North Coast Open QF: Surprise Winners Across Both Draws

Quarter finals day at the Costa North Coast Open was one full of surprises, with four of the eight matches on Friday at Coffs Harbour Squash & Swim Centre going the way of the lower-ranked player.

It is guaranteed that one of the men’s finalists will be an unseeded player, after both Australia’s Rex Hedrick and India’s Abhay Singh secured surprise wins. Hedrick took out top seed Henry Leung, beating the Hongkonger in a four-games battle. The Aussie, who has previously been inside the world’s top 50, went two games in front before seeng Leung fight back to win the third. The fourth game then went deep into a tie-break, with Hedrick winning the all-important 36th point to take it 19-17, and to book his place in the last four.

He will now face India’s Singh in the last four in Coffs Harbour, after the World No.109 got the better of the tournament’s No.4 seed, New Zealand’s Lwamba Chileshe. The Indian found himself behind after three games, but fought back to win both the fourth and fifth to take the victory, and advance to the semis of the Challenger 10 level competition.

The other men’s semi-final will see Switzerland’s Yannick Wilhelmi take on Malaysia’s Addeen Idrakie for a place in Sunday’s final, after the pair got the better of Hong Kong’s Tang Ming Hong and Matthew Lai, respectively, in their last eight contests.

Australia’s Jessica Turnbull caused the biggest upset of the second day in the women’s event, as she defeated England’s Grace Gear to move through to the semi-finals. Gear came into the event as the No.2 seed, but the Aussie was in top form on home soil to win in four games, only losing the third on a tie-break, to set up a clash with compatriot, and No.3 seed, Sarah Cardwell.

The other semi-final in the women’s draw will be an all-Hong Kong battle between top seed Chan Sin Yuk and No.6 seed Cheng Nga Ching. The latter downed No.4 seed Alex Haydon in a five-game battle, coming from behind after losing both of the first two games by an 11-9 scoreline. Meanwhile, Yuk dropped just 11 points in total during her quarter final contest with Switzerland’s Celine Walser.

The semi-finals of the Costa North Coast Open will take place on Saturday, August 20 at the Coffs Harbour Squash & Swim Centre in Australia, where the final four in both draws will do battle to try and make it through to Sunday’s finals.

Men’s Quarter Final Results: Costa North Coast Open
Rex Hedrick (AUS) bt [1] Henry Leung (HKG) 3-1: 11-9, 13-11, 4-11, 19-17 (86m)
Abhay Singh (IND) bt [4] Lwamba Chileshe (NZL) 3-2: 6-11, 11-3, 3-11, 11-5, 11-8 (58m)
[3] Addeen Idrakie (MAS) bt [7] Tang Ming Hong (HKG) 3-0: 11-9, 13-11, 11-2 (33m)
[6] Yannick Wilhelmi (SUI) bt Matthew Lai (HKG) 3-1: 5-11, 11-9, 11-4, 11-5 (44m)

Men’s Semi-Final Draw: To Be Played Saturday, August 20
Rex Hedrick (AUS) v Abhay Singh (IND)
[3] Addeen Idrakie (MAS) v [6] Yannick Wilhelmi (SUI)

Women’s Quarter Final Results: Costa North Coast Open
[1] Chan Sin Yuk (HKG) bt Celine Walser (SUI) 3-0: 11-5, 11-1, 11-5 (18m)
[6] Cheng Nga Ching (HKG) bt [4] Alex Haydon (AUS) 3-2: 9-11, 9-11, 11-6, 11-3, 13-11 (48m)
[3] Sarah Cardwell (AUS) bt [8] Au Yeong Wai Yhann (SGP) 3-0: 11-5, 14-12, 11-8 (25m)
[5] Jessica Turnbull (AUS) bt [2] Grace Gear (ENG) 3-1: 11-9, 11-5, 11-13, 11-7 (38m)

Women’s Semi-Final Draw: To Be Played Saturday, August 20
[1] Chan Sin Yuk (HKG) v [6] Cheng Nga Ching (HKG)
[3] Sarah Cardwell (AUS) v [5] Jessica Turnbull (AUS)