Hawkes Maintains Order In NSC Tour Events In Kuala Lumpur

Jaclyn Hawkes became the only top seed to reach the finals of the NSC Tour events at the Bukit Jalil National Squash Centre in Kuala Lumpur - but the 25-year-old from Auckland was taken the full distance by fellow New Zealander Louise Crome in today's semi-finals of the Women's NSC Tour 12 No1 in the Malaysian capital.

Crome, who arrived in Malaysia fresh from her triumph in the inaugural WISPA Vietnam Open last week, twice led in the match. But Hawkes, ranked 18 in the world, nine places higher than Crome, battled back to clinch an impressive 5-9, 9-2, 6-9, 9-4, 9-5 victory after 85 minutes.

Joshna Chinappa, runner-up to Crome in Hanoi, also toiled for five games in the other women's semi-final - but emerged triumphant against Sharon Wee, the second seed. Wee reached the semis after a straight games win over unseeded Dipika Pallikal, the 16-year-old Indian who prevailed in the first round when fifth-seeded Australian Donna Urquhart was forced to withdraw after taking the first game - suffering from a torn calf tear in her right leg.

Chinappa, the sixth seed from Chennai, fought back from 1/2 down to beat Wee 9-6, 3-9, 1-9, 9-7, 9-2.

The sixth seed will also compete in the final of the men's NSC 1 Star No1 championship. Pakistan's Bilal Zaman upset Germany's No2 seed Simon Rosner 6-11, 11-10 (9-7), 7-11, 11-10 (3-1), 11-9 in a 65-minute marathon quarter-final - then eased straight through to the final when third-seeded opponent Mike Corren conceded the semi-final as the result of a chronic back injury.

The prospect of a surprise all-Pakistan final was thwarted by home hero Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan, the fourth seed from Kuala Lumpur who beat unseeded Shamsul Islam Khan, from Quetta, 10-11 (0-2), 11-1, 11-4, 6-11, 11-4 in the other semi-final.

men's semi-finals:
[4] Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan (MAS) bt Shamsul Islam Khan (PAK) 10-11 (0-2), 11-1, 11-4, 6-11, 11-4 (49m)
[6] Bilal Zaman (PAK) bt [3] Mike Corren (AUS) w/o

Women's semi-finals:
[1] Jaclyn Hawkes (NZL) bt [3] Louise Crome (NZL) 5-9, 9-2, 6-9, 9-4, 9-5 (85m)
[6] Joshna Chinappa (IND) bt [2] Sharon Wee (MAS) 9-6, 3-9, 1-9, 9-7, 9-2 (50m)