Liu Takes Out Tong For Malaysian Tour Title
by Howard Harding

March 27, 2015 - Whilst today's all-Hong Kong final of the Women's Malaysian Squash Tour Leg 1 was predicted, Liu Tsz-Ling's title triumph was not - as the second seed overpowered favourite Tong Tsz-Wing to win the WSA Challenger 5 event at the Royal Sri Menanti Golf & Country Club in Seremban, Malaysia.

Liu celebrated her 10th final appearance on the WSA World Tour after despatching home hope Vanessa Raj, the No.4 seed, in straight games in the semi-finals.

The other semi saw Tong tackle her second successive fellow country woman in the event, where the world No.49 needed four games to get the better of unseeded Vanessa Chu.

The win, in Tong's first Tour appearance of the year, took the 22-year-old into the seventh Tour final of her career.

Despite the eight-place rankings difference, Liu struck out for victory in the final from the outset - taking just 31 minutes to close out the match 11-6, 11-3, 11-7 to win the sixth title of her career.

"I played so well today to beat Tong in three games," said world No.57 Liu (pictured above with runner-up Tong) after her surprise win. "I hope that I will play way better next time in my next tournament."

The title triumph marks Liu's first Tour success since winning the inaugural Asian Beach Games gold medal in November last year - and also marks her third successive Tour title success in Malaysia.

RESULTS: Women's Malaysian Squash Tour Leg 1, Seremban, Malaysia

1st round:
[1] Tong Tsz-Wing (HKG) bt [Q] Andrea Lee (MAS) 11-9, 11-3, 11-4
[Q] Lee Ka Yi (HKG) bt [5] Cheyna Tucker (RSA) 11-5, 11-9, 11-8
Zoe Foo (MAS) bt [3] Lotte Eriksen (NOR) 9-11, 5-11, 12-10 ret.
Vanessa Chu (HKG) bt [8] Teh Min Jie (MAS) 11-7, 11-1, 12-14, 17-15
[7] Zulhijjah Binti Azan (MAS) bt [Q] Aika Azman (MAS) 2-11, 11-3, 11-4, 13-11
[4] Vanessa Raj (MAS) bt Sivasangari Subramanian (MAS) 11-7, 11-7, 11-7
[6] Rachel Arnold (MAS) bt Alexandra Fuller (RSA) 11-9, 15-17, 11-13, 12-10, 11-3
[2] Liu Tsz-Ling (HKG) bt [Q] Carmen Lee (HKG) 11-2, 14-16, 11-6, 11-7
Quarter-finals:
[1] Tong Tsz-Wing (HKG) bt [Q] Lee Ka Yi (HKG) 11-4, 11-6, 11-6
Vanessa Chu (HKG) bt Zoe Foo (MAS) 4-11, 10-12, 11-2, 11-8, 11-8
[4] Vanessa Raj (MAS) bt [7] Zulhijjah Binti Azan (MAS) 11-3, 8-11, 11-8, 11-4
[2] Liu Tsz-Ling (HKG) bt [6] Rachel Arnold (MAS) 11-5, 8-11, 11-8, 11-4
Semi-finals:
[1] Tong Tsz-Wing (HKG) bt Vanessa Chu (HKG) 12-14, 11-3, 11-7, 11-3
[2] Liu Tsz-Ling (HKG) bt [4] Vanessa Raj (MAS) 11-5, 11-5, 11-5

Final:
[2] Liu Tsz-Ling (HKG) bt [1] Tong Tsz-Wing (HKG) 11-6, 11-3, 11-7 (31m)