19/01/2007
BULER CHALLENGE CUP
Coppinger Denies Double In Hong Kong
Tournament
Buler Squash Challenge Cup,
Hong Kong
Men's final:
Stephen Coppinger (RSA) bt [1] Wai Hang Wong (HKG) 11-6, 6-11, 5-11, 11-2, 11-10 (6-4) (71m)
Men's semi-finals:
[1] Wai Hang Wong (HKG) bt [3] Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan (MAS) 11-9, 11-6, 4-11, 11-2 (46m)
Stephen Coppinger (RSA) bt [Q] David Vidal (ESP) 11-6, 11-7, 11-4 (26m)
Men's quarter-finals:
[1] Wai Hang Wong (HKG) bt [8] Romain Tenant (FRA) 7-11, 3-11, 11-8, 11-10 (5-3), 11-7 (60m)
[3] Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan (MAS) bt Roger Ngan (HKG) 11-7, 11-6, 11-7 (34m)
Stephen Coppinger (RSA) bt [4] Campbell Grayson (NZL) 10-11 (0-2), 11-7, 11-8, 11-7 (40m)
[Q] David Vidal (ESP) bt [2] Timothy Arnold (MAS) 9-11, 11-10 (3-1), 11-10 (7-5), 11-2 (49m)
Men's 1st round:
[1] Wai Hang Wong (HKG) bt [Q] Jonas Laursen (DEN) 11-3, 9-11, 11-5, 11-8 (35m)
[8] Romain Tenant (FRA) bt Max Lee (HKG) 11-9, 11-0, 10-11 (2-4), 11-7 (43m)
[3] Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan (MAS) bt Gaurav Nandrajog (IND) 11-10 (2-0), 9-11, 11-6, 8-11, 11-7 (72m)
Roger Ngan (HKG) bt [7] Nafzahizam Adnan (MAS) 11-6, 5-11, 11-9, 11-8 (50m)
Stephen Coppinger (RSA) bt [5] Dick Lau (HKG) 11-3, 11-6, 11-4 (37m)
[4] Campbell Grayson (NZL) bt [Q] Duncan Walsh (ENG) 11-3, 11-8, 11-3 (28m)
[Q] David Vidal (ESP) bt [6] Shahril Shahidan (MAS) 11-10 (6-4), 11-4, 11-3 (32m)
[2] Timothy Arnold (MAS) bt [Q] Yuta Fukui (JPN) 11-9, 11-7, 11-10 (2-0)
Women's final:
[1] Rebecca Chiu (HKG) bt [2] Kasey Brown (AUS) 9-6, 9-1, 9-2 (22m)
Women's semi-finals:
[1] Rebecca Chiu (HKG) bt [6] Christina Mak (HKG) 9-1, 9-4, 9-3 (29m)
[2] Kasey Brown (AUS) bt [5] Dianne Desira (AUS) 9-0, 9-0, 9-0 (25m)
Women's quarter-finals:
[1] Rebecca Chiu (HKG) bt Donna Urquhart (AUS) 9-6, 9-0, 9-4 (23m)
[6] Christina Mak (HKG) bt [4] Louise Crome (NZL) 3-9, 9-4, 10-8, 10-9 (48m)
[5] Dianne Desira (AUS) bt Line Hansen (DEN) 9-7, 9-4, 9-4 (33m)
[2] Kasey Brown (AUS) bt [7] Orla Noom (NED) 9-3, 9-0, 9-0 (24m)
Women's 1st round:
[1] Rebecca Chiu (HKG) bt [Q] Annie Au (HKG) 9-7, 9-3, 9-4 (33m)
Donna Urquhart (AUS) bt [8] Peta Hughes (AUS) 6-9, 9-4, 0-9, 9-5, 10-8 (65m)
[4] Louise Crome (NZL) bt [Q] Rachel Smith (AUS) 9-2, 4-9, 9-6, 9-5 (41m)
[6] Christina Mak (HKG) bt [Q] Shin Nga Leung (HKG) 9-6, 9-5, 9-5 (39m)
[5] Dianne Desira (AUS) bt Delia Arnold (MAS) 9-0, 9-6, 9-5 (34m)
Line Hansen (DEN) bt [3] Sarah Kippax (ENG) 5-9, 2-9, 9-2, 9-7, 9-6 (60m)
[7] Orla Noom (NED) bt Lim Yoke Wah (MAS) 5-9, 10-9, 9-4, 10-9 (52m)
[2] Kasey Brown (AUS) bt [Q] Joey Chan (HKG) 9-5, 9-3, 9-0 (30m)
Coppinger Denies Double In Hong Kong
Unseeded South African Stephen Coppinger completed his sensational run in the Buler Squash Challenge Cup by beating top seed Wai Hang Wong in today's (Sunday) men's final in Hong Kong - thereby denying the hosts a double after local star Rebecca Chiu comfortably won the women's event.
Coppinger, based in the UK, made his breakthrough in the first round, beating Hong Kong's fifth seed Dick Lau. He went on to despatch New Zealand's fourth seed Campbell Grayson before knocking out Spanish qualifier David Vidal in the semi-finals.
The 22-year-old fought back from 2/1 down in the final against Wong - winner of the title in 2005 - to beat the favourite 11-6, 6-11, 5-11, 11-2, 11-10 (6-4) in 71 minutes to record the first PSA Tour title of his career.
Coppinger's triumph, in only his fifth month as a member of the PSA, also marks the first Tour victory by a South African for more than three years.
