Egyptians Gohar and Ashour Victorious in Hong Kong Open, Sobhy Reaches Final

A series of upsets until the conveyor-belt of classy Egyptians walked tall in both finals at the Cathay Pacific Sun Hung Kai Financial Hong Kong Open 2016.
Egyptians Gohar and Ashour Victorious in Hong Kong Open, Sobhy Reaches Final
Nouran Gohar, of Egypt (on strike) playing Amanda Sobhy of America in the final of the Hong Kong Squash Open 2016 at the Hong Kong Park Sports Centre on Sunday Aug 28, 2016. Bill Cox/Epoch Times
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HONG KONG─The felling of tall poppies began in Round 1 of the Cathay Pacific Sun Hung Kai Financial Hong Kong Open 2016 on Tuesday Aug 23 with local youngsters Yip Tsz-Fung and Ho Tze-Lok beating seeded Columbian Miguel Angel Rodriguez and former England No 1 Jenny Duncalf respectively.

By the time the quarter finals were played on Thursday, only one top ten seed remained in the Men’s draw, Karim Abdel Gawad - and on the Women’s side, all local interest was over with both Annie Au and Ho falling to seeded players (world No 1 Nour El Sherbini and 6th seed Camille Serme respectively) in Round 2.

Max Lee progressed beating England qualifier Joe Lee in Round 1 and then took out 2 Egyptian’s in a row (Ali Farag and Fares Dessouky) to become the first local man to reach the semi-finals. He then came up against another Egyptian, former world No 1 Ramy Ashour, who proved too good, ending Lee’s history-making run with an 11-8, 11-9, 11-6 victory.

Max Lee of Hong Kong plays a forehand in the semi-final of the Hong Kong Squash Open against the eventual Champion, Ramy Ashour of Egypt at the Hong Kong Park Sports Centre on Sunday Aug 28, 2016. (Bill Cox/Epoch Times)
Max Lee of Hong Kong plays a forehand in the semi-final of the Hong Kong Squash Open against the eventual Champion, Ramy Ashour of Egypt at the Hong Kong Park Sports Centre on Sunday Aug 28, 2016. Bill Cox/Epoch Times