KCC Challenge Cup: Almezayen and Azman Victorious 

Kuwait’s Abdullah Almezayen and Malaysian Aira Azman took the titles at the KCC PSA Challenge Cup in Hong Kong this week.

The Malaysian came into the women’s Challenger 10 level competition as the top seed, and she showed her class throughout the tournament, winning three of her four matches without dropping a game.

After receiving a bye through to the second round, she started her campaign at the Kowloon Cricket Club with an 18-minute victory over South Korea’s Dong ju Song.

She then had to go the distance against No.8 seed Toby Tse, after the Hongkonger fought back from 2-1 down to send the match into a decider. That was her only real battle of the week though, as a win in five was then followed by a straight games win over compatriot Heng Wai Wong in the semi-finals.

The final saw Azman go up against Cheng Nga Ching in a contest between the top two seeds, but the World No.69 was in control throughout. She won 11-8, 11-8, 11-7 to claim her first title of the season, and her second Challenger 10 level crown.

In the men’s event, Kuwait’s Abdullah Almezayen once again showed why he was a former top 40 player, as he secured his second title of the 2022-2023 campaign.

His week started with comfortable victories against Japan’s Naoki Hayashi and Hong Kong’s Matthew Lai, with the Kuwaiti spending just 42 minutes on court between his opening two matches of the week.

Almezayen’s semi-final clash with No.2 seed Tang Ming Hong in a four-game battle. The Kuwaiti led early, but Hong fought back to win the second game and level the match. From there, though, it was the No.3 seed that was able to control the tie, and win in four.

In the final, the former World No.34 came up against the unseeded Andes Ling, and it was a struggle for the Kuwaiti to start with. He needed tie-breaks to win the opening two games, taking them 12-10 and 13-11, before cruising to the third game 11-1 after less than half an hour.

Results: KCC PSA Challenge Cup
Men’s Final
[3] Abdullah Almezayen (KUW) bt Andes Ling (HKG) 3-0: 12-10, 13-11, 11-1 (29m)

Women’s Final
[1] Aira Azman (MAS) bt [2] Cheng Nga Ching (HKG) 3-0: 11-8, 11-8, 11-7 (24m)

Men’s Semi-Finals
Andes Ling (HKG) bt Ho Ka Hei (HKG) 3-1: 11-7, 11-4, 12-14, 11-8 (48m)
[3] Abdullah Almezayen (KUW) bt [2] Tang Ming Hong (HKG) 3-1: 11-5, 6-11, 11-5, 11-9 (38m)

Women’s Semi-Finals
[1] Aira Azman (MAS) bt Heng Wai Wong (MAS) 3-0: 11-7, 11-7, 11-5 (22m)
[2] Cheng Nga Ching (HKG) bt [4] Akari Midorikawa (JPN) 3-0: 11-7, 11-4, 11-4 (25m)

Men’s Quarter Finals
Andes Ling (HKG) bt [1] Wong Chi Him (HKG) 3-0: 11-5, 11-5, 11-6 (25m)
Ho Ka Hei (HKG) bt [8] Wee Ming Hock (MAS) 3-2: 11-9, 12-10, 7-11, 13-15, 13-11 (67m)
[3] Abdullah Almezayen (KUW) bt Matthew Lai (HKG) 3-0: 11-4, 11-6, 11-6 (25m)
[2] Tang Ming Hong (HKG) bt [7] Tomotaka Endo (JPN) 3-0: 13-11, 11-4, 11-7 (32m)

Women’s Quarter Finals
[1] Aira Azman (MAS) bt [8] Toby Tse (HKG) 3-2: 7-11, 11-5, 13-11, 6-11, 11-6 (38m)
Heng Wai Wong (MAS) bt [3] Ching Hei Fung (HKG) 3-0: 11-9, 11-8, 11-7 (32m)
[4] Akari Midorikawa (JPN) bt [WC] Kwong Ena (HKG) 3-1: 11-9, 9-11, 11-6, 11-6 (36m)
[2] Cheng Nga Ching (HKG) bt Wong Po Yui Kirstie (HKG) 3-1: 12-10, 7-11, 11-7, 11-4 (29m)

