Late arrival did not stop Addeen from booking a place in the semi-finals

PETALING JAYA: National squash player Addeen Idrakie powered his way to the men’s individual semi-finals at the Hong Kong Challenge Cup.

The 24-year-old, who received a first round bye, was made to fight hard before he could overcome Hong Kong’s Lau Tsz Kwan 11-9, 8-11, 11-9, 11-9 in 47 minutes in the quarter-final yesterday.

He plays Hong Kong’s Henry Leung in the semi-final.

It’s a good achievement considering Addeen only arrived on the eve of the tournament. The second seed, who is pursuing his degree in sports science at Universiti Malaya took a flight to Hong Kong only on Tuesday.

He defeated India’s Varun Jonny 13-11, 11-5, 9-11, 11-8 in the second round on Wednesday.

Joining him the semi-final is top seed Mohd Syafiq Kamal, who played in a gruelling five setter before narrowly dismissing Egypt’s Moustafa El Sirty 12-10, 11-6, 4-11, 9-11, 12-10 in 66 minutes.

He meets Hong Kong favourite Wong Chi Him, who defeated Malaysian Elvinn Keo 11-7, 15-13, 7-11, 11-1.

Meanwhile, Darren Rahul Pragasam, Wee Ming Hock, Farez Izwan and Ong Sai Hung failed to clear the early rounds.

 

RESULTS

(Matches involving Malaysians only)

Men

First round: Moustafa El Sirty (Egy) bt Farez Izwan 11-7, 11-7, 11-9; Wee Ming Hock bt Timothy Leong (Sin) 11-5, 7-11, 11-8, 11-13, 11-4; Ong Sai Hung bt Omar El Hadidi (Egy) 11-6, 11-2, 11-5.

Second round: Mohd Syafiq Kamal bt Tomataka Endo (Jpn) 9-11,11-8, 11-13, 11-8, 11-5; El Sirty (Egy) bt Darren Rahul Pragasam 9-11, 11-8, 11-8, 11-8; Henry Leung (Hkg) bt Ming Hock 11-7, 11-5, 11-4; Elvinn Keo bt Sai Hung 11-8, 11-9, 5-11. 11-7; Addeen Idrakie bt Varun Jonny (Ind) 13-11, 11-5, 9-11, 11-8.

Quarter-final: Wong Chi Him (Hkg) bt Elvinn 11-7, 15-13, 7-11, 11-1; Syafiq bt El Sirty (Egy) 12-10, 11-6, 4-11, 9-11, 12-10; Addeen bt Lau Tsz Kwan (Hkg) 11-9, 8-11, 11-9, 11-9.

Women

First Round: Angie Ooi bt Iisa Imran (Pak) 11-7, 11-1, 11-1; Melissa Alves (Fra) bt Chen Yu Ng 11-8, 11-2, 11-5.

Quarter-final: Sunayna Kuruvilla (Ind) bt Angie 11-8, 11-5, 11-5.