Elise Extends Local Interest In Hong Kong Open

Elise Ng became Hong Kong's sole success in today's qualifying finals of the Cathay Pacific Gale Well Hong Kong Open after surviving two tie-break games to earn a place in the main draw of the $74,000 women's WISPA Gold squash event.

In the men's $145,000 PSA Tour Super Series Platinum event, France's Julien Balbo twice came from behind to deny another local success when he beat Hong Kong's Max Lee 5-11, 11-4, 7-11, 11-8, 11-2 in an 82-minute battle.

Elise Ng beat Japan's Misaki Kobayashi 13-11, 16-14, 11-8 in 33 minutes and, in her third successive appearance in the event's first round, will line up against second seed Natalie Grinham, from the Netherlands.

India's Dipika Pallikal became the youngest - and lowest ranked - player to earn a place in the main draw after an impressive straight games success. The 18-year-old from Chennai, ranked 54 in the world, ousted Joelle King - beating the New Zealander ranked 32 in the world 14-12, 11-5, 11-5. The teenager is drawn to face Egypt's Raneem El Weleily, the 16th seed.

South Korea's Song Sun-Mi also recorded a notable win - and claimed her first place in the main draw of a WISPA Gold event as a qualifier after upsetting higher-ranked Hong Kong opponent Christina Mak 7-11, 11-6, 7-11, 11-9, 11-8. The 19-year-old from Kyung-Do now meets another local player, Hong Kong number one Rebecca Chiu, the 13th seed.

Colombian Miguel Angel Rodriguez earned his first appearance in the men's main draw of the Hong Kong Open after surviving a 78-minute battle against Egypt's Omar Abdel Aziz, winning 11-8, 9-11, 9-11, 12-10, 11-8.

The 23-year-old from Bogota now faces third seed Amr Shabana, the defending champion from Egypt who is hoping to win his fourth successive title in Hong Kong.

South African Stephen Coppinger pulled off a notable upset, beating England's world No45 Chris Simpson 4-11, 11-8, 11-7, 11-4. The Dublin-born world No60 now takes on Australia's 13th seed Stewart Boswell in his maiden appearance in the main draw.

Men's qualifying finals:
Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL) bt Omar Abdel Aziz (EGY) 11-8, 9-11, 9-11, 12-10, 11-8 (78m)
Julien Balbo (FRA) bt Max Lee (HKG) 5-11, 11-4, 7-11, 11-8, 11-2 (82m)
Mohd Ali Anwar Reda (EGY) bt Tom Richards (ENG) 12-10, 11-7, 11-6 (46m)
Stephen Coppinger (RSA) bt Chris Simpson (ENG) 4-11, 11-8, 11-7, 11-4 (54m)
Chris Ryder (ENG) bt Amr Swelim (ITA) 13-11, 4-11, 11-8, 11-8 (65m)
Saurav Ghosal (IND) bt Nicolas Mueller (SUI) 11-7, 11-9, 11-9 (42m)
Renan Lavigne (FRA) bt Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan (MAS) 11-3, 12-10, 9-11, 11-9 (70m)
Jonathan Kemp (ENG) bt Mark Krajcsak (HUN) 11-4, 11-7, 11-4 (28m)

Women's qualifying finals:
Donna Urquhart (AUS) bt Siti Munirah Jusoh (MAS) 11-4, 5-11, 11-7, 11-9 (35m)
Elise Ng (HKG) bt Misaki Kobayashi (JPN) 13-11, 16-14, 11-8 (33m)
Dipika Pallikal (IND) bt Joelle King (NZL) 14-12, 11-5, 11-5 (40m)
Orla Noom (NED) bt Leung Shin-Nga (HKG) 11-3, 11-8, 11-4 (21m)
Song Sun-Mi (KOR) bt Christina Mak (HKG) 7-11, 11-6, 7-11, 11-9, 11-8 (56m)
Low Wee Wern (MAS) bt Miwa Maekawa (JPN) 11-4, 11-7, 11-6 (25m)
Emma Beddoes (ENG) bt Kylie Lindsay (NZL) 11-8, 12-10, 11-6 (28m)
Sharon Wee (MAS) bt Fiona Moverley (ENG) 7-11, 11-8, 11-9, 11-7 (33m)