Beng Hee & Coppinger Progress In $50K PSA Detroit Open
by Howard Harding
Coppinger-Walker
Pilley-Beng Hee
29 January 2012 - Malaysia's Ong Beng Hee and South African Stephen Coppinger pulled off impressive upsets over seeded opponents in the Motor City Open to claim unexpected places in the semi-finals of the PSA World Tour International 50 squash event in its 12th year at the Birmingham Athletic Club in the Detroit suburb of Bloomfield Hills, Michigan.
Beng Hee, a former world No7 who made his Motor City Open debut 12 years ago, achieved his first win over Cameron Pilley for almost four years when he beat the fourth seed from Australia 8-11, 13-11, 11-8, 8-11, 11-5.
The world No34 from Kuala Lumpur, now aged 31, will now face defending champion Mohamed El Shorbagy.
The top seed from Egypt cruised to his second straight games win in the event when he defeated Colombian Miguel Angel Rodriguez 11-5, 11-9, 11-8.
Coppinger stunned third seed Alister Walker, the New York-based world No15 from Botswana.
Ranked 15 places below Walker, the 27-year-old from Cape Town recovered from a game down to see off his seeded opponent 9-11, 11-3, 11-9, 11-7.
Coppinger will now line up against Hisham Mohamed Ashour, the No2 seed from Egypt who ended Max Lee's great run when he beat the Hong Kong qualifier 11-9, 11-8, 11-5.
RESULTS: PSA International 50 Motor City Open, Detroit, USA
Quarter-finals:
[1] Mohamed El Shorbagy (EGY) bt Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL) 11-5, 11-9, 11-8
Ong Beng Hee (MAS) bt [4] Cameron Pilley (AUS) 8-11, 13-11, 11-8, 8-11, 11-5
Stephen Coppinger (RSA) bt [3] Alister Walker (BOT) 9-11, 11-3, 11-9, 11-7
[2] Hisham Mohamed Ashour (EGY) bt [Q] Max Lee (HKG) 11-9, 11-8, 11-5
Semi-final line-up:
[1] Mohamed El Shorbagy (EGY) v Ong Beng Hee (MAS)
[2] Hisham Mohamed Ashour (EGY) v Stephen Coppinger (RSA)
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