Challenger Tour Round-Up: Wong and Tse Claim Hong Kong Titles

Hong Kong Squash PSA Challenge Cup 2024 – 1st Leg 

Wong Chi Him and Toby Tse claimed the titles on an epic finals day at the Hong Kong Squash PSA Challenge Cup 2024 – 1st Leg, with the top seeds falling at the final hurdle in both the men’s and women’s draws. 

Both finals were pitting the No.1 seeds against the No.3 seeds, and both lived up to the billing, with both going the distance, albeit in contrasting styles. 

The women’s final was the first to take place, with Tse taking on top seed Cheng Nga Ching. 

The pair split the opening two games – Cheng winning the first 11-5 and Tse the second 11-7 – before the No.3 seed claimed a dramatic game three on a tie break, eventually winning it 17-15 after saving four game balls. 

Back came Cheng, determined to keep her hopes alive, and she did just that by winning the fourth 11-7 and send the match into a fifth. 

Tse then opened up a crucial 7-2 lead and looked to be heading for glory, but as victory edged nearer, the nerves increased. Cheng closed the gap back to 9-7, but had ultimately left herself too much to do, with Tse taking her second game ball to secure just her second ever PSA Tour title. 

The men’s final was equally as dramatic, with top seed Tang Ming Hong looking set for a routine victory after winning the first two games 11-9, 11-7. 

But if ever there was a match of two halves, this was it. Outplayed through the first two games, third seed Wong suddenly turned the tide, winning the next three games 11-5, 11-5, 11-3 to get his hands on a ninth PSA Tour crown. 

Lethbridge ProAm 

Canadian interest came to an end at the Lethbridge ProAm, as Liam Marrison and Maximilien Godbout were knocked out on quarter-finals day in Alberta. 

Marrison – the No.3 seed – was the only one of the top four seeds not to make it through to the semi-finals, going down 3-2 to France’s Paul Gonzalez in the day’s second match, before unseeded Godbout fell to No.4 seed Robin Gadola of Switzerland just a few minutes later. 

Those two results followed a win for top seed Brice Nicolas in the first match of the day, meaning the first semi-final will be an all-French affair between Gonzalez and Nicolas. 

Gadola, meanwhile, will take on No.2 seed Kareem El Torkey in the other semi-final, with the young Egyptian having come through in four games against Henrik Mustonen. 

You can stay up to date with all the PSA Challenger Tour results here.