Lau Lashes Local Rival In Hong Kong Challenge

Hong Kong qualifier Dick Lau fought his way through to the men's semi-finals of the Crocodile Challenge Cup after a sensational five-game upset over top-seeded compatriot Wai Hang Wong, the title-holder, in today's quarter-finals in Hong Kong.

Lau, a 19-year-old who is ranked 205 in the world, came back from 1/2 down to win 11-4 6-11 3-11 11-7 11-7 in 47 minutes, thus preventing Wong from reaching the final for the third successive time.

Lau will now face Simon Rosner for a place in the final. The eighth-seeded German also pulled off a significant upset when he beat Malaysia's Timothy Arnold, the third seed, 11-6 11-4 11-9.

A notable semi-final is on store in the $13,750 women's event in Hong Kong, where fourth seed Tamsyn Leevey will come up against top seed Shelley Kitchen. It will be the pair's first meeting since Leevey upset her higher-ranked compatriot in the final of the New Zealand Nationals last September.

Both players won their quarter-finals in 23 minutes - Leevey beating Canada's sixth seed Melanie Jans Burke 9-2 9-4 9-6 and Kitchen defeating fellow New Zealander Jaclyn Hawkes, the eighth seed, 9-2 9-5 9-5.

Men's quarter-finals:
[Q] Dick Lau (HKG) bt [1] Wai Hang Wong (HKG) 11-4, 6-11, 3-11, 11-7, 11-7 (47m)
[8] Simon Rosner (GER) bt [3] Timothy Arnold (MAS) 11-6, 11-4, 11-9 (36m)
[4] Campbell Grayson (NZL) bt Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan (MAS) 11-6, 11-10 (4-2), 11-10 (5-3) (45m)
[2] Dylan Bennett (NED) bt [6] Ryan Thompson (NAM) 11-6, 11-8, 11-9 (26m)

Women's quarter-finals:
[1] Shelley Kitchen (NZL) bt [8] Jaclyn Hawkes (NZL) 9-2, 9-5, 9-5 (23m)
[4] Tamsyn Leevey (NZL) bt [6] Melanie Jans Burke (CAN) 9-2, 9-4, 9-6 (23m)
[3] Pamela Nimmo (SCO) bt [Q] Lee Hai-Kyung (KOR) 9-1, 7-9, 10-9, 9-3 (45m)
[2] Rebecca Chiu (HKG) bt [5] Kasey Brown (AUS) 9-2, 9-3, 9-4 (29m)