Lee Keeps Local Hopes Alive In $150K Hong Kong
by Howard Harding


1 December 2013 - Max Lee kept local hopes of success in the men's qualifiers of the Cathay Pacific Sun Hung Kai Financial Hong Kong Open alive today when he became the sole Hong Kong player to survive the first qualifying round of the eighth and final PSA World Series squash event of the year at the Hong Kong Squash Centre.

Lee celebrated his four-place rise to 32 in today's new PSA World Rankings by defeating unranked 18-year-old compatriot Ma Tsz Hei (both pictured in action above) 11-5, 11-3, 11-8 in 25 minutes.

The 25-year-old Hong Kong number one will now Egypt's Andrew Wagih Shoukry for a place in the main draw. Shoukry, a 23-year-old from Cairo who is ranked 21 places lower, beat Hong Kong's Chris Lo, aged just 17, 11-4, 11-4, 11-5.

France's Lucas Serme pulled off the biggest upset when he battled to an 11-6, 11-7, 6-11, 11-7 victory over Scotland's World No.34 Alan Clyne. The 21-year-old from Creteil, ranked more than 40 places below Clyne, now faces Pakistan's Nasir Iqbal in the qualifying finals.

Indian teenager Mahesh Mangaonkar became the lowest-ranked winner of the day when he recovered from a game down to overcome Finland's World No.37 Henrik Mustonen 9-11, 11-8, 11-5, 11-4.

The 19-year-old from Mumbai, ranked 98 in the world, now faces England's World No.34 Joe Lee.

Egypt's Omar Abdel Meguid took a step closer to his first appearance in the Hong Kong Open main draw when he removed Germany's Raphael Kandra (both pictured in action above) 11-8, 7-11, 11-8, 11-8. The 25-year-old World No.30 from Giza will take on Steven Finitsis, the sole Australian in the qualifying finals.

RESULTS: PSA World Series Cathay Pacific Sun Hung Kai Financial Hong Kong Open, Hong Kong

1st qualifying round:
Gregoire Marche (FRA) bt Yeung Ho Wai (HKG) 11-4, 11-5, 11-6 (24m)
Shaun le Roux (RSA) bt Henry Leung (HKG) 11-4, 11-8, 11-9 (30m)
Campbell Grayson (NZL) bt Muhd Asyraf Azan (MAS) 11-6, 11-7, 11-8 (38m)
Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan (MAS) bt Cheuk Yan Tang (HKG) 11-2, 11-5, 11-6 (24m)
Omar Abdel Meguid (EGY) bt Raphael Kandra (GER) 11-8, 7-11, 11-8, 11-8 (45m)
Steven Finitsis (AUS) bt Yuen Tsun-Hei (HKG) 11-5, 11-3, 11-1 (24m)
Andrew Wagih Shoukry (EGY) bt Chris Lo (HKG) 11-4, 11-4, 11-5 (21m)
Max Lee (HKG) bt Ma Tsz Hei (HKG) 11-5, 11-3, 11-8 (25m)
Lucas Serme (FRA) bt Alan Clyne (SCO) 11-6, 11-7, 6-11, 11-7 (63m)
Nasir Iqbal (PAK) bt Tsz Fung Yip (HKG) 11-8, 11-9, 12-10 (27m)
Mahesh Mangaonkar (IND) bt Henrik Mustonen (FIN) 9-11, 11-8, 11-5, 11-4 (45m)
Joe Lee (ENG) bt Ivan Yuen (MAS) 11-8, 11-6, 11-4 (38m)
Adrian Waller (ENG) bt James Huang (TPE) 11-8, 11-4, 10-12, 11-1 (45m)
Harinder Pal Sandhu (IND) bt Chi Him Wong (HKG) 12-10, 13-11, 11-9 (34m)
Jaymie Haycocks (ENG) bt Tsz Kwan Lau (HKG) 11-2, 11-9, 11-8 (28m)
Mathieu Castagnet (FRA) bt Hon Fung Wong (HKG) 10-12, 11-3, 11-4, 11-2 (23m)

Qualifying finals line-up:
Gregoire Marche (FRA) v Shaun le Roux (RSA)
Campbell Grayson (NZL) v Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan (MAS)
Omar Abdel Meguid (EGY) v Steven Finitsis (AUS)
Andrew Wagih Shoukry (EGY) v Max Lee (HKG)
Nasir Iqbal (PAK) v Lucas Serme (FRA)
Joe Lee (ENG) v Mahesh Mangaonkar (IND)
Harinder Pal Sandhu (IND) v Adrian Waller (ENG)
Mathieu Castagnet (FRA) v Jaymie Haycocks (ENG)