Ready to go for HKFC’s biggest ever PSA event
After last night’s opening reception where many of the players, sponsors, organisers and club members mingled in anticipation of this year’s event, the 2023 Hong Kong Football Club Open got under way today with sixteen Round One matches on two of the club’s all-Glass courts.
There was plenty of home interest with eight HK players in action among those aiming to join the seeded players in tomorrow’s round two.
You can Watch Live via SquashTV, follow on Live Scoring and our Social Feeds, and we’ll have reaction and a roundup right here.
Ibrahim Elkabbani (Egy) 3-0 Tang Ming Hong (Hkg) 11-2, 11-9, 11-7 (27m)
Yassin Elshafei (Egy) 3-1 Todd Harrity (Usa) 10-12, 11-2, 11-7, 11-9 (45m)
Faraz Khan (Usa) 3-1 Yannik Omlor (Ger) 11-7, 11-4, 3-11, 11-8 (44m)
Henry Leung (Hkg) 3-2 [wc] Wong Chi Him (Hkg) 11-6, 5-11, 11-6, 6-11, 11-5 (53m)
Shahjahan Khan (Usa) 3-1 Tom Walsh (Eng) 11-13, 11-9, 12-10, 11-4 (61m)
Alex Lau (Hkg) 3-1 [wc] Edmon Lopez (Esp) 11-5, 11-4, 8-11, 11-5 (41m)
Leandro Romiglio (Arg) 3-0 Muhd Asim Khan (Pak) 11-6, 11-9, 11-3 (41m)
Seif El-Shenawy (Egy) 3-1 Addeen Idrakie (Mas) 15-13, 9-11, 11-6, 11-6 (46m)
Zeina Mickawy (Egy) 3-0 [wc] Ching Hei Fung (Hkg) 11-8, 11-6, 13-11 (30m)
Cheng Nga Ching (Hkg) 3-1 Saskia Beinhard (Ger) 6-11, 11-7, 11-9, 11-9 (45m)
Tong Tsz-Wing (Hkg) 3-1 Menna Hamed (Egy) 11-9, 6-11, 11-8, 11-3 (47m)
Lee Ka Yi (Hkg) 3-1 Nardine Garas (Egy) 1-11, 11-3, 11-4, 11-9 (26m)
Ainaa Amani (Mas) 3-0 Marta Dominguez (Esp) 11-6, 11-9, 11-6 (29m)
Aira Azman (Mas) 3-0 Nadia Pfister (Sui) 11-4, 11-4, 9-11, 11-5 (26m)
Rachel Arnold (Mas) 3-0 [q] Toby Tse (Hkg) 11-7, 11-6, 11-6 (21m)
Jessica Turnbull (Aus) 3-0 Kenzy Ayman (Egy) 11-5, 11-8, 11-8 (23m)
Good opening day for Hong Kong and Egypt
Sixteen Round Two spots were booked on the opening day at HKFC, and it was Egyptians and Hong Kong players who grabbed the bulk of them.
In all there were four Egyptian victors, Seif El-Shenawy winning an entertaining final match against Addeen Idrakie, and five from Hong Kong, HKFC’s own Alex Lau delighting the packed audience as he despatched dangerous wildcard Edmon Lopez.
Teammates and sparring partners Henry Leung and Wong Chi Him did battle with Henry winning the only five-setter of the day, and there were two American winners in Faraz and Shahjahan Khan, Shah winning the longest match of the day against US-based Englishman Tom Walsh, while former US champion Todd Harrity fell to Egypt’s Yassin Elshafei.
Eslewhere in the men’s matches Leandro Romiglio advanced, although unlike in Singapore the Argentinian Ambassador was absent.
There was a trio of Malaysian wins in the women’s draw as Rachel Arnold, Ainaa Amani and Aira Azman booked their Round Two spots.
The last women’s match of the night produced an upset win for Australia’s Jessica Turnbull over Kenzy Ayman to set up a R2 clash with Hong Kong #1 Tomato Ho.
Day Two features sixteen round two matches featuring all the seeded players, again on two courts and starting at 13.00
