Fukui Breakthrough In Yokohama
by Howard Harding

30 August 2013 - Local qualifier Yuta Fukui pulled off a mighty upset on the opening day of main draw action in the Pro Squash in Japan Yokohama when he defeated third seed Muhd Asyraf Azan to claim an unexpected place in the quarter-finals of the PSA World Tour Challenger 10 event at Yokohama Squash Stadium SQ-CUBE in Yokohama City, Japan.

Fukui, a 25-year-old ranked more than 100 places lower than his opponent, played the match of his life to overcome Malaysian Azan 11-9, 11-9, 8-11, 11-6 in 64 minutes.

In a rare quarter-final line-up featuring players from eight different countries, Fukui takes on India's Harinder Pal Sandhu, who took just 17 minutes to beat Canadian Fred Reid 11-3, 11-7, 11-7.

Top-seeded Egyptian Omar Abdel Meguid beat wild card Shinnosuke Tsukue 14-12, 11-1, 11-2.

"Tsukue made a good attempt in the first game, but the first seed from Egypt kept a fast and furious pace and did not give Tsukue anything," said event spokesman Hiromi Komae.

RESULTS: PSA Challenger 10 Pro Squash in Japan Yokohama, Yokohama City, Japan

1st round:
[1] Omar Abdel Meguid (EGY) bt [WC] Shinnosuke Tsukue (JPN) 14-12, 11-1, 11-2 (23m)
James Huang (TPE) bt [Q] Kwon Hyeon-Jun (KOR) 9-11, 11-9, 7-11, 11-7, 11-9 (59m)
Harinder Pal Sandhu (IND) bt Fred Reid (CAN) 11-3, 11-7, 11-7 (17m)
[Q] Yuta Fukui (JPN) bt [3] Muhd Asyraf Azan (MAS) 11-9, 11-9, 8-11, 11-6 (64m)
[4] Rex Hedrick (AUS) bt Elvinn Keo (MAS) 11-2, 8-11, 9-11, 11-4, 13-11 (79m)
Ivan Yuen (MAS) bt [Q] Shimizu Takanori (JPN) 11-7, 11-8, 11-9 (26m)
Ahmad Al-Saraj (JOR) bt [Q] Sehyun Lee (KOR) 12-10, 11-8, 10-12, 8-11, 11-7 (73m)
[2] Leo Au (HKG) bt [LL] Masaki Suzuki (JPN) 11-6, 11-7, 11-5 (24m)

Quarter-final line-up:
[1] Omar Abdel Meguid (EGY) v James Huang (TPE)
[Q] Yuta Fukui (JPN) v Harinder Pal Sandhu (IND)
[4] Rex Hedrick (AUS) v Ivan Yuen (MAS)
[2] Leo Au (HKG) v Ahmad Al-Saraj (JOR)