It was third time lucky for Rebecca Chiu, beaten Buler finalist for the last two years. The 28-year-old world No15 overwhelmed her Australian opponent Kasey Brown, ranked just two places lower, 9-6, 9-1, 9-2 in just 22 minutes to pick up the ninth WISPA World Tour title of her career.
Wong & Chiu Raise Hong Kong Double Hopes
Wai Hang Wong and Rebecca Chiu are on course to produce the first domestic double in the Buler Squash Challenge Cup after successes in today's (Saturday) semi-finals in Hong Kong.
Top seed Chiu beat compatriot Christina Mak, the sixth seed, 9-1, 9-4, 9-3 in the women's semi-finals to reach her 13th WISPA World Tour final.
The former Asian Games champion, ranked 15 in the world, will now take on Kasey Brown. The second seed from Australia, ranked just two places below Chiu, white-washed fifth-seeded compatriot Dianne Desira 9-0, 9-0, 9-0 in 25 minutes.
Brown, 21, from Queensland, is through to her 10th Tour final.
Men's favourite Wai Hang Wong needed 46 minutes to overcome Malaysian Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan, the No3 seed, 11-9, 11-6, 4-11, 11-2.
The 2005 Buler champion, in his fifth PSA Tour final, will meet unseeded Stephen Coppinger. The UK-based South African ended David Vidal's run, beating the Spanish qualifier 11-6, 11-7, 11-4.
Coppinger, 22, is celebrating his maiden PSA Tour final appearance.
Mak Rises To The Challenge In Hong Kong
Christina Mak upset fourth seed Louise Crome in today's (Friday) women's quarter-finals of the Buler Squash Challenge Cup to set up a 'local' semi-final in Hong Kong.
Mak, the sixth seed from Hong Kong , beat the New Zealander 3-9, 9-4, 10-8, 10-9 in 48 minutes to establish a surprise clash with national team-mate Rebecca Chiu, the favourite. Chiu, the world No15, despatched Australia 's Donna Urquhart 9-6, 9-0, 9-4 in just 23 minutes.
The other women's semi-final will be an all-Australian affair, with second seed Kasey Brown facing Dianne Desira, the No5 seed. Brown defeated Dutch player Orla Noom, the seventh seed, 9-3, 9-0, 9-0, while Desira ended Line Hansen's run, beating the unseeded Dane 9-7, 9-4, 9-4.
Wai Hang Wong leads local interest in the men's event. But the top seed needed exactly one hour to get the better of eighth seed Romain Tenant, beating the Frenchman 7-11, 3-11, 11-8, 11-10 (5-3), 11-7.
Malaysia's Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan ended hopes of an all Hong Kong men's semi-final by beating local star Roger Ngan 11-7, 11-6, 11-7.
The other semi will be a shock pairing after both seeds in the bottom half of the draw were beaten. Spanish qualifier David Vidal continued his giant killing run in the event by beating Malaysia's second seed Timothy Arnold 9-11, 11-10 (3-1), 11-10 (7-5), 11-2 - while unseeded South African Stephen Coppinger took out fourth-seeded New Zealander Campbell Grayson 10-11 (0-2), 11-7, 11-8, 11-7.
Men's semi-final line-up:
[1] Wai Hang Wong (HKG) v [3] Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan (MAS)
[Q] David Vidal (ESP) v Stephen Coppinger (RSA)
Women's semi-final line-up:
[1] Rebecca Chiu (HKG) v [6] Christina Mak (HKG)
[2] Kasey Brown (AUS) v [5] Dianne Desira (AUS)
Vidal So Soon Into PSA Quarter-Final
In his first time as a qualifier in a PSA Tour event, Spaniard David Vidal claimed a place in the quarter-finals after a notable upset over No6 seed Shahril Shahidan on today's (Thursday) first day of action in the Buler Squash Challenge Cup in Hong Kong .
The 28-year-old from Palma de Mallorca beat Malaysian Shahidan 11-10 (6-4), 11-4, 11-3 in the men's first round to set up a meeting in the last eight with another Malaysian, second seed Timothy Arnold.
There were mixed fortunes for local players in two other men's event upsets. Hong Kong's unseeded Roger Ngan defeated seventh seed Nafzahizam Adnan 11-6, 5-11, 11-9, 11-8, while South African Stephen Coppinger despatched local hope Dick Lau, the fifth seed, 11-3, 11-6, 11-4.
Hong Kong number one Rebecca Chiu made a positive start in her bid to win the women's title after finishing as runner-up for the last two years. The top seed, ranked 15 in the world, beat compatriot Annie Au 9-7, 9-3, 9-4 and now goes on to face Australia's Donna Urquhart for a place in the semi-finals.
The biggest shock in the women's event came when unseeded Dane Line Hansen took out England 's No3 seed Sarah Kippax 5-9, 2-9, 9-2, 9-7, 9-6. The 23-year-old from Odense now meets Australia 's Dianne Desira, the fifth seed, in the quarter-finals.
Men's quarter-final line-up:
[1] Wai Hang Wong (HKG) v [8] Romain Tenant (FRA)
[3] Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan (MAS) v Roger Ngan (HKG)
[4] Campbell Grayson (NZL) v Stephen Coppinger (RSA)
[2] Timothy Arnold (MAS) v [Q] David Vidal (ESP)
Women's quarter-finals:
[1] Rebecca Chiu (HKG) v Donna Urquhart (AUS)
[4] Louise Crome (NZL) v [6] Christina Mak (HKG)
Line Hansen (DEN) v [5] Dianne Desira (AUS)
[2] Kasey Brown (AUS) v [7] Orla Noom (NED)
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