Miller Masters Malaysian In Singapore Qualifying Upset
Qualifying finals:
Alana Miller (CAN) bt Sharon Wee (MAS) 5-11, 12-10, 11-7, 7-11, 11-6
Lauren Briggs (ENG) bt Lim Yoke Wah (MAS) 8-11, 11-8, 11-6, 11-6
Orla Noom (NED) bt Low Wee Wern (MAS) 11-7, 12-10, 1-11, 11-5
Line Hansen (DEN) bt Raneem El Weleily (EGY) 11-7, 11-9, 11-8
Canadian Alana Miller secured the scalp of a player ranked 19 places higher when she upset Malaysia's world number 20 Sharon Wee in the qualifying finals of the Women's CIMB Singapore Squash Masters, the $53,500 WISPA World Tour Gold event in its second year at the Kallang Squash Centre in Singapore.
Miller showed great determination after coming back from losing the first game to take the next two. Wee drew level, but the 28-year-old from Winnipeg fought back to claim an impressive 5-11, 12-10, 11-7, 7-11, 11-6 victory - and a surprise place in the main draw, where she will meet Australia's world champion Rachael Grinham.
There was also an upset in the final match of the day when Line Hansen, from Denmark, took on Egypt's Raneem El Weleily, ranked 26 in the world. The 25-year-old from Odense, ranked two places lower, beat El Weleily 11-7, 11-9, 11-8 and will now face England's Alison Waters, the eighth seed.
Malaysia's Nicol David is seeded to retain the title she won last year. The world number one from Penang takes on Egypt's Engy Kheirallah in the first round in a bid to extend her 30-match unbeaten run on the WISPA World Tour. Victory in Singapore would give the 24-year-old her eighth Tour title in a row - but the 30th of her career.
1st round line-up:
[1] Nicol David (MAS) v Engy Kheirallah (EGY)
[5] Jenny Duncalf (ENG) v [Q] Orla Noom (NED)
[4] Tania Bailey (ENG) v Rebecca Chiu (HKG)
[6] Shelley Kitchen (NZL) v Madeline Perry (IRL)
[8] Alison Waters (ENG) v [Q] Line Hansen (DEN)
[3] Rachael Grinham (AUS) v [Q] Alana Miller (CAN)
[7] Omneya Abdel Kawy (EGY) v [Q] Lauren Briggs (ENG)
[2] Natalie Grinham (NED) v Isabelle Stoehr (FRA)