RESULTS:     Indian Squash Challenger No4, Chennai, India

Semi-finals:
[6] Ivan Yuen (MAS) bt [5] Muhd Asyraf Azan (MAS) 10-12, 11-5, 12-10, 11-8 (81m)
[2] Mark Krajcsak (HUN) bt [3] Mathieu Castagnet (FRA) 12-10, 15-13, 10-12, 11-8 (83m)

Women's Indian Squash Challenger No2

Semi-finals:
[3] Orla Noom (NED) bt [1] Sharon Wee (MAS) 11-6, 11-9, 11-7 (28m)
[2] Joshna Chinappa (IND) bt [6] Dipika Pallikal (IND) 11-8, 11-7, 11-8 (25m)


Dutch squash star Orla Noom has her sights on title success in the Women's Indian Challenger No2 after upsetting top-seeded Malaysian Sharon Wee in today's (Friday) semi-finals of the $8,000 WISPA World Tour event at the Indian Squash Academy in Chennai, India.

Third seed Noom will face local favourite Joshna Chinappa, the second seed from India who survived an all-Chennai challenge from sixth seed Dipika Pallikal in the other women's semi-final.

Ranked 41 in the world, Orla Noom scalped Wee – ranked ten places higher - 11-6, 11-9, 11-7 in 28 minutes.  After winning the first game easily, left-hander Noom faced stiff resistance from the Malaysian in the second.

Wee was inconsistent in the third and Noom, a sports management and economics graduate from the Johan Cruyff University, had no difficulty in claiming four points in a row to take the match.

In the second semi final, world No33 Chinappa put paid to the aspirations of her younger compatriot Dipika Pallikal, the world No54 who has just turned 18, winning 11-8, 11-7, 11-8 in 25 minutes.

An elated Chinappa gave full credit to Pallikal for the improvement in her game:  "I had prepared for the match mentally because Dipika has been playing well in the circuit.  In fact, she had defeated higher ranked players with whom I had struggled.  

"Today Dipika played well, but I did not give her any opportunity to play shots, which is her strong point," explained the 23-year-old Indian number one – who, like Noom, is celebrating her ninth WISPA final.  "I needed to go for winners early enough before being dragged on rallies, and I was able to succeed.

"I have shown improvement in my game having been in the circuit for couple of years but I need to improve my fitness to win more WISPA events.  My aim is to reach the top 20 and then look forward to go further up in WISPA," added Chinappa.

Malaysian teenager Ivan Yuen continued his impressive run in the men's Indian Challenger No4 to reach the final of the $10,000 PSA World Tour event.  

After defeating top-seeded Englishman Chris Simpson in the previous round, sixth seed Yuen maintained his tempo to get the better of compatriot Muhd Asyraf Azan, the fifth seed, 10-12, 11-5, 12-10, 11-8 in 81 minutes.

Incredibly, the next semi-final lasted even longer - second seed Mark Krajcsak of Hungary battling for 83 minutes, through three tie-break games, to beat Frenchman Mathieu Castagnet, the No3 seed, 12-10, 15-13, 10-12, 11-8.

While Yuen is celebrating his third Tour final appearance – and looking for his maiden win – Budapest-based Krajcsak is marking his tenth appearance in the climax of a PSA Tour event.