Mixed Fortunes For Home Players In Hong Kong

There were mixed fortunes today for Hong Kong women in the Crocodile Challenge Cup when seventh seed Annie Au claimed a surprise place in the semi-finals, but third seed Christina Mak crashed out of the $12,000 WISPA World Tour squash event at the Hong Kong Squash Centre in Hong Kong.

Au dismissed Joshna Chinappa, the fourth seed from India, 9-3, 9-6, 9-0 in just 27 minutes - while Donna Urquhart, the No5 seed from Australia, took out Mak 9-6, 9-2, 10-8 in 32 minutes.

Both winners will take on fellow nationals in the semi-finals - Au facing second seed Rebecca Chiu and Urquhart meeting Aussie favourite Kasey Brown.

An all-Australian semi-final in the men's Super Satellite PSA Tour event was averted when Kuwaiti Abdullah Almezayen upset Australia's third seed Matthew Karwalski 11-7, 11-13, 11-9, 12-10.

Seventh seed Almezayen now meets a further Australian, second seed Steve Finitsis, for a place in the final.

The other men's semi will be the all-Hong Kong affair predicted by the seedings. Favourite Dick Lau beat England's James Snell 4-11, 11-9, 11-4, 11-6, and will now face fourth seed Max Lee, who survived a 10-12, 11-8, 11-7, 8-11, 11-8 battle with Kuwait's unseeded Bader Al Hussaini.

Women's quarter-finals:
[1] Kasey Brown (AUS) bt [8] Joey Chan (HKG) 9-2, 9-1, 9-2 (31m)
[5] Donna Urquhart (AUS) bt [3] Christina Mak (HKG) 9-6, 9-2, 10-8 (32m)
[7] Annie Au (HKG) bt [4] Joshna Chinappa (IND) 9-3, 9-6, 9-0 (27m)
[2] Rebecca Chiu (HKG) bt Mami Nishio (JPN) w/o

Men's quarter-finals:
[1] Dick Lau (HKG) bt [5] James Snell (ENG) 4-11, 11-9, 11-4, 11-6 (45m)
[4] Max Lee (HKG) bt Bader Al Hussaini (KUW) 10-12, 11-8, 11-7, 8-11, 11-8 (73m)
[7] Abdullah Almezayen (KUW) bt [3] Matthew Karwalski (AUS) 11-7, 11-13, 11-9, 12-10 (60m)
[2] Steve Finitsis (AUS) bt [Q] Roger Ngan (HKG) 11-9, 11-5, 11-2 (36m)