WISPA Roundup: Joey Chan Nabs $12,000 Macau Open
by Elliot Selby
November 17, 2011- Joey Chan won her first title of the year Sunday with a straight game victory over Aisling Blake in the final of the Macau Open, back on the calendar after a two year break.
The Hong Kong number two has been on the brink of breaking through to the top twenty for the past year and she seems to have found a new level at the right time.
Chan was untroubled in her first round and quarter final matches but had to fight for over 70 minutes in her semi final against Malaysia’s Delia Arnold. Chan eventually prevailed 11-5 in the fifth against a player ranked one place above her in the latest rankings.
On the other side of the draw, Ireland’s Aisling Blake caused two upsets on the way to her first final since May 2010. In the quarter finals she beat fourth seed Line Hansen in four games and then knocked out top seed Jaclyn Hawkes in straight games.
Although the final was in straight games, the match could have gone either way with nothing separating the players for most of the encounter. Chan won the crucial points near the end of all three games to clinch the fourth title of her career.
Blake will have her chance for revenge in the first round of the Hong Kong Open where she will play home favourite Chan.
Final:
[2] Joey Chan (HKG) bt [5] Aisling Blake (IRL) 11-8 11-9 11-9 (38m)
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