Chu And Tze-Lok Upset Odds To Delight Home

20-year-old local player Ho Tze-Lok, the lowest ranked player in the competition at World No.245, delighted home support as she upset the seedings in the final round of qualification at the 2015 Cathay Pacific Sun Hung Kai Financial Hong Kong Open to reach the first round of the PSA World Series tournament.

Tze-Lok downed Japanese World No.35 Misaki Kobayashi in straight-games to earn a place against former World No.1 Rachael Grinham in the main draw of the prestigious tournament, celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, while another local player, Vanessa Chu, also upset the seedings to earn a first round berth with victory over Milou van der Heijden.

As a result there will now be local interest in five of the first round matches with Chu and Tze-Lok joining Annie Au, Joey Chan and Wildcard Liu Tsz-Ling in the 32-strong draw.

Top seeded qualifiers Samantha Teran and Siyoli Waters came through their final encounters, with Waters needing to be at her best to survive a five game affair with Chloe Mesic, to move into the main draw which gets underway at the Hong Kong National Squash Centre tomorrow.

Results – Qualifying Finals: 2015 Women’s Hong Kong Open, PSA World Series:
[1] Samantha Teran (MEX) bt [12] Vanessa Raj (MAS) 3-0: 11-8, 11-7, 11-2 (22m)
[13] Vanessa Chu (HKG) bt [8] Milou van der Heijden (NED) 3-0: 11-9, 11-7, 11-5 (25m)
[7] Megan Craig (NZL) bt [9] Nouran El Torky (EGY) 3-2: 11-8, 4-11, 3-11, 11-9, 11-9 (50m)
[4] Coline Aumard (FRA) bt [10] Deon Saffery (WAL) 3-1: 11-6, 2-11, 13-11, 13-11 (46m)
Ho Tze-Lok (HKG) bt [3] Misaki Kobayashi (JPN) 3-0: 13-11, 11-7, 11-9 (31m)
[11] Christine Nunn (AUS) bt Menna Nasser (EGY) 11-8, 5-11, 11-7, 8-11, 4-0 rtd (57m)
[5] Amanda Landers-Murphy (NZL) bt [16] Tong Tsz-Wing (HKG) 3-0: 11-4, 11-7, 11-5 (30m)
[2] Siyoli Waters (RSA) bt [15] Chloe Mesic (FRA) 3-2: 8-11, 9-11, 11-7, 11-2, 11-8 (47m)

Draw – First Round: 2015 Women’s Hong Kong Open, PSA World Series:
[1] Raneem El Welily (EGY) v [Q] Siyoli Waters (RSA)
[Q] Coline Aumard (FRA) v [9] Low Wee Wern (MAS)
[12] Jenny Duncalf (ENG) v Line Hansen (DEN)
Donna Urquhart (AUS) v [8] Amanda Sobhy (USA)
[6] Nouran Gohar (EGY) v Joey Chan (HKG)
[Q] Samantha Teran (MEX) v [13] Emily Whitlock (ENG)
[16] Heba El Torky (EGY) v [Q] Vanessa Chu (HKG)
[Q] Christine Nunn (AUS) v [3] Laura Massaro (ENG)
[4] Camille Serme (FRA) v Tesni Evans (WAL)
Habiba Mohamed (EGY) v [14] Dipika Pallikal (IND)
[11] Rachael Grinham (AUS) v [Q] Ho Tze-Lok (HKG)
[Q] Amanda Landers-Murphy (NZL) v [5] Omneya Abdel Kawy (EGY)
[7] Annie Au (HKG) v Joelle King (NZL)
[Q] Megan Craig (NZL) v [15] Joshna Chinappa (IND)
[10] Delia Arnold (MAS) v Nicolette Fernandes (GUY)
[WC] Liu Tsz-Ling (HKG) v [2] Nicol David (MAS)