Koukal & Chinappa Celebrate KL Success
Men's final:
[1] Jan Koukal (CZE) bt [2] Yasir Butt (PAK) 9-11, 15-13, 8-11, 11-9, 11-5 (82m)
Women's final:
[4] Joshna Chinappa (IND) bt [3] Low Wee Wern (MAS) 7-11, 7-11, 11-8, 11-5, 16-14 (51m)
Top seed Jan Koukal, from the Czech Republic, and fourth seed Joshna Chinappa, from India, lifted the men's and women's trophies, respectively, in the NSC Series No6 championship at the Bukit Jalil National Squash Centre in the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur.
Czech number one Koukal had his toughest test in the men's $10,000 PSA World Tour event so far - and twice had to fight back from behind before overcoming Pakistan's second seed Yasir Butt 9-11, 15-13, 8-11, 11-9, 11-5 in 82 minutes, the longest match of the tournament.
The triumph marks the ninth title of 26-year-old Koukal's career - but his first this year.
The climax of the $16,000 women's WISPA World Tour event saw third-seeded Malaysian teenager Low Wee Wern jump to a 2/0 lead.
But the 18-year-old from Penang, who ousted top seed Delia Arnold in the previous round, was unable to maintain the momentum.
Chinappa, the 22-year-old world No41 from Chennai who had beaten the Malaysian in two previous Tour finals in KL, regained the upper hand and battled to a 7-11, 7-11, 11-8, 11-5, 16-14 victory in 51 minutes.
The win raises Chinappa's Tour title tally to three - all of which have been in clashes with Low.