Hong Kong Challenge Cup SF: Home Hopes In Both Finals

There will be home hopes in both finals at the Hong Kong PSA Squash Challenge Cup on Saturday afternoon.

The men’s final was guaranteed a Hongkonger, as top seed Tang Ming Hong took on No.6 seed Matthew Lai for a place in the final. From the start, it was Hong who was in complete control, and he ran out a comfortable winner in straight games, with an 11-7, 11-2, 11-6 scoreline.

He will now face Frenchman Toufik Mekhalfi in the final on Saturday. The tournament’s No.4 seed also won in straight games in the last four of the competition, downing Hong Kong’s Chung Yat Long. The Frenchman dropped just nine points across the contest, winning 11-1, 11-4, 11-4.

In the women’s final, top seed Cheng Nga Ching will be the home favourite, but she had to come through a five-game battle to reach the final. She took on unseeded Malaysian Heng Wai Wong and fell behind after the third game, which Wong took on a tie-break. From there, though, Ching was able to fight back, and she won both the fourth and fifth games to secure victory.

She will now take Malaysia’s Ainaa Amani in the final on Saturday, after the Malaysian defeated Hong Kong’s Ching Hei Fung in four games. The pair were level after two games, with Amani then taking a crucial third game tie-break 12-10, before going on to win the fourth game as well to take the win.

The semis of the Challenger 5 level tournament will take place on Friday, March 17. You can keep up to date with daily updates from the tournament on the PSA Challenger Tour’s Twitter and Facebook. The finals of the competition will be streamed live on the Hong Kong Squash Facebook page.

Men’s Semi-Final Results: Hong Kong Squash PSA Challenge Cup
[1] Tang Ming Hong (HKG) bt [6] Matthew Lai (HKG) 3-0: 11-7, 11-2, 11-6 (31m)
[4] Toufik Mekhalfi (FRA) bt Chung Yat Long (HKG) 3-0: 11-1, 11-4, 11-4 (25m)

Men’s Final Draw: To Be Played Saturday, March 18
[1] Tang Ming Hong (HKG) v [4] Toufik Mekhalfi (FRA)

Women’s Semi-Final Results: Hong Kong Squash PSA Challenge Cup
[1] Cheng Nga Ching (HKG) bt Heng Wai Wong (MAS) 3-2: 11-3, 7-11, 11-13, 11-5, 11-7 (44m)
[2] Ainaa Amani (MAS) bt [3] Ching Hei Fung (HKG) 3-1: 11-6, 6-11, 12-10, 11-6 (40m)

Women’s Final Draw: To Be Played Saturday, March 18
[1] Cheng Nga Ching (HKG) v [2] Ainaa Amani (MAS)