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AirAsia Asian Squash Championships 2004,
Malaysia, 18-26 June |
26-Jun:
Men's Team Final:
Pakistan 2 Malaysia 1 (Mansoor Zaman bt Ong Beng Hee 9-3, 10-8, 8-10,
9-7, Shahid Zaman bt Azlan Iskandar 9-5, 10-8, 2-9, 2-9, 9-7, Farrukh
Zaman lost to Kenneth Low 7-9, 9-2, 8-10, 4-9 )
Women's Team Final:
Malaysia 3 Hong Kong 0 (Nicol David bt Rebecca Chiu 1-9, 9-3, 9-4,
9-1, Tricia Chuah bt Annie Au 9-6, 9-5, 9-1, 2nd string not played).
Also: Alex Wan reports from KL
Pakistan deny
the hosts
a
clean sweep
The final day of competition in the Asian Squash Championships saw both
team titles retained, as Malaysia's women eased past Hong Kong, and
Pakistan's men beat the hosts to deny Malaysia a clean sweep.
The Zamans- Mansoor and
cousin Shahid, representing the same Khan family that has produced the
such greats like Jahangir and Jansher Khan, led Pakistan to retain their
Asian Title by winning their matches after Malaysia's Kenneth Low had
downed another Zaman, the younger Farrukh, in four games.
But it was Mansoor Zaman, currently ranked world No. 19, who managed to
avenge his defeat in the individual finals by beating the Malaysian star
and world ranked No. 20 Ong Beng Hee in the second match to put Pakistan
back on course. Zaman had won the first game 9-3 but in the second he was
made to fight for every point and lost at 8-10. The third game again saw
the two involved in a bitter fight as the lead changed hands and in the
end it was Mansoor who finally prevailed with a score of 10-8.
In the fourth game the Malaysian, backed by the local supporters, again
fought closely and repeatedly forced Mansoor to make crucial errors as the
score was leveled time and again. Mansoor again managed to prevail as he
took two crucial points in the end to win the game and the match 9-7.
Shahid Zaman was pitted the higher-ranked Mohammad Azlan Iskandar and when
Azlan took the first two games, it looked like the Pakistanis would lose
their title. Shahid lost the first game 5-9 and the second 8-10.
But it was a remarkable comeback by the Pakistani as he demonstrated his
skill with stamina and style to level the score 2-2 by winning the next
two games conceding only four points. It looked like the Malaysian had put
all his energies in the first two games and was now running out of fuel.
The fifth and the final game turned out to be a thriller as the two
brought out their best with the crowd just wanting Azlan to win. The neck
and neck battle finally ended when Shahid managed to clinch two crucial
points to win the game and the match 9-7.
Also: Alex Wan reports from KL
25-Jun:
Men's team semi-finals:
Malaysia 2 India 1 (Kenneth Low lost to Siddarth Suchde 9-2, 9-6, 9-4;
Ong Beng Hee bt Ritwik Bhattacharya 9-0, 9-3, 10-9; Azlan Iskandar bt
Saurav Ghosal 9-2, 9-2, 9-5).
Pakistan 2 Kuwait 0 (Majid Khan bt Nasser Al Ramzi 9-3, 9-1, 9-2;
Mansoor Zaman bt Bader Al Hussaini 9-0, 9-4, 9-7).
Women's team semi-finals:
Malaysia 2 India 0 (Tricia Chuah bt Alisha Mashruwala 9-0, 9-0, 9-1;
Nicol David bt Joshna Chinappa 9-1, 9-0, 9-3). Hong Kong 2 Japan 0
(Annie Au bt Kozue Onizawa 9-4, 9-1, 9-3; Rebecca Chiu bt Mami Nishio 9-6,
9-1, 9-0).
Malaysia move into
team finals
Both team finals will be repeats of the 2002 events, as hosts Malaysia
kept up their bid for a clean sweep of gold medals. While the women
cruised into the final, it was more of a struggle for the men.
Individual champion Ong Beng Hee said that Malaysia can win the title if
he can beat Mansoor in the second match. "Pakistan are expected take the
first point but if I can win, we can win the title," said Beng Hee.
"Although the pressure will be enormous, I will not let the team down and
we can also depend on Azlan in the deciding match against Shahid," Beng
Hee told the New Straits Times.
Despite Low's defeat against India, Pakistan head coach Jamshed Gul does
not want to underestimate Malaysia and expects the final to go down to the
wire. "Low might not be very fit but this does not mean Malaysia are weak.
