Macau Open Roundup: Malaysia’s Yuen Axes Au to Reach Last Eight

#PSAWorldTour

Malaysian World No.53 Ivan Yuen bridged a 28-place World Rankings gap to defeat Hong Kong’s Leo Au at the 2016 Macau Open and reach the quarter-final stage of a PSA M50 tournament for the first time in his career.

Despite being ranked below fifth seed Au for much of the past five years, Yuen led the head-to-head record 3-1 coming into the duo’s Macau Open encounter, and the man from Penang came out on top once more, with an 11-9, 9-11, 11-7, 11-3 victory in 72 minutes seeing him progress to the last eight.

Yuen will line up against defending champion Max Lee for a place in the semi-final after Lee overcame Tsz Fung Yip by a 3-1 margin.

Swiss number six seed Nicolas Mueller was the other seeded player to bow out on the first day of main draw action in the Men’s event after he lost out to Indian qualifier Harinder Pal Singh Sandhu 3-1. A quarter-final meeting against compatriot Saurav Ghosal awaits Sandhu, with Ghosal seeing off Elvinn Keo in straight games to seal his place in the next round.

Meanwhile, pre-tournament title favourite Marwan ElShorbagy got off to a winning start, recovering from a game down to defeat Australia’s Rex Hedrick, and the Bristol-based World No.7 will lock horns with Scotland’s Alan Clyne, who overcame English qualifier Joshua Masters in a five-game contest.

England’s World No.19 Daryl Selby and Malaysian No.1 Nafiizwan Adnan will clash in the other quarter-final fixture after they achieved respective triumphs against Welshman Joel Makin and wildcard Steven Liu.

Elsewhere, Egyptian qualifier Mayar Hany dispatched compatriot Heba El Torky in the Women’s event to set up a quarter-final meeting with Malaysia’s Delia Arnold, who eased past wildcard Liu Kwai Chi.

There were also first round wins for the likes of Joelle King, Annie Au and Emily Whitlock. King downed South Africa’s Siyoli Waters to set up a fixture with Denmark’s Line Hansen, while Hong Kong’s Au defeated France’s Coline Aumard to ensure that she will play compatriot Joey Chan.

Whitlock, meanwhile, stormed to victory against Egyptian 16-year-old Hana Moataz and will contest her quarter-final match with Australian No.1 Donna Urquhart.

2016 Macau Open – Men’s First Round Results
[1] Marwan ElShorbagy (EGY) bt Rex Hedrick (AUS) 3-1: 6-11, 12-10, 11-6, 11-7 (58m)
[8] Alan Clyne (SCO) bt [Q] Joshua Masters (ENG) 3-2: 11-13, 11-3, 7-11, 11-6, 11-3 (59m)
Ivan Yuen (MAS) bt [5] Leo Au (HKG) 3-1: 11-9, 9-11, 11-7, 11-3 (72m)
[3] Max Lee (HKG) bt Tsz Fung Yip (HKG) 3-1: 11-3, 6-11, 11-9, 11-6 (41m)
[4] Daryl Selby (ENG) bt [Q] Joel Makin (WAL) 3-1: 5-11, 11-5, 11-4, 12-10 (67m)
[7] Nafiizwan Adnan (MAS) bt [WC] Steven Liu (MAC) 3-0: 11-6, 11-4, 11-6 (18m)
[Q] Harinder Pal Singh Sandhu (IND) bt [6] Nicolas Mueller (SUI) 3-1: 11-8, 10-12, 13-11, 11-8 (49m)
[2] Saurav Ghosal (IND) bt [Q] Elvinn Keo (MAS) 3-0: 11-7, 11-5, 11-7 (34m)

2016 Macau Open – Men’s Quarter-Final Draw
[1] Marwan ElShorbagy (EGY) v [8] Alan Clyne (SCO)
Ivan Yuen (MAS) v [3] Max Lee (HKG)
[4] Daryl Selby (ENG) v [7] Nafiizwan Adnan (MAS)
[Q] Harinder Pal Singh Sandhu (IND) v [2] Saurav Ghosal (IND)


2016 Macau Open – Women’s First Round Results
[1] Joelle King (NZL) bt [Q] Siyoli Waters (RSA) 3-0: 11-4, 11-9, 11-8 (32m)
[8] Line Hansen (DEN) bt Olivia Blatchford (USA) 3-1: 12-10, 11-7, 5-11, 11-5 (44m)
[Q] Mayar Hany (EGY) bt [7] Heba El Torky (EGY) 3-1: 11-9, 2-11, 13-11, 11-7 (42m)
[3] Delia Arnold (MAS) bt [WC] Liu Kwai Chi (MAS) 3-0: 11-2, 11-5, 11-3 (15m)
[4] Emily Whitlock (ENG) bt [Q] Hana Moataz (EGY) 3-0: 11-4, 11-7, 11-6 (30m)
[6] Donna Urquhart (AUS) bt Liu Tsz-Ling (HKG) 3-2: 11-8, 8-11, 11-3, 11-13, 11-2 (51m)
[5] Joey Chan (HKG) bt [Q] Nada Abbas (EGY) 3-1: 11-5, 11-9, 9-11, 11-4 (39m)
[2] Annie Au (HKG) bt Coline Aumard (FRA) 3-1: 11-8, 10-12, 11-7, 11-9 (47m)

2016 Macau Open – Women’s Quarter-Final Draw
[1] Joelle King (NZL) v [8] Line Hansen (DEN)
[Q] Mayar Hany (EGY) v [3] Delia Arnold (MAS)
[4] Emily Whitlock (ENG) v [6] Donna Urquhart (AUS)
[5] Joey Chan (HKG) v [2] Annie Au (HKG)

* The PSA World Tour’s biggest-ever season is showing more than 450 matches live on Eurosport Player. Monthly subscriptions start from £4.99.
FIND OUT MORE

The PSA World Tour’s biggest-ever season is showing more than 450 live games on SQUASHTV. To celebrate we’re offering you a great deal – 50{d0587469e8933ea5fce14b556fa40d44c2813bf7740605b59885b5a8c24d5885} off your first three months’ SQUASHTV subscription. Just use code 50for3*
FIND OUT MORE