Unseeded Malaysian Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan produced the biggest upset in today's first round of the men's CIMB Nicol David KL Open when he twice came from behind to overcome local hero and twice former champion Mohd Azlan Iskandar to claim a place in the quarter-finals of the PSA World Tour International 50 squash event in the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur.
Champion in 2003 and 2006, and a semi-finalist the past two years, Iskandar was seeded to reach the event's final for the fourth time. And the Sarawak-born 29-year-old twice led his younger compatriot, known as 'Wan', seemingly en-route to his eighth KL quarter-final.
But Adnan, who had never before beaten his country's leading player, raised his game after the third game to take the next two for the loss of just five points to clinch a remarkable 8-11, 11-7, 7-11, 11-3, 11-2 victory after 66 minutes.
The London-based world No34 now meets another distinguished former champion from his own country. But Penang-born Ong Beng Hee, who made his first appearance in the event in 1999 and won the title nine years later, overcame his opponent after just a few minutes when Australian qualifier Matthew Karwalski retired injured midway through the first game with the score at 8-0.
But Hong Kong's Leo Au, also a qualifier, did go on to make the last eight round after upsetting Australia's world No37 Ryan Cuskelly 11-8, 9-11, 8-11, 12-10, 11-3 in 67 minutes.
Au will now face Karim Darwish, the top-seeded Egypt who defeated France's Gregoire Marche 11-2, 11-5, 11-9.
It was an all-Egyptian clash that produced the day's longest encounter when third seed Omar Mosaad held off rising star Tarek Momen 8-11, 12-10, 10-12, 11-1, 11-6 in a 112-minute marathon.
Mosaad next meets top-ranked Indian Saurav Ghosal, who defeated Kuwait qualifier Abdullah Al Muzayen 9-11, 11-8, 11-8, 11-6.
RESULTS: PSA International 50 CIMB Nicol David KL Open, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Men's 1st round:
[1] Karim Darwish (EGY) bt Gregoire Marche (FRA) 11-2, 11-5, 11-9 (40m)
[Q] Leo Au (HKG) bt Ryan Cuskelly (AUS) 11-8, 9-11, 8-11, 12-10, 11-3 (67m)
Max Lee (HKG) bt [Q] Adrian Waller (ENG) 11-8, 11-5, 11-5 (40m)
[4] Adrian Grant (ENG) bt Ivan Yuen (MAS) 6-11, 11-3, 11-8, 11-8 (73m)
[3] Omar Mosaad (EGY) bt Tarek Momen (EGY) 8-11, 12-10, 10-12, 11-1, 11-6 (112m)
Saurav Ghosal (IND) bt [Q] Abdullah Al Muzayen (KUW) 9-11, 11-8, 11-8, 11-6 (45m)
Ong Beng Hee (MAS) bt [Q] Matthew Karwalski (AUS) 8-0 ret.
Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan (MAS) bt [2] Mohd Azlan Iskandar (MAS) 8-11, 11-7, 7-11, 11-3, 11-2 (66m)
Quarter-final line-up:
[1] Karim Darwish (EGY) v [Q] Leo Au (HKG)
[4] Adrian Grant (ENG) v Max Lee (HKG)
[3] Omar Mosaad (EGY) v Saurav Ghosal (IND)
Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan (MAS) v Ong Beng Hee (MAS)
For all the latest Tour news: www.psaworldtour.com