Matsui Denies Malaysians Maximum Success In Penang Open Qualifiers

Japan's Chinatsu Matsui denied the host country maximum success in today's qualifying finals of the Women's Hotel Equatorial Penang Open when she beat Wee Wern Low in four games in the first WISPA World Tour event to be held in Penang, Malaysia.

Matsui beat the 16-year-old Asian Junior champion from Penang 9-2, 9-6, 3-9, 9-4 at the International Squash Centre and will now face Hong Kong's third seed Rebecca Chiu, the Asian Games champion, in the first round.

Meanwhile, Malaysians Lim Yoke Wah, Siti Munirah Jusoh and Delia Arnold made it through to the first round of the $15,000 event which Penang squash star Nicol David helped to set up.

David, whose success in last week's CIMB Malaysian Open clinched her position as number one in the new August WISPA World Rankings, is favourite to win her third WISPA title in four weeks in her home town. The world champion faces England's Jenna Gates in the first round and is expected to go on to meet Rachael Grinham, the second seed from Australia, in Saturday's final.

Qualifying finals:
Lim Yoke Wah (MAS) bt Low Wee Nee (MAS) 9-2, 9-5, 9-0
Siti Munirah Jusoh (MAS) bt Nabilla Ariffin (MAS) 9-4, 2-9, 9-3, 7-9, 9-3
Chinatsu Matsui (JPN) bt Wee Wern Low (MAS) 9-2, 9-6, 3-9, 9-4
Delia Arnold (MAS) bt Sally Looi (MAS) 9-3, 10-9, 9-1