RESULTS: Crocodile Challenge Cup, Hong Kong
Men’s 1st round:
[1] Max Lee (HKG) bt James Skiffington (NZL) 11-1, 11-3, 11-0
[7] Leo Au (HKG) bt [Q] Fung Ngo Long (HKG) 11-5, 11-7, 11-9
[4] Joan Lezaud (FRA) bt Cheuk Yan Tang (HKG) 11-6, 11-6, 11-2
[6] Anson Kwong (HKG) bt Tsukue Shinnosuke (JPN) 12-14, 11-5, 11-6, 11-7
[Q] Marwan El Shorbagy (EGY) bt [5] Choong Kam Hing (MAS) 11-5, 9-11, 15-13, 11-2
[3] Ivan Yuen (MAS) bt Hon Fung Wong (HKG) 11-4, 9-11, 11-6, 11-7
[8] Bader Al Hussaini (KUW) bt [Q] Bumpei Kawano (JPN) 13-11, 11-7, 9-11, 11-7
[2] Dick Lau (HKG) bt [Q] Choy Kit Lun (HKG) 11-4, 11-6, 11-3
Quarter-finals:
[1] Max Lee (HKG) bt [7] Leo Au (HKG) 10-12, 11-8, 11-5, 12-10 (68m)
[6] Anson Kwong (HKG) bt [4] Joan Lezaud (FRA) 11-4, 4-11, 12-14, 11-2, 11-7 (85m)
[Q] Marwan El Shorbagy (EGY) bt [3] Ivan Yuen (MAS) 5-11, 11-6, 13-11, 11-7 (55m)
[2] Dick Lau (HKG) bt [8] Bader Al Hussaini (KUW) 11-4, 11-9, 11-3 (32m)
Semi-finals:
[1] Max Lee (HKG) bt [6] Anson Kwong (HKG) 11-3, 11-3, 11-9 (24m)
[Q] Marwan El Shorbagy (EGY) bt [2] Dick Lau (HKG) 11-3, 9-11, 11-9, 11-8 (57m)
Final:
[1] Max Lee (HKG) bt [Q] Marwan El Shorbagy (EGY) 11-8, 13-11, 11-4 (48m)
Women’s 1st round:
[1] Annie Au (HKG) bt Liu Tsz-Ling (HKG) 11-6, 11-5, 11-1
Tong Tsz-Wing (HKG) bt [6] Elise Ng (HKG) 13-11, 4-11, 11-9, 11-9
[3] Joey Chan (HKG) bt Miwa Maekawa (JPN) 11-8, 11-4, 11-3
[5] Kylie Lindsay (NZL) bt [Q] Lee Ka Yi (HKG) 11-6, 11-4, 11-8
[8] Carmen Lee (HKG) bt Karman Siu (HKG) 11-5, 11-7, 11-9
[4] Sharon Wee (MAS) bt [Q] Ho Tze-Lok (HKG) 11-4, 11-3, 11-3
[7] Misaki Kobayashi (JPN) bt Ho Ka Po (HKG) 11-6, 11-7, 11-5
[2] Joelle King (NZL) bt Celia Allamargot (FRA) 11-1, 11-2, 11-5
Quarter-finals:
[1] Annie Au (HKG) bt Tong Tsz-Wing (HKG) 11-4, 11-3, 9-11, 11-0 (31m)
[3] Joey Chan (HKG) bt [5] Kylie Lindsay (NZL) 11-4, 11-7, 11-5 (27m)
[8] Carmen Lee (HKG) bt [4] Sharon Wee (MAS) 11-6, 6-11, 11-4, 11-9 (35m)
[2] Joelle King (NZL) bt [7] Misaki Kobayashi (JPN) 11-7, 11-5, 11-7 (21m)
Semi-finals:
[1] Annie Au (HKG) bt [3] Joey Chan (HKG) 11-4, 11-6, 11-7 (29m)
[2] Joelle King (NZL) bt [8] Carmen Lee (HKG) 11-1, 11-3, 11-7 (21m)
Final:
[1] Annie Au (HKG) bt [2] Joelle King (NZL) 8-11, 6-11, 11-9, 11-9, 11-9 (69m)
Max Lee and Annie Au scored the predicted double for Hong Kong in the Crocodile Challenge Cup, the men’s and women’s Tour event staged at the Hong Kong Squash Centre in Hong Kong.
Women’s favourite Annie Au only dropped one game en-route to the final of the $16,000 WISPA World Tour event – where she faced second seed Joelle King, the in-form New Zealander who was competing in her first Tour event since winning surprise gold and silver medals in the Commonwealth Games in Delhi.
And world No21 King romped to a two-game lead over the Hong Kong opponent ranked six places higher.
But, spurred on by local supporters, 21-year-old Au fought back – surviving three tight games to close out the match 8-11, 6-11, 11-9, 11-9, 11-9 after 69 minutes.
The triumph takes left-hander Au’s WISPA Tour tally to three titles this year – and eight in her career.
Top-seeded Max Lee reached the final of the men’s $6,000 PSA World Tour event without too much trouble – but then faced a qualifier after Egypt’s Marwan El Shorbagy made a stunning debut overcoming a series of seeds en-route to making the climax.
The 17-year-old from Alexandria – younger brother of world No12 Mohamed El Shorbagy - joins a select group of player who have reached the final in their first appearance in a PSA Tour event.
But 22-year-old Lee proved too strong for the teenage novice, beating El Shorbagy junior 11-8, 13-11, 11-4 in 48 minutes to claim the fourth Tour title of his career.