Yuen & Pallikal Score Notable Upsets In Chennai Challengers
8 Oct 2009
Malaysian Ivan Yuen and local star Dipika Pallikal recorded notable upsets in today's Indian Challenger quarter-finals at the Indian Squash Academy in Chennai, India.
An Indian is assured of a place in the final of the Women's Indian Challenger No2 as Pallikal will meet second-seeded compatriot Joshna Chinappa in an all-Chennai semi-final of the $8,000 WISPA World Tour event.
Sixth seed Pallikal, the 18-year-old world No54, crushed Hong Kong's No4 seed Elise Ng - ranked eight places higher in the world - 11-2, 11-8, 11-4 in just 17 minutes.
Chinappa, ranked 33 in the world, demonstrated an immaculate mixture of pace and delicate drop shots to beat unseeded French opponent Laura Pomportes 11-5, 11-5, 11-6 in 25 minutes.
The other semi-final will feature top-seeded Malaysian Sharon Wee, who disposed of India's unseeded Anwesha Reddy 11-7, 11-6, 11-3, and Orla Noom, the third seed from the Netherlands, who dropped the third game before overcoming fifth-seeded Siti Munirah Jusoh of Malaysia 11-9, 11-4, 8-11, 11-4.
With almost 50 ranking positions between them, it was a mighty result by Ivan Yuen when the 19-year-old Malaysian defeated England's top seed Chris Simpson, the world No45, to reach the semi-finals of the Indian Challenger No2, a $10,000 PSA Tour event.
Yuen, who treats Chennai as his best hunting ground having won the Asian Junior Championship there this year, had variety in his armour. After the rivals were level two-all, the teenager brought all his resources into play to win the decider and the match 11-8, 11-8, 8-11, 8-11, 11-2 in 70 minutes.
Sixth seed Yuen now plays his compatriot Muhd Asyraf Azan after the No5 seed upset fourth-seeded Australian Matthew Karwalski 11-6, 7-11, 7-11, 11-7, 12-10 in a 60-minute marathon.
The other men's semi-finals will the one predicted by the seedings - between third seed Mathieu Castagnet of France and second-seeded Mark Krajcsak of Hungary.
Men's Quarter-finals:
[6] Ivan Yuen (MAS) bt [1] Chris Simpson (ENG) 11-8, 11-8, 8-11, 8-11, 11-2 (70m)
[5] Muhd Asyraf Azan (MAS) bt [4] Matthew Karwalski (AUS) 11-6, 7-11, 7-11, 11-7, 12-10 (60m)
[3] Mathieu Castagnet (FRA) bt [7] Mazen Gamal (EGY) 11-4, 11-5, 11-4 (22m)
[2] Mark Krajcsak (HUN) bt [8] Shamsul Islam Khan (PAK) 11-5, 11-7, 5-11, 11-1 (32m)
Women's Quarter-finals:
[1] Sharon Wee (MAS) bt Anwesha Reddy (IND) 11-7, 11-6, 11-3 (22m)
[3] Orla Noom (NED) bt [5] Siti Munirah Jusoh (MAS) 11-9, 11-4, 8-11, 11-4 (36m)
[6] Dipika Pallikal (IND) bt [4] Elise Ng (HKG) 11-2, 11-8, 11-4 (17m)
[2] Joshna Chinappa (IND) bt Laura Pomportes (FRA) 11-5, 11-5, 11-6 (25m)