Hong Kong qualifier Leo Au upset local favourite Nathan Stevenson in today's first round of the Hibiscus Gardens Open squash tournament in Upper Mount Gravatt, near Brisbane, in Australia.

Au, who won through two rounds of qualifying to make the main draw of the PSA World Tour Challenger 15 event at Hibiscus Gardens Squash Centre, came back from losing the first game to win 7-11, 11-6, 11-4, 11-4 - and move into a quarter-final clash against second seed Martin Knight.

The New Zealander had to fight hard to see off Dutch qualifier Sebastian Weenink 8-11, 11-7, 11-5, 11-6.

South Africa's top seed Stephen Coppinger cruised into the final eight with an 11-6, 11-4, 11-7 win over Malaysian Choong Kam Hing.

However, the third-seeded Kamran Khan was pushed all the way by local qualifier Bradley Freeme, the Malaysian eventually winning 8-11, 14-12, 11-8, 11-7.

Meanwhile, South Australian veteran Mike Corren, who last week won his 33rd PSA title, ended the run of fellow Australian Jamie McErvale 11-5, 11-5, 11-9.

Other winners were Melbourne's Rex Hedrick, an 11-5, 11-3, 11-3 victor over Japan's Ben Takamizawa Harris; Chris Truswell, who beat Kiwi Alex Grayson 11-5, 16-14, 11-5; and Canada's Fred Reid, who upset fellow countryman Tyler Hamilton 12-10, 11-9, 9-11, 12-10.

RESULTS: PSA Challenger 15 Hibiscus Gardens Open, Upper Mount Gravatt, Australia

1st round:
[1] Stephen Coppinger (RSA) bt Choong Kam Hing (MAS) 11-6, 11-4, 11-7 (28m)
Chris Truswell (ENG) bt Alex Grayson (NZL) 11-5, 16-14, 11-5 (42m)
Rex Hedrick (AUS) bt Ben Takamizawa Harris (JPN) 11-5, 11-3, 11-3 (22m)
[3] Kamran Khan (MAS) bt [Q] Bradley Freeme (AUS) 8-11, 14-12, 11-8, 11-7 (80m)
[4] Mike Corren (AUS) bt [Q] Jamie Mcervale (AUS) 11-5, 11-5, 11-9 (26m)
Fred Reid (CAN) bt Tyler Hamilton (CAN) 12-10, 11-9, 9-11, 12-10 (38m)
[Q] Leo Au (HKG) bt Nathan Stevenson (AUS) 7-11, 11-6, 11-4, 11-4 (38m)
[2] Martin Knight (NZL) bt [Q] Sebastian Weenink (NED) 8-11, 11-7, 11-5, 11-6 (47m)

Quarter-final line-up:
[1] Stephen Coppinger (RSA) v Chris Truswell (ENG)
[3] Kamran Khan (MAS) v Rex Hedrick (AUS)
[4] Mike Corren (AUS) v Fred Reid (CAN)
[2] Martin Knight (NZL) v [Q] Leo Au (HKG)