China Squash Open: Top Seeds Breeze Through As Qualification Begins

Top seeds Max Lee and Dipika Pallikal Karthik made light work of local opposition as they began their 2016 China Squash Open campaigns today with emphatic straight-games wins to move into the final round of qualification – where a berth in the main draw of the M100 and W70 tournaments beckon.

Lee, fresh from his heroics to reach the semi-finals at the Hong Kong Open, his home event, picked up where he left off on home soil by putting in a controlling performance to see off Yang Tianxia – one of eight local players to see their hopes of progress halted at the very first hurdle.

Lee will now face Egyptian Zahed Mohamed for a place in the final after he came through a tough five-game battle with Alfredo Avila, while Diego Elias and Nafiizwan Adnan also came through tough five-gamers to secure their place in the next round, defeating Greg Lobban and Ivan Yuen, respectively.

Pallikal Karthik was even more impressive as she kicked off proceedings in the women’s qualification, downing Peng Zhenni in fourteen minutes for the loss of just five points. The Indian, World Ranked No.19, will play American number two and World No.30 Olivia Blatchford for a place in the final after she beat He Xinru in convincing fashion for the loss of three points in total.

There were big wins for unseeded trio Nele Gilis, Salma Hany Ibrahim and Low Wee Wern as they came through tough five-game encounters against Nicolette Fernandes, Line Hansen and Fiona Moverley, respectively, to secure their place in the final round of qualification.

China Squash Open – Men’s Qualification Round One Results
[1] Max Lee (HKG) bt [L] Yang Tianxia (CHN) 3-0: 11-2, 11-5, 11-5 (17m)
[5] Zahed Mohamed (EGY) bt Alfredo Avila (MEX) 3-2: 11-6, 11-5, 6-11, 11-13, 11-8 (72m)
[8] Diego Elias (PER) bt Greg Lobban (SCO) 3-2: 12-10, 11-5, 3-11, 7-11, 11-1 (65m)
[3] Leo Au (HKG) bt Alan Clyne (SCO) 3-0: 11-8, 11-6, 11-5 (54m)
[4] Cesar Salazar (MEX) bt [L] Valentino Bong (MAS) 3-0: 11-6, 11-0, 11-4 (22m)
[7] Nafiizwan Adnan (MAS) bt Ivan Yuen (MAS) 3-2: 6-11, 12-10, 11-5, 8-11, 11-3 (74m)
[6] Paul Coll (NZL) bt [L] James Huang (TPE) 3-0: 11-2, 11-3, 11-5 (36m)
[2] Mohamed Abouelghar (EGY) bt [L] Graham Miao (HKG) 3-0: 11-1, 11-6, 11-3 (19m)

China Squash Open – Men’s Qualification Finals
[1] Max Lee (HKG) v [5] Zahed Mohamed (EGY)
[8] Diego Elias (PER) v [3] Leo Au (HKG)
[4] Cesar Salazar (MEX) v [7] Nafiizwan Adnan (MAS)
[6] Paul Coll (NZL) v [2] Mohamed Abouelghar (EGY)

China Squash Open – Women’s Qualification Round One Results
[1] Dipika Pallikal Karthik (IND) bt [L] Peng Zhenni (CHN) 3-0: 11-1, 11-2, 11-2 (14m)
[6] Olivia Blatchford (USA) bt [L] He Xinru (CHN) 3-0: 11-2, 11-1, 11-0 (14m)
[7] Tesni Evans (WAL) bt [L] Duan Siyu (CHN) 3-0: 11-4, 11-1, 11-3 (15m)
[3] Heba El Torky (EGY) bt [L] Gu Jinyue (CHN) 3-0: 11-8, 11-8, 11-6 (23m)
Salma Hany Ibrahim (EGY) bt [4] Line Hansen (DEN) 3-2: 11-5, 6-11, 11-6, 6-11, 11-6 (35m)
Nele Gilis (BEL) bt [5] Nicolette Fernandes (GUY) 3-2: 11-5, 11-8, 11-13, 8-11, 11-6 (81m)
Low Wee Wern (MAS) bt [8] Fiona Moverley (ENG) 3-2: 11-13, 11-7, 6-11, 11-5, 11-8 (62m)
[2] Joey Chan (HKG) bt Liu Tsz-Ling (HKG) 3-0: 11-3, 11-4, 11-5 (26m)

China Squash Open – Women’s Qualification Final
[1] Dipika Pallikal Karthik (IND) v [6]Olivia Blatchford (USA)
[7] Tesni Evans (WAL) v [3] Heba El Torky (EGY)
Salma Hany Ibrahim (EGY) v Nele Gilis (BEL)
Low Wee Wern (MAS)v [2] Joey Chan (HKG)