Hong Kong Pair Survive Qualifying Openers

The prospect of two further local players making the main draw of the Women's Cathay Pacific Sun Hung Kai Financial Hong Kong Open were given a major boost today at the Hong Kong Squash Centre where Tong Tsz-Wing and Ho Ka Po both prevailed in the first qualifying round of the WSA World Series Gold squash event.

Tong Tsz-Wing defeated Egypt's 16-year-old Nadine Ayman Shahin 11-6, 11-6, 11-2. The 21-year-old world No56 from Hong Kong will now face England's Emma Beddoes for a place in the main draw.

19-year-old Ho Ka Po upset Germany's former world No41 Sina Wall 11-9, 11-7, 11-3 - and will now line up against Welsh number one Tesni Evans in the qualifying finals.

A remarkable 27-year age gap separated the two players who contested the day's final qualifying battle: The indefatigable 40-year-old seven-time US champion Latasha Khan had to call upon all her experience to outshine 13-year-old Hong Kong prospect Cheng Nga Ching 11-2, 11-6, 11-7.

Khan, the world No30 from Seattle, faces another teenager in the qualifying finals when she meets Mariam Ibrahim Metwally, the 17-year-old from Egypt who ousted Hong Kong's Ho Tze-Lok 11-9, 11-5, 11-6.

The day's most dramatic battle took place between France's Laura Pomportes and local hope Choi Uen Shan. World No58 Pomportes twice led the unranked 17-year-old - but Shan twice levelled, and had match-ball in the decider before the 24-year-old French player finally clinched her 11-7, 8-11, 11-8, 9-11, 12-10 victory after 52 minutes.

Qualifying finals line-up:
Emma Beddoes (ENG) v Tong Tsz-Wing (HKG)
Tesni Evans (WAL) v Ho Ka Po (HKG)
Samantha Cornett (CAN) v Melody Francis (AUS)
Yathreb Adel (EGY) v Laura Pomportes (FRA)
Coline Aumard (FRA) v Olivia Blatchford (USA)
Delia Arnold (MAS) v Salma Hany Ibrahim (EGY)
Misaki Kobayashi (JPN) v Deon Saffery (WAL)
Latasha Khan (USA) v Mariam Ibrahim Metwally (EGY)

Official event website: www.hksquashopen.com