Chu Chops Raj For Maiden Tour Title In Penang
23 May 2015
Hong Kong's Vanessa Chu claimed the first WSA World Tour title of her career after upsetting third-seeded Malaysian Vanessa Raj in the final of the Malaysian Squash Tour Leg 3, the WSA Challenger 5 event at the Nicol David International Squash Centre in Penang.
The 20-year-old No.5 seed made her breakthrough in the quarter-finals when she downed experienced Latasha Khan, the 42-year-old top seed from the USA.
Raj also pulled off an upset in the semi-finals - ousting compatriot Rachel Arnold, the second seed, in four games to make the third Tour final of her career.
The final was the pair's third Tour meeting in Penang in two and a half years - with Chu looking for her first win. The Hong Kong underdog, in only the second tour final of her career, took the opening game after a tie-break - then broke away to beat Raj 12-10, 11-4, 11-9 in 41 minutes to claim her maiden Tour title.
"I'm so, so happy to win my first WSA title here in, Penang," said Chu later. "I hope I will continue to play my best squash again next week in the fourth leg of the Malaysian Tour in Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur."
1st round:
[1] Latasha Khan (USA) bt Carmen Lee (HKG) 11-8, 4-11, 12-10, 11-7 (45m)
[5] Vanessa Chu (HKG) bt [Q] Nazihah Hanis (MAS) 11-13, 11-7, 11-1, 11-3 (34m)
[Q] Marie Stephan (FRA) bt [6] Teh Min Jie (MAS) 11-3, 11-8, 11-9 (30m)
Satomi Watanabe (JPN) bt [4] Zulhijjah Binti Azan (MAS) 11-3, 11-3, 13-15, 7-11, 11-6 (51m)
[3] Vanessa Raj (MAS) bt [Q] Melissa Alves (FRA) 11-9, 11-3, 11-3 (25m)
[8] Sivasangari Subramanian (MAS) bt [Q] Sadia Gul (PAK) 11-7, 11-8, 8-11, 11-7 (45m)
[7] Lee Ka Yi (HKG) bt Zoe Foo Yuk Han (MAS) 11-4, 6-11, 11-5, 11-6 (30m)
[2] Rachel Arnold (MAS) bt Aika Azman (MAS) 11-8, 11-9, 11-3 (25m)
Quarter-finals:
[5] Vanessa Chu (HKG) bt [1] Latasha Khan (USA) 8-11, 13-11, 11-5, 14-12 (55m)
Satomi Watanabe (JPN) bt [Q] Marie Stephan (FRA) 11-5, 9-11, 11-4, 4-11, 11-1 (50m)
[3] Vanessa Raj (MAS) bt [8] Sivasangari Subramanian (MAS) 7-11, 13-11, 11-2, 11-4 (45m)
[2] Rachel Arnold (MAS) bt [7] Lee Ka Yi (HKG) 11-6, 8-11, 11-8, 11-5 (45m)
Semi-finals:
[5] Vanessa Chu (HKG) bt Satomi Watanabe (JPN) 11-9, 11-9, 7-11, 7-11, 11-9 (69m)
[3] Vanessa Raj (MAS) bt [2] Rachel Arnold (MAS) 11-5, 1-11, 11-9, 11-9 (40m)
Final:
[5] Vanessa Chu (HKG) bt [3] Vanessa Raj (MAS) 12-10, 11-4, 11-9 (41m)
