Tsukue Takes Out Lau In Kansai Upset
by Howard Harding
29 September 2012 - Shinnosuke Tsukue provided unexpected home interest in the quarter-finals of the Pro Squash Kansai in Japan when he upset Hong Kong's higher-ranked Dick Lau in four games in today's opening round of the PSA World Tour Challenger 10 squash event in its second year at Entente Fitness Club in Kobe.
The 23-year-old from Kanagawa, ranked almost 100 places lower than Lau, held his nerve to win the match 11-5, 12-10, 7-11, 11-5 in 51 minutes to set up a last eight clash with top seed Jan Koukal.
Czech number one Koukal, the world No47, denied the crowd an all-Japanese quarter-final after beating qualifier Yuta Fukui, a 24-year-old from Nagoya, 11-7, 11-7, 12-10.
Fourth seed Leo Au ensured some Hong Kong interest on the second day by beating James Huang - but Au had to survive the longest match of the day to overcome his Taiwan opponent 11-13, 11-5, 14-12, 10-12, 11-4 in 85 minutes.
World No57 Au now faces unseeded Englishman Nathan Lake for a place in the semi-finals.
RESULTS: PSA Challenger 10 Pro Squash Kansai, Kobe, Japan
1st round:
[1] Jan Koukal (CZE) bt [Q] Yuta Fukui (JPN) 11-7, 11-7, 12-10 (30m)
Shinnosuke Tsukue (JPN) bt Dick Lau (HKG) 11-5, 12-10, 7-11, 11-5 (51m)
Nathan Lake (ENG) bt [Q] Tomotaka Endo (JPN) 11-4, 11-6, 11-8 (34m)
[4] Leo Au (HKG) bt James Huang (TPE) 11-13, 11-5, 14-12, 10-12, 11-4 (85m)
[3] Kamran Khan (MAS) bt [Q] James Earles (ENG) 11-7, 11-8, 11-8 (39m)
Declan James (ENG) bt Steven London (ENG) 11-8, 11-7, 11-5 (52m)
Carlos Cornes Ribadas (ESP) bt [Q] Bart Ravelli (NED) 11-8, 11-7, 11-7 (33m)
[2] Muhd Asyraf Azan (MAS) bt Fred Reid (CAN) 14-12, 11-8, 11-5 (22m)
Quarter-final line-up:
[1] Jan Koukal (CZE) v Shinnosuke Tsukue (JPN)
[4] Leo Au (HKG) v Nathan Lake (ENG)
[3] Kamran Khan (MAS) v Declan James (ENG)
[2] Muhd Asyraf Azan (MAS) v Carlos Cornes Ribadas (ESP)
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