Beng Hee and Azlan will be their key players," said Jamshed. "We could
have good start tomorrow as the third string will be played first but
Mansoor and Shahid will have to be at their best.
22-Jun, INDIVIDUAL FINALS:
[1] Nicol David (Mas) bt [3/4] Sharon Wee (Mas)
9/4, 9/2, 9/2
[1] Ong Beng Hee (Mas) bt [2] Mansoor Zaman (Pak)
9/2, 4/9, 10/8, 9/6
FOUR UP FOR NICOL,
HAT-TRICK FOR BENGY
Nicol David and Ong Beng Hee claimed a notable double for Malaysia in
today's finals of the AirAsia Asian Squash Championships with victories
over Sharon Wee and Mansoor Zaman, respectively, at the National Squash
Centre in Bukit Jalil, near Kuala Lumpur, in Malaysia.
Nicol David was a class above compatriot Sharon Wee, her training mate in
Amsterdam. The 20-year-old world No8 from Penang crushed the 3/4 seed, who
reached the final after upsetting two-times runner-up Rebecca Chiu in the
previous round, in straight games.
Nicol's 9-4 9-2 9-2 victory gives the twice former world junior champion a
fourth consecutive Asian Championship title - equalling the record set by
Mah Li Lian of Singapore. It was also a morale-boosting win for the
nation's most successful woman squash players of all-time - who took time
off from the sport last year to 'recharge her batteries', and came back to
reach a career-high world No8 in February. Today's success marks the first
major title won by Nicol David since she lifted the biennial title last
time in May 2002.
In the men's final, Ong Beng Hee had an easy first game win - but Mansoor
Zaman, the No2 seed from Pakistan who had lost to the Malaysian in the
past two finals, stepped up the pace and executed his fine front court
shots to take the second game.
In the third game, Mansoor, the world No19 currently one place higher than
Beng Hee in the world rankings, reached game ball at 8-5 - but the local
hero kept his usual cool and levelled the score in a single hand before
clinching the game to go 2/1 ahead.
It was neck to neck in the fourth until four-all. Two errors by Beng Hee
gave the left-hander from Peshawar a 6-4 lead. Beng Hee, however, caught
up in one change of service and went 7-6 up with another change of
service. A perfectly-executed wall-clinging forehand drive finally gave
Beng Hee the match ball and a 9-2 4-9 10-8 9-6 victory.
Beng Hee's hat-trick made him the first player to win the title for a
third time since the inception of the Asian Championships in 1981 in
Karachi.
Nicol David on course for four Asian titles
21-Jun,
Semi-Finals:
[1] Nicol David (Mas) bt [3/4] Joshna Chinappa (Ind)
9/3, 10/8, 9/4
[3/4] Sharon Wee (Mas) bt [2] Rebecca Chiu (Hkg)
4/9, 9/7, 9/6, 9/5
[1] Ong Beng Hee (Mas) bt [3/4] Azlan Iskandar (Mas)
7/9, 9/1, 9/2, 9/1
[2] Mansoor Zaman bt [3/4] Shahid Zaman
6/9, 9/2, 9/5, 9/0
Sharon
sets up
All-Malaysian final
The women's final will be an all-Malaysian
affair, after top seed Nicol David moved into her fourth successive
final with a victory over India's Joshna Chinappa, while Sharon
Wee denied Hong Kong's Rebecca Chiu, beating the second seed in four
games.
The 26-year-old Malaysian No2 from Malacca, who with David has been
training this year with Australian coach Liz Irving in Amsterdam, overcame
her nervous start to take control in the next three games to record a
stunning upset.
"It
was a great win for Sharon - her stint in Amsterdam has certainly paid
off," said Squash Malaysia Director AJ Wong. "She was all in tears after
the match." Wee's semi-final win denies Chiu, the Asian Games champion, a
third successive final in this event.
David booked her fourth consecutive Asian women's final after beating the
determined India No1 and British U19 Open runner-up Joshna Chinappa in
straight games. Joshna was 8-7 up in the second game but was too nervous
to finish the game. Nicol levelled up and took the next two points in one
service - then went on to win 9-3 10-8 9-4.
"I'm really happy that it will be an all-Malaysian final in the women's
individual event tomorrow. We know each other's game and only the best
will come out as the winner," Nicol said.
It's
Beng Hee and
Mansoor Again ...
The men's semi-finals featured an all-Malaysian clash between Ong Beng
Hee and Azlan Iskandar, and an all-Pakistani match between
cousins Mansoor and Shahid Zaman.
