Kong left-hander turned things around after changing her game plan in the last three games and after 50 minutes closed out the match 5-11, 10-12, 11-2, 11-7, 11-5.
“I came back in the third after telling myself everything had to be simple, and my confidence came back,” added Chan, who now boasts six WSA World Tour titles from 11 final appearances.
“I tried to play more aggressively and decided to take more on volley, and it worked.”
Chan returns immediately to Hong Kong where she will defend the National Championship title which she won for the third time last year.
Women’s Fitzherbert Rowe Manawatu Lawyers NZ International Classic, Palmerston North, New Zealand
1st round:
[1] Joey Chan (HKG) bt Abbie Palmer (NZL) 11-7, 11-3, 11-7
[7] Sina Wall (GER) bt [Q] Yura Choi (KOR) 11-4, 11-8, 11-6
[5] Christine Nunn (AUS) bt Selena Shaikh (AUS) 11-2, 11-2, 11-7
[4] Megan Craig (NZL) bt [Q] Mickayla Kerr (NZL) 11-3, 11-5, 11-5
[3] Amanda Landers-Murphy (NZL) bt [Q] Rebecca Barnett (NZL) 11-9, 11-5, 11-7
[6] Sarah Cardwell (AUS) bt [WC] Danielle Fourie (NZL) 8-11, 11-7, 11-9, 11-8
[Q] Eleanor Epke (NZL) bt [8] Lakeesha Rarere (AUS) 5-11, 11-8, 11-5, 12-10
[2] Misaki Kobayashi (JPN) bt Jessica Turnbull (AUS) 11-5, 11-1, 11-7
Quarter-finals:
[1] Joey Chan (HKG) bt [7] Sina Wall (GER) 11-6, 11-4, 11-7 (25m)
[4] Megan Craig (NZL) bt [5] Christine Nunn (AUS) 11-3, 11-9, 12-10 (36m)
[3] Amanda Landers-Murphy (NZL) bt [6] Sarah Cardwell (AUS) 11-7, 11-1, 11-5 (22m)
[2] Misaki Kobayashi (JPN) bt [Q] Eleanor Epke (NZL) 11-3, 11-5, 11-6 (21m)
Semi-finals:
[1] Joey Chan (HKG) bt [4] Megan Craig (NZL) 11-3, 13-11, 9-11, 11-6 (43m)
[2] Misaki Kobayashi (JPN) bt [3] Amanda Landers-Murphy (NZL) 11-6, 6-11, 4-11, 11-4, 11-4 (37m)
Final:
[1] Joey Chan (HKG) bt [2] Misaki Kobayashi (JPN) 5-11, 10-12, 11-2, 11-7, 11-5 (50m)
Picture courtesy of WSA