Hong Kong Open 2007

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Q/Finals
Botwright Beats World Champion Grinham In Hong Kong

England's Vicky Botwright produced the best performance of her career in the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Open Squash Championships to beat Australia's recently-crowned World Open champion Rachael Grinham to claim a place in the semi-finals of the $89,000 women's WISPA Platinum event in Hong Kong.

Defending champion Amr Shabana led the top four seeds through to the semi-finals of the men's $120,000 PSA Super Series Platinum championship.

Botwright, the sixth seed from Manchester, fought back from a game down to defeat third seed Grinham, who is also the reigning British Open champion, 5-9, 9-6, 10-9, 9-4 in 58 minutes.

The England number three now faces top seed Nicol David, the defending champion from Malaysia who defeated Jenny Duncalf, the No11 seed from England, 9-3, 9-2, 9-2.

The standout match in the men's event saw second seed Gregory Gaultier, the British Open champion from France, taken the full distance by sixth seed Nick Matthew, the US Open champion from England, before clinching an 8-11, 11-4, 8-11, 11-2, 11-10 (2-0) victory in 80 minutes.

Gaultier will face fellow Frenchman Thierry Lincou in the semi-finals after the fourth seed beat England's No7 seed Lee Beachill 11-8, 11-9, 11-4.  The French pair go into their third Tour meeting this year, with honours shared.
 

Second Round

Duncalf Ditches Atkinson In Hong Kong Upset

The only upset in the second round of the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Open Squash Championships came in the women's event when England's Jenny Duncalf despatched former world champion Vanessa Atkinson, the No8 seed, to take an unexpected place in the quarter-finals of the $89,000 WISPA Platinum event.

The top eight seeds secured their anticipated places in the last eight of the men's $120,000 PSA Super Series Platinum event, led by defending champion Amr Shabana with a straight games win over Malaysia's Ong Beng Hee.

Jenny Duncalf, the No11 seed who celebrates her 25^th birthday on Saturday, recovered from a game down to topple Atkinson 8-10, 9-4, 9-0, 9-1 in 44 minutes.  The England international from Harrogate in Yorkshire will now face top seed Nicol David for a place in the semi-finals.

Defending champion David, the world number one, defeated Dutch opponent Annelize Naude, the 16^th seed, 9-5, 9-2, 9-4.

With successive victories in last month's Saudi International and last week's Qatar Classic, Amr Shabana notched up his 12^th successive PSA Tour match win when he beat 12^th seed Ong Beng Hee 11-5, 11-6, 11-8 in 34 minutes to claim his quarter-final berth.  The event favourite will now face compatriot Wael El Hindi, the No8 seed who ended Joey Barrington's run, beating the unseeded Englishman 11-8, 11-7, 10-11 (4-6), 11-9 in 96 minutes.

Second seed Gregory Gaultier was taken the full distance by ninth seed Stewart Boswell before beating the Australian 10-11 (0-2), 11-4, 11-4, 10-11 (2-4), 11-5 in 72 minutes.
 

1st Round
Joey Into Last Sixteen
In Hong Kong Open

England's Joey Barrington caused the only upset on the opening day of main draw action in the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Open Squash Championships when he defeated Australia's 15^th seed Cameron Pilley in the first round of the long-established men's $120,000 PSA Super Series Platinum event in Hong Kong.

Qualifier Tenille Swartz earned a surprise berth in the last sixteen of the women's $89,000 WISPA Platinum event - but the 20-year-old South African was the lucky recipient of a walkover when Tania Bailey, the fourth seed from England, was advised to withdraw from the event by the England team physiotherapist, as the result of an adductor strain.

True to form, Joey Barrington wore his Australian opponent down in a marathon encounter, beating the 25-year-old from New South Wales 6-11, 11-4, 11-6, 11-8 in 68 minutes.

Barrington, the 27-year-old son of British squash legend Jonah Barrington, the six-time British Open champion, now goes on to face Egypt's Wael El Hindi for a place in the quarter-finals.  The eighth seed from Giza - who is also coached by Barrington senior - defeated Frenchman Renan Lavigne 7-11, 11-4, 11-8, 11-6.

Defending champion Amr Shabana enjoyed a comfortable 11-9, 11-6, 11-4 first round win over England's Alister Walker.  The top seed from Egypt, who is bidding to win his third PSA Super Series Platinum title in as many weeks, will now face Malaysia's Ong Beng Hee after the 12^th seed beat Dutch qualifier Dylan Bennett 11-7, 8-11, 11-9, 11-3.

Favourite Nicol David earned the swiftest win in the women's event.  The 24-year-old world number one despatched unseeded compatriot Tricia Chuah 9-4, 9-0, 9-0 in just 19 minutes.  The defending champion, winner of last week's Qatar Classic in Doha, will now meet Dutch player Annelize Naude after the 16^th seed beat Hong Kong qualifier Christina Mak 4-9, 9-0, 10-9, 9-5.
 

Max & Mak Make Hong Kong
Open Draws 

Max Lee and Christina Mak delighted the local crowds at the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Open Squash Championships after securing places in the main draw of the long-established World Tour event in Hong Kong.

Lee became the lowest-ranked player to claim a place in the first round of the men's $120,000 PSA Super Series Platinum event when he defeated Mohd Ali Anwar Reda - fighting back from 1/2 down to beat the Egyptian 11-8, 2-11, 5-11, 11-6, 11-7 in 72 minutes.

Lee will take on England's seventh seed Lee Beachill - while India's Saurav Ghosal earned his debut in the Super Series event when he beat South African Jesse Engelbrecht 11-5, 11-9, 11-5 in the qualifying finals.

Gaurav, who lines up against Australia's world champion David Palmer, will be joined in the main draw by compatriot Ritwik Bhattacharya after the 28-year-old from New Delhi beat England's Chris Simpson 4-11, 11-10 (2-0), 11-7, 11-4.

Christina Mak's 9-4, 9-2, 9-3 victory over South Africa's Adel Weir in the women's qualifying finals expands local interest in the $89,000 WISPA Platinum event to four players.  Mak will meet Annelize Naude, the 16^th seed from the Netherlands in the first round, while two Hong Kong compatriots Rebecca Chiu and Annie Au will face each other for a place in the second round.

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