Matsui Makes History In Malaysia

Chinatsu Matsui claimed a place in squash history today in Malaysia when she became the first Japanese player to reach a Tour final.

Seeded eight and competing in her 39th WISPA World Tour event, Matsui upset India's No3 seed Joshna Chinappa 9-6, 10-9, 9-7 in a 51-minute final of the Women's NSC Tour 10 No2 Championship at the Jalan Duta National Squash Centre in Kuala Lumpur.

The 30-year-old from Kawasaki will now face local star Sharon Wee for the title - after the top-seeded Malaysian ended the run of unseeded Australian Donna Urquhart, winning 9-3, 9-6, 9-1 in just 22 minutes to claim her 14th appearance in a WISPA final.

The favourite will also take on an unexpected opponent in the final of the men's NSC 1 Star No2 Championship. New Zealand's top seed Kashif Shuja need four games to overcome Hong Kong's unseeded Dick Lau 11-6, 11-6, 7-11, 11-7 in the semi-final in the top half of the draw.

The Pakistan-born favourite, now in his 14th PSA Tour final, will face Ritwik Bhattacharya - after the fourth seed from India beat Australia's Mike Corren 11-9, 9-11, 9-11, 11-7, 11-3 in the other semi-final to earn his ninth Tour final appearance.

RESULTS: NSC 1 Star No2 Squash Championship
Semi-finals:
[1] Kashif Shuja (NZL) bt Dick Lau (HKG) 11-6, 11-6, 7-11, 11-7 (40m)
[4] Ritwik Bhattacharya (IND) bt [7] Mike Corren (AUS) 11-9, 9-11, 9-11, 11-7, 11-3 (54m)

Women's NSC Tour 10 No2 Squash Championship
Semi-finals:
[1] Sharon Wee (MAS) bt Donna Urquhart (AUS) 9-3, 9-6, 9-1 (22m)
[8] Chinatsu Matsui (JPN) bt [3] Joshna Chinappa (IND) 9-6, 10-9, 9-7 (51m)