Unseeded Australian Steven Finitsis produced the biggest shock in today’s quarter-finals of the Buler Challenge Cup in Hong Kong when he ousted second-seeded Malaysian Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan to claim a surprise place in the semi-finals of the PSA Challenger 15 event in its ninth year at the Hong Kong Squash Centre.
But the 30-year-old Queenslander had to fight back from 2/1 down before overcoming the world No30 from Terengganu 11-9, 6-11, 8-11, 11-5, 11-5 in 72 minutes (both pictured above).
Bidding to become the second Australian to win the title, Netherlands-based Finitsis now faces a further Malaysian, Ivan Yuen. The 22-year-old from Kuala Lumpur survived 46-minutes clash with fellow national Elvinn Keo, beating the lower-ranked 25-year-old, also from KL, 11-9, 4-11, 11-7, 11-8.
Defending champion Max Lee seems determined to keep the trophy in local hands. The top seed from Hong Kong scored his second successive straight games win in the event as he brushed aside Australian Rex Hedrick 11-4, 11-3, 11-4 in just 28 minutes.
The country’s top-ranked player will now face surprise Indian opponent Harinder Pal Sandhu. The 24-year-old from Chennai took the surprise scalp of newly-crowned Hong Kong champion Leo Au in the opening round – then held off a spirited challenge from fellow countryman Mahesh Mangaonkar before beating the 19-year-old qualifier 11-3, 11-6, 5-11, 2-11, 11-6 in 70 minutes.
Semi-final line-up:
[1] Max Lee (HKG) v Harinder Pal Sandhu (IND)
Steven Finitsis (AUS) v Ivan Yuen (MAS)
Quarter-finals:
[1] Max Lee (HKG) bt Rex Hedrick (AUS) 11-4, 11-3, 11-4 (28m)
Harinder Pal Sandhu (IND) bt [Q] Mahesh Mangaonkar (IND) 11-3, 11-6, 5-11, 2-11, 11-6 (70m)
Ivan Yuen (MAS) bt Elvinn Keo (MAS) 11-9, 4-11, 11-7, 11-8 (46m)
Steven Finitsis (AUS) bt [2] Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan (MAS) 11-9, 6-11, 8-11, 11-5, 11-5 (72m)
1st round:
[1] Max Lee (HKG) bt [Q] Ammar Altamimi (KUW) 11-4, 11-6, 11-4 (25m)
Rex Hedrick (AUS) bt [WC] Hon Fung Wong (HKG) 11-9, 11-3, 11-3 (34m)
Harinder Pal Sandhu (IND) bt Leo Au (HKG) 12-10, 11-9, 9-11, 11-2 (56m)
[Q] Mahesh Mangaonkar (IND) bt [3] Abdullah Al Muzayen (KUW) 13-11, 11-7, 9-2 (39m)
Elvinn Keo (MAS) bt [4] Karim Ali Fathi (EGY) 4-11, 11-9, 11-4, 12-10 (51m)
Ivan Yuen (MAS) bt [Q] Shinnosuke Tsukue (JPN) 11-9, 11-6, 7-11, 11-9 (40m)
Steven Finitsis (AUS) bt [Q] Tsz Fung Yip (HKG) 11-7, 11-4, 11-1 (24m)
[2] Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan (MAS) bt Muhd Asyraf Azan (MAS) 10-12, 11-5, 11-4, 11-7 (60m)
Qualifying finals:
Mahesh Mangaonkar (IND) bt Valentino Bon Jovi Bong (MAS) 11-1, 11-4, 11-4
Shinnosuke Tsukue (JPN) bt Cheuk Yan Tang (HKG) 11-5, 15-13, 11-3
Tsz Fung Yip (HKG) bt Ravi Dixit (IND) 13-11, 10-12, 14-12, 11-4
Ammar Altamimi (KUW) bt Yeung Ho Wai (HKG) 14-12, 11-2, 11-5
1st qualifying round:
Mahesh Mangaonkar (IND) bt Alex Lau (HKG) 11-5, 11-4, 11-3
Valentino Bon Jovi Bong (MAS) bt JaeJin Yoo (KOR) 6-11, 11-6, 11-7, 11-6
Cheuk Yan Tang (HKG) bt Chris Lo (HKG) 11-7, 11-8, 12-10
Shinnosuke Tsukue (JPN) bt Ma Tsz Hei (HKG) 11-7, 11-8, 11-7
Ravi Dixit (IND) bt Chi Him Wong (HKG) 11-7, 11-4, 11-9
Tsz Fung Yip (HKG) bt Jan van den Herrewegen (BEL) 11-5, 9-11, 11-5, 8-11, 12-10
Yeung Ho Wai (HKG) bt Sehyun Lee (KOR) 11-8, 5-11, 11-3, 11-7
Ammar Altamimi (KUW) bt Yuen Tsun-Hei (HKG) 11-6, 11-6, 11-2
