The Hong Kong Squash Open 2012 is currently underway.
Featuring the world’s top 30 players, including the reigning men’s and women’s world champions, the Cathay Pacific Sun Hung Kai Financial Hong Kong Squash Open 2012 boasts a winning purse of HK$1.6 million.
Top seed James Willstrop returns to Hong Kong after last year’s triumph in the Men’s category. The World No. 1 is joined by the world’s next best seven ranked players to fill the other seed positions in the Open: Nick Matthew (England), Gregory Gauliter (France), Karim Darwish (Egypt), Ramy Ashour (Egypt), Peter Barker (England), Amr Shabana (Egypt) and Mohamed El Shorbagy (Egypt).
Two Hong Kong players have made it to the main draw. Max Lee came through the qualifiers by beating Henrik Mustonen of Finland in three straight games and Alex Au was given a Wild Card entry to the main competition.
Meanwhile, Nicol David from Malaysia will be aiming to win her seventh consecutive Open title. The event’s top seed and World No. 1 will be joined by seven of the world’s next best eleven players: Laura Massaro (England), Jenny Duncalf (England), Annie Au (Hong Kong), Madeline Perry (Ireland), Alison Waters (England), Low Wee Wern (Malaysia) and Natalie Grinham (Netherlands).
In addition to Au, Hong Kong has two other players in the main draw: Joey Chan progressed to today’s second round and will meet Nicol David; however, Liu Tsz-ling was knocked out in the first round.
Au has a good draw on paper, with tough, but beatable opponents in her quarter of the draw and has a good chance of progressing into the final stages of the tournament.
Hong Kong Squash Open 2012 opening stages are currently being held at the Squash Centre in Admiralty. The tournament will cross the harbour for the Semi-finals and Finals at the piazza of the Hong Kong Cultural Centre in Tsim Sha Tsui.
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