Women Seeds Safe, While Men Crash, In KL

While all the women's seeds prevailed in today's first round of the NSC Series No1 in the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur, half of the men's seeds crashed out of the international Tour squash event at the National Squash Centre in Bukit Jalil.

Pakistan qualifier Waqar Mehboob claimed the biggest scalp in the men's $10,000 PSA Tour event. The 17-year-old from Peshawar defeated Ritwik Bhattacharya, the third seed from India ranked more than 50 places higher in the world, 11-5, 14-16, 11-7, 11-7.

The youngest player in the event now faces Nicolas Mueller after the unseeded Swiss teenager, making his Tour debut in Malaysia, upset seventh-seeded Pakistani Shamsul Islam Khan 11-7, 11-2, 11-8.

England's fourth seed Chris Simpson was also an unexpected casualty, beaten 11-5, 6-11, 8-11, 11-6, 11-4 by Kuwaiti qualifier Abdullah Almezayen.

Malaysian Sharon Wee earned the quickest win in the women's $16,000 WISPA World Tour event. The 31-year-old third seed despatched compatriot Nessrine Ariffin, a 17-year-old qualifier, 11-6, 11-3, 11-3 in just 19 minutes.

Top-seeded New Zealander Shelley Kitchen, making her Tour debut this year, cruised to an 11-4, 11-2, 11-2 win over Malaysian Tan Yan Xin and will now face Hong Kong's eighth seed Joey Chan for a place in the semi-finals.

Men's 1st round:
[1] Aaron Frankcomb (AUS) bt Choong Kam Hing (MAS) 11-8, 11-7, 11-4 (37m)
[Q] Alan Clyne (SCO) bt [5] Dylan Bennett (NED) 7-11, 11-9, 11-9, 13-11 (46m)
[Q] Waqar Mehboob (PAK) bt [3] Ritwik Bhattacharya (IND) 11-5, 14-16, 11-7, 11-7 (45m)
Nicolas Mueller (SUI) bt [7] Shamsul Islam Khan (PAK) 11-7, 11-2, 11-8 (27m)
[8] Matthew Karwalski (AUS) bt [Q] Ivan Yuen (MAS) 11-6, 7-11, 11-7, 11-8 (46m)
[Q] Abdullah Almezayen (KUW) bt [4] Chris Simpson (ENG) 11-5, 6-11, 8-11, 11-6, 11-4 (56m)
[6] Muhd Asyraf Azan (MAS) bt Nafzahizam Adnan (MAS) 7-11, 3-11, 11-6, 11-6, 11-8
[2] Mohd Ali Anwar Reda (EGY) bt Siddharth Suchde (IND) 6-11, 11-8, 3-11, 11-6, 11-8 (70m)

Women's 1st round:
[1] Shelley Kitchen (NZL) bt Tan Yan Xin (MAS) 11-4, 11-2, 11-2 (25m)
[8] Joey Chan (HKG) bt Lim Yoke Wah (MAS) 11-6, 11-4, 7-11, 11-5 (35m)
[4] Delia Arnold (MAS) bt [Q] Maria Toor Pakay (PAK) 11-5, 11-9, 11-5 (37m)
[5] Lauren Siddall (ENG) bt [Q] Birgit Coufal (AUT) 11-9, 12-10, 11-8 (27m)
[6] Emma Beddoes (ENG) bt Siti Munirah Jusoh (MAS) 11-8, 11-3, 11-8 (25m)
[3] Sharon Wee (MAS) bt [Q] Nessrine Ariffin (MAS) 11-6, 11-3, 11-3 (19m)
[7] Low Wee Wern (MAS) bt [Q] Olga Ertlova (CZE) 9-11, 11-4, 12-10, 11-4 (39m)
[2] Annie Au (HKG) bt Adel Weir (RSA) 11-7, 11-7, 11-5 (23m)