RESULTS: CIMB Malaysian Open Squash Championships, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Men’s qualifying finals:
Ryan Cuskelly (AUS) bt Alan Clyne (SCO) 7-4 ret. (7m)
Muhd Asyraf Azan (MAS) bt Kristian Frost Olesen (DEN) 11-3, 8-11, 11-6, 11-6 (60m)
Siddharth Suchde (IND) bt Gilly Lane (USA) 11-7, 11-9, 6-11, 11-8 (77m)
Farhan Mehboob (PAK) bt Ivan Yuen (MAS) 14-12, 11-9, 11-4 (40m)
Women’s qualifying finals:
Raneem El Weleily (EGY) bt Nour El Sherbini (EGY) 4-11, 11-5, 11-8, 8-11, 14-12 (67m)
Joelle King (NZL) bt Joshna Chinappa (IND) 11-7, 11-7, 7-11, 11-9 (45m)
Dipika Pallikal (IND) bt Siti Munirah Jusoh (MAS) 9-11, 11-6, 11-6, 11-6 (39m)
Tania Bailey (ENG) bt Donna Urquhart (AUS) 11-6, 11-5, 11-5 (32m)
Muhd Asyraf Azan boosted local interest in the CIMB Malaysian Open after surviving today’s (Tuesday) men’s qualifying finals of the $52,500 PSA World Tour 5-star event in the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur.
The 21-year-old from KL, ranked 69 in the world, defeated Dane Kristian Frost Olesen 11-3, 8-11, 11-6, 11-6 to earn a place in the main draw of the established Tour event for the second year in a row.
Azan has been drawn to face distinguished fellow countryman Ong Beng Hee, the fifth seed and Malaysian Open champion three times since 2000.
But India’s Siddharth Suchde became the lowest-ranked player to secure a place in the main draw – for the first time – after battling for 77 minutes to overcome rising US star Gilly Lane 11-7, 11-9, 6-11, 11-8.
The UK-based 25-year-old from Mumbai will now line up against top-seeded Egyptian Mohamed El Shorbagy, the world No14 from Alexandria who is looking to double his PSA Tour title collection after winning his maiden trophy at the Indian Challenger No7 in Kolkata in April.
There were some notable victories in the final qualifying round of the $53,500 Women’s championship, the fourth WISPA World Tour Gold event of the year.
England’s Tania Bailey, the former world No4 now ranked 32 in the world, defeated Australia’s world No18 Donna Urquhart 11-6, 11-5, 11-5 in just 32 minutes, while recently-crowned Asian junior champion Dipika Pallikal followed her impressive first round win over Ireland’s world No24 Aisling Blake by beating 23-year-old Malaysian Siti Munirah Jusoh 9-11, 11-6, 11-6, 11-6.
Bailey, now 30, will face fourth-seeded compatriot Alison Waters in the main draw, while 18-year-old Pallikal will also meet an English opponent – eighth seed Laura Massaro who is making a long-awaited return to the WISPA Tour after sustaining an ankle injury earlier in the year in Malaysia, at the KL Open.
But the toughest women’s battle was an all-Egyptian affair between experienced Raneem El Weleily, the world No14, and Nour El Sherbini, the 14-year-old world No45 who lost her world junior title last month in Germany.
El Sherbini took the first game, then levelled the match after El Weleily took the second and third games. The decider went to a tie-break – but it was El Weleily who ultimately prevailed, winning 4-11, 11-5, 11-8, 8-11, 14-12 in 67 minutes to earn a place in the main draw for the third time since 2004.
Updated Men's 1st round draw:
[1] Mohamed El Shorbagy (EGY) v [Q] Siddharth Suchde (IND)
[5] Ong Beng Hee (MAS) v [Q] Muhd Asyraf Azan (MAS)
[3] Stewart Boswell (AUS) v Aaron Frankcomb (AUS)
[7] Tarek Momen (EGY) v Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan (MAS)
[6] Aamir Atlas Khan (PAK) v [Q] Ryan Cuskelly (AUS)
[4] Mohd Azlan Iskandar (MAS) v Campbell Grayson (NZL)
[8] Simon Rosner (GER) v Martin Knight (NZL)
[2] Cameron Pilley (AUS) v [Q] Farhan Mehboob (PAK)
Updated Women's 1st round draw:
[1] Nicol David (MAS) v [Q] Joelle King (NZL)
[7] Madeline Perry (IRL) v Camille Serme (FRA)
[4] Alison Waters (ENG) v [Q] Tania Bailey (ENG)
[5] Omneya Abdel Kawy (EGY) v Kasey Brown (AUS)
[8] Laura Massaro (ENG) v [Q] Dipika Pallikal (IND)
[3] Rachael Grinham (AUS) v [Q] Raneem El Weleily (EGY)
[6] Natalie Grainger (USA) v Low Wee Wern (MAS)
[2] Jenny Duncalf (ENG) v Jaclyn Hawkes (NZL)