Chan In The Chase For World Games Glory

Hong Kong's Joey Chan became the only unseeded player to claim a place in the quarter-finals of the World Games Squash championships after beating Australia's Amelia Pittock in today's second round of the women's competition in the Chinese Taipei city of Kaohsiung.

Staged under the patronage of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the 2009 Kaohsiung World Games is the eighth edition of the multi-sport event which features sports not currently on the programme of the Olympic Games - in which over 4,000 athletes are competing in more than 30 sports.

Chan, the 21-year-old world No37, made her breakthrough in the first round where she beat Ireland's 16th seed Aisling Blake in straight games. Pittock also secured an unexpected place in the second round after overcoming Isabelle Stoehr, the sixth seed from France, in five games.

After leading 2/1 in games in the second round match, the 25-year-old from Dromana moved 7-2 up in the fourth before reaching match ball at 10-9. But Chan fought back to clinch the game and went on to seal the match 11-5, 10-12, 6-11, 12-10, 11-9 after 43 minutes to earn a surprise place in the last eight.

Chan will now face top seed Nicol David, the world number one from Malaysia who is set to make history by becoming the first player to successfully defend a World Games squash title. David beat India's Joshna Chinappa 11-2, 11-7, 11-3 - bringing to an end the brave run of the unseeded 22-year-old from Chennai who upset Sharon Wee, the 15th seed from Malaysia, in the opening round.

There were further upsets in the women's event when Samantha Teran and Kasey Brown - seeded 11 and 9, respectively - claimed unexpected places in the last eight. Mexican Teran despatched eighth seed Vanessa Atkinson, the former world champion from the Netherlands, 9-11, 11-9, 11-7, 11-7 - while
Brown recovered from two games down, and saved two match balls in the third game, before beating seventh-seeded New Zealander Shelley Kitchen 1-11, 8-11, 16-14, 11-6, 11-2 in 54 minutes.

France's Julien Balbo scored a notable upset in the men's event, beating Malaysia's No4 seed Ong Beng Hee in straight games. The world No14 from Kuala Lumpur led in all three games, but 13th seed Balbo, the world No51 from Chambery, maintained his focus to win 12-10, 11-7, 12-10 in 48 minutes.

Britons Nick Matthew and James Willstrop, seeded one and two, respectively, are on course to meet in Friday's final - but Willstrop, in his first tournament since undergoing ankle surgery in April, was taken the full distance before beating Germany's 14th seed Simon Rosner 8-11, 11-6, 8-11, 11-5, 11-3.

Matthew strolled to an 11-4, 11-2, 11-4 win over Malaysia's No15 seed Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan - and will now face India's Saurav Ghosal, the No8 seed, who beat tired Frenchman Renan Lavigne 11-7, 11-3, 11-5 in 36 minutes. In his earlier first round match, ninth seed Lavigne had been stretched to five games by Max Lee before finally overcoming the Hong Kong 21-year-old 11-5, 13-11, 7-11, 5-11, 11-8 in 81 minutes.

The day began with a simple yet elegant opening ceremony for Squash, which was held at the centre court. All participants marched in, accompanied by local girls in colourful dresses. Mr Huang Chao Hui, Director General of Civil Affairs Bureau, Kaohsiung City Government, welcomed all participants. Nicol David took the oath on behalf of the athletes and Munir Shah for the referees, before WSF Vice President Heather Deayton declared the championships open.

Men's 2nd round:
[1] Nick Matthew (GBR) bt [15] Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan (MAS) 11-4, 11-2, 11-4 (25m)
[8] Saurav Ghosal (IND) bt [9] Renan Lavigne (FRA) 11-7, 11-3, 11-5 (36m)
[6] Cameron Pilley (AUS) bt [12] Mark Krajcsak (HUN) 11-3, 14-12, 11-6 (37m)
[3] Mohd Azlan Iskandar (MAS) bt [11] Aaron Frankcomb (AUS) 11-7, 8-11, 12-10, 11-4 (71m)
[13] Julien Balbo (FRA) bt [4] Ong Beng Hee (MAS) 12-10, 11-7, 12-10 (48m)
[5] Stewart Boswell (AUS) bt [10] Omar Abdel Aziz (EGY) 11-4, 11-3, 11-5 (32m)
[7] Omar Mosaad (EGY) bt [16] Stephen Coppinger (RSA) 11-9, 11-6, 15-13
[2] James Willstrop (GBR) bt [14] Simon Rosner (GER) 8-11, 11-6, 8-11, 11-5, 11-3 (48m)

Women's 2nd round:
[1] Nicol David (MAS) bt Joshna Chinappa (IND) 11-2, 11-7, 11-3 (19m)
Joey Chan (HKG) bt Amelia Pittock (AUS) 11-5, 10-12, 6-11, 12-10, 11-9 (43m)
[5] Omneya Abdel Kawy (EGY) bt [12] Jaclyn Hawkes (NZL) 11-8, 11-8, 11-7 (36m)
[3] Jenny Duncalf (GBR) bt [10] Rebecca Chiu (HKG) 11-6, 11-8, 11-13, 11-9 (33m)
[4] Alison Waters (GBR) bt [13] Raneem El Weleily (EGY) 11-5, 11-3, 11-5 (18m)
[11] Samantha Teran (MEX) bt [8] Vanessa Atkinson (NED) 9-11, 11-9, 11-7, 11-7 (38m)
[9] Kasey Brown (AUS) bt [7] Shelley Kitchen (NZL) 1-11, 8-11, 16-14, 11-6, 11-2 (54m)
[2] Natalie Grinham (NED) bt Miranda Ranieri (CAN) 11-4, 11-7, 11-4 (15m)