Mixed Fortunes For Malaysians In Rhode Island

Malaysians experienced mixed fortunes in the Rhode Island Open as unseeded Kamran Khan and Elvinn Keo succeeded - but sixth seed Muhd Asyraf Azan failed - to reach the quarter-finals of the $10,000 PSA Tour squash event at St George's School in Middletown, Rhode Island, in the USA.

Khan battled for 82 minutes to overcome compatriot Ivan Yuen, the No8 seed, 11-7, 11-9, 7-11, 11-8. The 19-year-old from Kuala Lumpur will now face top seed Julian Illingworth, the 25-year-old world No30 from New York who is bidding to become the first US winner of this Tour event in its second year.

Unseeded Indian Siddharth Suchde, a Harvard graduate now based in the UK, excelled on his return to North America by upsetting Muhd Asyraf Azan 12-10, 11-7, 7-11, 8-11, 11-6 in a 110-minute marathon.

The 24-year-old from Mumbai will now face Irishman Liam Kenny, the fourth seed.

But the highest seed to exit was South Africa's Regardt Schonborn, the fifth seed, who went down 12-14, 11-8, 11-7, 11-9 to Malaysian Elvinn Keo.

1st round:
[1] Julian Illingworth (USA) bt Benjamin Oliner (USA) 11-4, 11-6, 11-6 (33m)
Kamran Khan (MAS) bt [8] Ivan Yuen (MAS) 11-7, 11-9, 7-11, 11-8 (82m)
[3] Mohammed Abbas (EGY) bt Colin Ramasra (TRI) 11-6, 11-5, 11-3 (30m)
Elvinn Keo (MAS) bt [5] Regardt Schonborn (RSA) 12-14, 11-8, 11-7, 11-9 (51m)
Siddharth Suchde (IND) bt [6] Muhd Asyraf Azan (MAS) 12-10, 11-7, 7-11, 8-11, 11-6 (110m)
[4] Liam Kenny (IRL) bt Patrick Chifunda (ZAM) 11-7, 11-3, 11-5 (30m)
[7] Alan Clyne (SCO) bt Kristian Frost Olesen (DEN) 11-6, 6-11, 11-4, 11-6 (69m)
[2] Amr Swelim (ITA) bt Arshad Iqbal Burki (PAK) 11-4, 11-9, 11-6 (29m)