Ong has won the last two championships, but his reign as Malaysian number
one was under threat from Iskandar.
"Beng Hee has been the best Malaysian player for so many years. It's about
time that someone challenges him for the title of Malaysia's best player,"
Azlan told the Star before the semi-final. Beng Hee said: "It's going to
be a tough match. But I am not too concerned about winning or losing the
Malaysian number one status. My concern right now is to see how far I have
come since changing my game a year ago. I am the top seed and title holder
so everyone is expecting me to win. There is a lot of pressure on me to
win."
And
it was the more experienced Beng Hee who won through, recovering from
losing a gruelling 40-minute first game to concede just four points in the
final three games, with Azlan a spent force.
"It was really a long match against Azlan as we both know each other's
game. But I think Azlan lost his focus after winning the first set," Beng
Hee told the local press.
In the other semi-final Mansoor, seeded two, also recovered from losing
the first game against Shahid to win 3/1 and reach his third successive
final against Beng Hee.
20-Jun: Asian Champs get
down to business
Preview: Malaysia look for
Clean Sweep
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Individual
Championship
Ong Beng Hee and Nicol David
make history for Malaysia
David Dominates all-Malaysian final
Beng Hee bounces to third title
That hat-trick feeling
Gold and Silver for Malaysia
Sharon puts out
second seed Rebecca Chiu in semis
Framboise Gommendy
talks to Shahid Zaman
Malaysian Winners to Fly Free!
Event sponsors AirAsia are providing
Malaysian winners of the
top four titles
with free lifetime air travel! |
Asian Championships 2004 -
Men's Draw |
Third
Round 20th |
Quarters 20th |
Semis 21st |
Final 22nd |
[1] Ong Beng Hee (Mas)
9/4, 9/3, 9/0
[9/16] Siddharth Suchde (Ind) |
Ong Beng Hee
9/5, 9/0, 9/5
Ritwik Bhattacharya |
Ong Beng Hee
7/9, 9/1, 9/2, 9/1
Azlan Iskandar |
Ong Beng Hee
9/2, 4/9, 10/8, 9/6
Mansoor Zaman |
[9/16] Timothy Arnold (Mas)
9/7, 9/0, 9/3
[5/8] Ritwik Bhattacharya (Ind) |
[5/8] Wong Wai Hang (Hkg)
9/6, 9/0, 9/2
Abd Khalid Mazayin (Kuw) |
Abd Khalid Mazayin
9/2, 9/3, 9/0
Azlan Iskandar |
[3/4] Moh’d Azlan Iskandar
(Mas)
9/2, 9/4, 9/1
[9/16] Bader Al Hussaini (Kuw) |
[3/4] Shahid Zaman
(Pak)
9/3, 9/4, 9/0
[9/16] Vincent Cheung (Hkg) |
Shahid Zaman
9/6, 9/7, 9/1
Farook Zaman |
Shahid Zaman
6/9, 9/2, 9/5, 9/0
Mansoor Zaman |
[5/8] Farook Zaman
(Pak)
9/7, 9/6, 9/1
[9/16] Kenneth Low (Mas) |
[5/8] Majid Khan (Pak)
9/6, 9/4, 9/0
[9/16] Faheem Khan (Hkg) |
Majid Khan
9/7, 9/3, 9/4
Mansoor Zaman |
[9/16] Manish Chotprani (Ind)
9/0, 9/6, 9/2
[2] Mansoor Zaman (Pak) |
Full Draw & Results |
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Asian Championships 2004 -
Women's
Draw |
Second Round 20th |
Quarters
20th |
Semis
21st |
Final
22nd |
[1] Nicol David (Mas)
9/2, 9/0, 9/3
Annie Au (Hkg) |
Nicol
David
9/4, 9/4, 9/0
Mami Nishio |
Nicol
David
9/3, 10/8, 9/4
Joshna Chinappa |
Nicol
David
9/4, 9/2, 9/2
Sharon Wee |
Chinatsu Matsui (Jpn)
10/8, 6/9, 9/0, 9/2
[5/8] Mami Nishio (Jpn) |
[5/8] Joshna Chinappa
(Ind)
7/9, 9/5, 9/4, 9/0
Joannah Yue (Sin) |
Joshna Chinappa
2/9, 9/5, 9/3, 9/3
Lee, Hye Kyoung |
Sachiko Shinta (Jpn)
9/1, 9/0, 9/0
[3/4] Lee, Hye Kyoung (Kor) |
[3/4] Sharon Wee (Mas)
9/1, 9/1, 9/2
Moon Hee Young (Kor) |
Sharon
Wee
6/9, 9/1, 9/0, 9/5
Christina Mak |
Sharon Wee
4/9, 9/7, 9/6, 9/5
Rebecca Chiu |
Park Eun Ok (Kor)
9/4, 9/1, 6/9, 9/3
[5/8] Christina Mak (Hkg) |
[5/8] Tricia Chuah (Mas)
9/2, 9/0, 10/9
Mekhla Subedar (Ind) |
Tricia Chuah
9/4, 9/0, 9/0
Rebecca Chiu |
Sally Looi (Mas)
9/3, 9/0, 9/0
[2] Rebecca Chiu (Hkg) |
Full Draw & Results |
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20-Jun:
Asian Champs get
down to business
The second day's play in the Asian Squash
Championships in Malaysia saw all but one seed in the men's draw, and all
the women's seeds successfully reach the quarter-finals.
