Anjema Makes 30th PSA Tour Final In Hong Kong by Howard Harding 1 June 2013
- Top-ranked Dutchman Laurens Jan Anjema reached the 30th PSA World
Tour final of his career when he beat Malaysia's Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan
in the semi-finals of the Hong Kong Football Club PSA International 25,
the PSA International 25 squash event in its second year at the Hong
Kong Football Club in Hong Kong.
"It was a straightforward match for Anjema, the number two seed,"
explained tournament spokesman Bill Cox. "He looks in good shape and
the Netherlands player always looked in control of the match. Both
players played a good range of shots to move each other around the
court but it was too many unforced errors that were the downfall of
Adnan."
It took just 37 minute for Anjema to secure his 11-5, 11-8, 11-3
victory and a place in his first Tour final for more than a year - but
his 30th since making his final debut in the 2002 Swiss Open in Geneva.
The 30-year-old world No17 acknowledged that he is playing well and he
has tried to make himself a much more three-dimensional player than he
used to be, and has worked hard at that.
Anjema now faces top seed Alister Walker, the world No14 from Botswana.
In a match which also took 37 minutes to resolve, Walker ended
qualifier Mohamed Abouelghar's run, beating the Egyptian teenager 11-9,
12-10, 11-6.
Abouelghar, the lowest-ranked player in the draw, made his breakthrough
in the previous round where he beat fourth-seeded compatriot Karim
Abdel Gawad.
"Yes it was tough," conceded 30-year-old Walker after the semi. "The
kid is very talented and has got a lot of shots and there is no rhythm,
so you are always on your toes. I just managed trying to keep it tight
and close the court down. Every game was tight but fortunately it
worked."
The final will mark Walker and Anjema's eighth Tour meeting since 2004.
Although Walker prevailed in their most recent clash, in the North
American Open in February last year, it is eight-time Dutch champion
Anjema who leads the pair's head-to-head tally 5/2.
RESULTS: Hong Kong Football Club PSA International 25, Happy Valley, Hong Kong