Men’s Second Round
[1] Wong Chi Him (HKG) bt Jaejin Yoo (KOR) 3-2: 8-11, 9-11, 11-1, 11-2, 11-3 (42m)
Andes Ling (HKG) bt [6] Harley Lam (HKG) 3-0: 11-8, 11-8, 11-8 (47m)
[8] Wee Ming Hock (MAS) bt Rahul Baitha (IND) 3-2: 11-7, 11-13, 11-6, 9-11, 11-7 (53m)
Ho Ka Hei (HKG) bt [4] Abdelaziz Hegazy (EGY) 3-0: 11-7, 11-5, 11-8 (32m)
[3] Abdullah Almezayen (KUW) bt Naoki Hayashi (JPN) 3-0: 11-3, 11-5, 11-6 (17m)
Matthew Lai (HKG) bt [5] Chung Yat Long (HKG) 3-0: 12-10, 11-4, 11-4 (30m)
[7] Tomotaka Endo (JPN) bt Lam Shing Fung (HKG) 3-0: 11-6, 11-9, 11-7 (24m)
[2] Tang Ming Hong (HKG) bt Wailok To (HKG) 3-1: 11-7, 6-11, 11-4, 11-6 (32m)

Women’s Second Round
[1] Aira Azman (MAS) bt Dong ju Song (KOR) 3-0: 11-2, 11-7, 11-6 (18m)
[8] Toby Tse (KHG) bt Yura Choe (KOR) 3-1: 11-3, 9-11, 11-8, 11-1 (28m)
Heng Wai Wong (MAS) bt [6] Nour Ramy (EGY) 3-1: 11-7, 5-11, 11-9, 11-8 (39m)
[3] Ching Hei Fung (HKG) bt [WC] Leung Ka Huen (HKG) 3-0: 11-2, 11-7, 11-6 (23m)
[4] Akari Midorikawa (JPN) bt [WC] Chueng Tsz Ching (HKG) 3-1: 11-9, 8-11, 11-2, 11-6 (30m)
[WC] Kwong Ena (HKG) bt [7] Salma El Aify (EGY) 3-2: 8-11, 11-6, 9-11, 12-10, 11-9 (49m)
Wong Po Yui Kirstie (HKG) bt [5] Ooi Kah Yan (MAS) 3-0: 11-7, 11-5, 11-5 (21m)
[2] Cheng Nga Ching (HKG) bt wai Sze Wing (HKG) 3-0: 11-5, 11-8, 11-7 (24m)

Men’s First Round
Jaejin Yoo (KOR) bt Hoony Lee (KOR) 3-1: 11-13, 11-3, 11-8, 11-6 (59m)
Andes Ling (HKG) bt Pardeep Malik (IND) 3-0: 11-2, 11-4, 11-5 (19m)
Rahul Baitha (IND) bt [WC] Law Arthur Pak Ki (HKG) 3-0: 11-5, 11-9, 13-11 (21m)
Ho Ka Hei (HKG) bt Andrik Lim (MAS) 3-1: 11-4, 11-9, 3-11, 11-2 (36m)
Naoki Hayashi (JPN) bt Anson Wong (HKG) 3-0: 11-8, 11-6, 11-6 (26m)
Matthew Lai (HKG) bt Wilson Chan (HKG) 3-0: 11-6, 11-6, 11-7 (25m)
Lam Shing Fung (HKG) bt Mohammad Almasoud (KUW) 3-0: 11-7, 11-8, 18-16 (35m)
Wailok To (HKG) bt [WC] Tam Tsz Shing (HKG) 3-0: 11-5, 11-5, 11-6 (25m)

Women’s First Round
Dong ju Song (KOR) bt Liu Kwai Chi (MAC) 3-0; 11-8, 11-3, 11-2 (22m)
Yura Choe (KOR) bt Mariko Tam (HKG) 3-0: 11-3, 11-4, 11-5 (22m)
Heng Wai Wong (MAS) bt Mingyeong Heo (KOR) 3-0: 11-9, 12-10, 11-7 (26m)
[WC] Leung Ka Huen (HKG) bt Ingy Hammouda (EGY) 3-2: 11-7, 7-11, 13-11, 11-8 (37m)
[WC] Cheung Tsz Ching (HKG) bt Leia Lee Zi Fang (SGP) 3-0: 11-9, 11-6, 11-8 (19m
[WC] Kwong Ena (HKG) bt Lam Po Ying (HKG) 3-2: 8-11, 7-11, 11-7, 11-4, 11-6 (38m)
Wong Po Yui Kirstie (HKG) bt Lim Jee Nee (SGP) 3-1: 11-6, 7-11, 11-2, 11-6 (25m)
Wai Sze Wing (HKG) bt Wing Hei Jannis Lam (HKG) 3-0: 11-3, 11-3, 11-8 (25m)