The Men's event will feature one all-Malaysian and one all-Pakistan
semi-final. Top seed Ong Beng Hee and Azlan Iskandar carry home
hopes in the top half, while in the bottom half a Pakistani finalist is
guaranteed as cousins Mansoor and Shahid Zaman face each other.
Beng Hee and Mansoor contested the 2000 and
2002 finals, with Beng Hee winning both times for Malaysia.
The women's event features a similar record, with Malaysia's Nicol
David still on course for her third successive title, and Hong Kong's
Asian Games champion Rebecca Chiu favourite to reach a third
successive final against David.
David faces India's Joshna Chinappa in the semi-finals, while Chiu
takes on local favourite Sharon Wee.
Preview:
Malaysia look for
Clean Sweep
The bi-annual Asian Squash Championships return to Malaysia from 18-26
June, with the host nation and Pakistan again vying for the titles.
Malaysia's Ong Beng Hee and Nicol David, champions in 2000 and 2002,
are top seeds with Beng Hee's main competition coming from Pakistan cousins
Mansoor and Shahid Zaman. Mansoor lost out to Beng Hee in the last two
finals.
"Judging by the draw, it is clear that the
semi-final of the men’s competition will be climax of the tournament,"
Beng Hee told The Star after the 64 men's draw had been made.
"If I can win my semi-final match against Azlan [Iskandar], I should be
able to win the singles title. Azlan has come a long way in the last few
years. He was improved a lot, so it’s going to be a close match."
Azlan also shared Beng Hee’s sentiments, saying: "If you look at the draw,
I will only be playing two difficult matches – in the semi-final and
final. The earlier stages are expected to be easy. But I won’t be taking
anyone lightly. Against Beng Hee, it will be 50-50."
In the women's event Hong Kong's Rebecca Chiu, runner-up in 2000 and 2002,
again looks likely to be David's main challenger. Chiu has been receiving
assistance from world champion Carol Owens in a bid to repeat her victory
over David in the 2002 Asian Games squash final. Owens was also lined up
to assist the Malaysian women's team, but financial constraints prevented
SRAM from taking up this option.
David,
just back from the WISPA promotional tour to
China, is looking forward to confirming herself as the undisputed
Asian number one.
"Just standing there looking at the Great Wall of China and Mount Everest
has done wonders to boost my confidence," Nicol told the Malay Mail. "It
was truly an inspiring sight and I started visualising my target to be the
world No 1."
"I feel confident that we will be able to win the team title as well for
the other teams do not have depth in their squads," added Nicol, who
trains in Amsterdam.
"With Sharon (Wee) and Tricia (Chuah), we have players capable of
delivering points and the duo are very experienced compared to the rest of
the field."
The
return to the national team of Kenneth Low to join Beng Hee and Azlan
Iskandar will give the hosts hope of wresting the men's team title from
Pakistan, who have won the event every time except in 2000. 05-Jun:
Meads prepares
Hong Kong
England's Stephen Meads has been helping Hong Kong's
men's squad prepare - and is impressed ... 01-Jun:
Malaysian Winners
to Fly Free !!!
Event sponsors AirAsia have announced that Malaysian winners of the
top four titles will receive free lifetime air travel!
"It's for all the players in the team, if they manage to win the titles,
they will receive a lifetime worth of free air travel for all AirAsia
destinations," said Tony Fernandes, group chief executive officer of
AirAsia at a press conference to announce the sponsorship.
The unusual sponsorship deal is reminiscent of one for the 2002 Asian
Games, where Hong Kong players were offered free rice for life ...
Rice Work if you can get it
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