North Coast Open: Azman Into Women’s Final, Top Two Male Seeds Fall In Semis

Unseeded Malaysian junior Aifa Azman is through to her first final on the PSA Challenger Tour of an event not held in her home country of Malaysia.

Meanwhile, both No.1 seed Evan Williams and No.2 seed Mohd Syafiq Kamal failed to reach the final after being knocked out in the last four in Coffs Harbour.

After a bumper day on Friday, the women’s draw saw the semi finals take place on Saturday, where there were mixed fortunes for the two Malaysians.

17-year-old Aifa Azman beat a home favourite for the second straight day, after she got the better of No.2 seed Sarah Cardwell in the first round.

On Saturday evening, the young Malaysian got the better of Jessica Turnbull. She needed less than half an hour to get the job done, winning out 11-9, 11-9, 11-8.

Azman will face the tournament’s No.1 seed, Vanessa Chu, in the final, after the Hongkonger defeated Azman’s compatriot Ooi Kah Yan in four games in the semis.

The World No.49 took 31 minutes to get the victory in her last four clash with Yan, winning out 11-4, 10-12, 11-6, 11-2, booking her place in the final.

The men’s draw saw both the quarter finals and semi finals take place at Coffs Harbour Squash and Swim Club on Saturday, with both the top two seeds losing in the last four.

The pair had overcome the Calvert brothers in the quarters, with No.1 seed Evan Williams dispatching Thomas Calvert in just 31 minutes.

No.2 seed Mohd Syafiq Kamal beat Nicholas Calvert in his last eight clash to advance through to the semi finals to face Addeen Idrakie, who had overcome compatriot Bryan Lim Tze Kang in the quarters.

The other last eight clash saw Japan’s Ryosei Kobayashi break Angus Gillams unbeaten run. The Scot had won his previous two tournaments, and had been victorious in his last ten matches, until the Japanese player got the better of him in three games.

Kobayashi then shocked the tournament’s No.1 seed, beating Evan Williams in straight games, taking just 33 minutes to book his place in the final.

Meanwhile, Addeen Idrakie took the victory in the all-Malaysian semi final clash, also taking just three games to get the job done.

Men’s Quarter Final Results
[1] Evan Williams (NZL) bt [8] Thomas Calvert (AUS) 3-0: 11-8, 11-7, 11-3 (31m)
[5] Ryosei Kobayashi (JPN) bt [4] Angus Gillams (SCO) 3-0: 12-10, 11-3, 11-6 (33m)
[3] Addeen Idrakie (MAS) bt Bryan Lim Tze Kang (MAS) 3-2: 5-11, 11-4, 11-5, 7-11, 11-4 (46m)
[2] Mohd Syafiq Kamal (MAS) bt [7] Nicholas Calvert (AUS) 3-1: 11-9, 9-11, 11-6, 11-3 (38m)

Men’s Semi Final Results
[5] Ryosei Kobayashi (JPN) bt [1] Evan Williams (NZL) 3-0: 11-7, 11-6, 11-5 (33m)
[3] Addeen Idrakie (MAS) bt [2] Mohd Syafiq Kamal (MAS) 3-0: 12-10, 11-9, 11-8 (45m)

Women’s Semi Final Results
[1] Vanessa Chu (HKG) bt [4] Ooi Kah Yan (MAS) 3-1: 11-4, 10-12, 11-6 11-2 (31m)
Aifa Azman (MAS) bt [3] Jessica Turnbull (AUS) 11-9, 11-9, 11-8 (28m)

Men’s Final Draw
[5] Ryosei Kobayashi (JPN) v [3] Addeen Idrakie

Women’s Final Draw
[1] Vanessa Chu (HKG) v Aifa Azman (MAS)