Mehboob Makes NSC Final In KL

After another marathon encounter in the NSC Series No4 Squash Championships, Pakistan qualifier Waqar Mehboob has now reached the final of the $10,000 PSA Tour event after beating South African Clinton Leeuw in today's semi-finals at the Bukit Jalil National Squash Centre in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The 17-year-old from Peshawar made his breakthrough in the quarter-finals where he beat top seed Renan Lavigne. Mehboob battled for 77 minutes to record his 11-8, 14-12, 6-11, 4-11, 11-9 victory over 26-year-old Leeuw, from Cape Town.

Now in his second Tour final in Kuala Lumpur in a week, the promising Pakistani will face local star Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan after the second seed from KL beat up-and-coming compatriot Ivan Yuen, an 18-year-old qualifier, 11-4, 11-4, 7-11, 11-8.

Adnan is celebrating his 10th PSA Tour final appearance - but his first for almost a year.

Action in the women's $16,000 WISPA World Tour event continued to progress according to the seedings: Former world champion Vanessa Atkinson secured her expected place in the final with a surprisingly straightforward 11-4, 11-1, 11-7 win over England's Tania Bailey, the third seed, in 29 minutes.

The Dutch favourite, now in the 36th Tour final of her career, will face second seed Shelley Kitchen. The Auckland-based New Zealander despatched England's Dominique Lloyd-Walter, the fourth seed, 11-7, 11-8, 11-8, to notch up her 22nd WISPA final appearance, the third in KL this year.

Men's semi-finals:
[Q] Waqar Mehboob (PAK) bt Clinton Leeuw (RSA) 11-8, 14-12, 6-11, 4-11, 11-9 (77m)
[2] Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan (MAS) bt [Q] Ivan Yuen (MAS) 11-4, 11-4, 7-11, 11-8 (57m)

Women's semi-finals:
[1] Vanessa Atkinson (NED) bt [3] Tania Bailey (ENG) 11-4, 11-1, 11-7 (29m)
[2] Shelley Kitchen (NZL) bt [4] Dominique Lloyd-Walter (ENG) 11-7, 11-8, 11-8 (39m)