Event favourites Aaron Frankcomb and Annie Au emerged triumphant in today's finals of the Buler Challenge Cup at the Hong Kong Squash Centre in Hong Kong China.
Australian Frankcomb finally ended the giant-killing run of unseeded Indian Harinder Pal Sandhu in the climax of the men's PSA World Tour Challenger 10 event.
But it took the world No41 from Tasmania 65 minutes to see off Sandhu, ranked almost 100 places lower, 12-10, 11-6, 12-10.
Sandhu, the 22-year-old world No136 from Chennai, was playing in his first PSA Tour event of the year – but made his breakthrough in the quarter-finals where he ousted second seed Jan Koukal before going on to down Hong Kong's fourth seed Dick Lau in the semis.
But it was Frankcomb's day as the 26-year-old collected the third Tour title of his career.
Much to the delight of the local crowd, top-ranked Hong Kong player Annie Au justified her top billing in the women's WISPA World Tour 12 event by beating second seed Donna Urquhart to avenge her defeat by the Australian in the 2010 climax.
But 22-year-old left-hander Au was taken the full distance before finally clinching the title after 56 minutes.
Au's 11-9, 7-11, 9-11, 11-8, 11-7 victory marks up her tenth title on the WISPA Tour.
RESULTS: Buler Challenge Cup, Hong Kong China
Men's Final:
[1] Aaron Frankcomb (AUS) bt Harinder Pal Sandhu (IND) 12-10, 11-6, 12-10 (65m)
Women’s Final:
[1] Annie Au (HKG) bt [2] Donna Urquhart (AUS) 11-9, 7-11, 9-11, 11-8, 11-7 (56m)