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27-Mar, Finals:
Bailey & Azlan claim KL Crowns
Local hero Azlan Iskandar and England's Tania Bailey
triumphed in the finals of the NSC Series No5 Squash Championships
to bring the five-event series of international Squash events at the
Bukit Jalil National Squash Centre in the Malaysian capital Kuala
Lumpur to a close.
Bailey celebrated her first WISPA title success for almost three
years - and the biggest of her career - when she beat Madeline
Perry, the top seed from Ireland.
It was the 29-year-old fifth seed from Lincolnshire's third
successive upset in three days, after notable victories over
fourth-seeded New Zealander Shelley Kitchen in the quarter-finals
and former world champion Vanessa Atkinson, the second seed, in the
previous round.
Bailey's triumph comes after an injury-stricken period which
included knee surgery last year and necessitated a four-month Tour
layoff.
The former world No4, who finished outside the top 20 at the end of
last year, can now look forward to a significant rankings boost in
next month's list.
 "I
am really, really, pleased about winning the tournament. It feels
great and makes the trouble I have had over the last year and a half
all worth it. To also beat Shelley, Vanessa and Madeline all in the
same tournament is great! To be able to back up matches against the
top players is a real bonus.
"It's been so long since I won a WISPA tournament (and I haven't won
many either!) I forgot how good it feels!
"Last year there were times when it looked like I might not be able
to play any more and where I didn't see any improvements in my knee
for months at a time. There were even times when it actually got
worse rather than better. I was always 100% dedicated to my rehab
and I did absolutely everything I could do to help myself and,
although it was extremely tough, I have definitely come out of it a
stronger person.
"I have had great support through the EIS and England Squash in
Manchester (where I practically lived for most of last year) -
particularly the help I have had from Adam Wright, my sport
psychologist. They have all helped me to get back on court. Also my
family and friends have been great. When things were going badly,
they were always there to take my mind off it.
"I am really enjoying playing now more than ever and realise how
lucky I am to be doing what I am doing. I hope I can continue to
play for many more years and hopefully maybe pick up a few more
titles!"
Iskandar also celebrated a
long-awaited return to the winner's podium after his success in the
men's event.
The 26-year-old top seed from KL, who was marking his 20th
appearance in a Tour final, battled for 73 minutes to overcome
Egypt's No2 seed Omar Mosaad, a victory which marks Iskandar's 11th
Tour title - but the first since winning the KL Open in July 2007.
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 NSC
Series #5 2009
23-28 Mar, Kuala Lumpur, $25k |
Round One
25 Mar |
Quarters
26 Mar |
Semis
27 Mar |
Final
28 Mar |
[1] Madeline Perry (Irl)
11/7,11/8,11/7 (35m)
Lim Woke Yah (Mas) |
[1] Madeline Perry
11/4,11/7,11/6 (36m)
Aisling Blake |
[1] Madeline Perry
15/13,11/9,11/6 (46m)
[6] Annie Au |
[1] Madeline Perry
11/5, 11/8, 11/4 (42m)
[5] Tania Bailey |
[8]
Delia Arnold (Mas)
11/4,8/11,12/10,11/8 (51m)
Aisling Blake (Irl) |
[3] Kasey Brown (Aus)
11/5,11/3,11/8 (26m)
[Q] Lisa Camilleri (Aus) |
[3] Kasey Brown
12/10,11/7,11/9 (43m)
[6] Annie Au |
[6] Annie Au (Hkg)
11/7,8/11,11/6,14/12 (45m)
[Q] Maria Toor Pakay (Pak) |
Donna Urquhart (Aus)
9/11,11/6,11/1,11/3 (35m)
[5] Tania Bailey (Eng) |
[5] Tania Bailey
7/11,11/8,11/7,11/3 (52m)
[4] Shelley Kitchen |
[5] Tania Bailey
11/2,12/10,11/3 (30m)
[2] Vanessa Atkinson |
[Q] Amelia Pittock (Aus)
11/7,11/5,11/4 (28m)
[4] Shelley Kitchen (Nzl) |
[Q] Low Wee Wern (Mas)
11/9,11/7,6/11,2/11,11/2 (50m)
[7] Dominique Lloyd-Walter (Eng) |
[7] Dominique Lloyd-Walter
11/6,13/11,11/4 (32
[2] Vanessa Atkinson |
Sarah Kippax (Eng)
7/11,11/8,11/8,8/11,11/4 (55m)
[2] Vanessa Atkinson (Ned) |
Qualifying:
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 NSC
Series #5 2009
23-28 Mar, Kuala Lumpur, $20k |
Round One
25 Mar |
Quarters
26 Mar |
Semis
27 Mar |
Final
28 Mar |
[1] Azlan Iskandar (Mas)
11/7,11/8,11/5 (34m)
[Q] Matthew Karwalski (Aus) |
[1] Azlan Iskandar
11/9,11/5,11/9 (40m)
[5] Saurav Ghosal |
[1] Azlan Iskandar
11/5,11/4,13/15,11/7 (47m)
[3] Hisham Ashour |
[1] Azlan Iskandar 11/9, 11/5,
7/11, 6/11, 11/6 (73m)
[2] Omar Mosaad |
[5]
Saurav Ghosal (Ind)
9/11,11/4,11/4,11/1 (53m)
Ryan Cuskelly (Aus) |
[3]
Hisham Ashour (Egy)
11/7,11/6,4/11,11/8 (47m)
[Q] Clinton Leeuw (Rsa) |
[3] Hisham Ashour
11/1,11/6,11/6 (30m)
[8]
Mohn Nafiizwan Adnan |
[8]
Mohn Nafiizwan Adnan (Mas)
11/4,11/9,12/10 (36m)
Adil Maqbool (Pak) |
Stephane Galifi (Fra)
11/6,11/2,4/1 rtd (15m)
[7] Yasir Butt (Pak) |
Stephane Galifi
11/2,5/11,11/9,11/7 (61m)
[4] Renan Lavigne |
Stéphane Galifi
11/7,11/4,11/8 (40m)
[2] Omar Mosaad |
Nafzahizam Adnan
11/4,11/6,11/6 (31m)
[4] Renan Lavigne (Fra) |
[Q] Mathieu Castagnet (Fra)
6/11,9/11,11/6,11/9,11/3 (61m)
[6] Kashif Shuja (Nzl) |
[Q] Mathieu Castagnet
11/5,11/5,8/11,11/7 (54m)
[2] Omar Mosaad |
[Q] Zac Alexander (Aus)
7/11,11/6,11/4,11/5 (50m)
[2] Omar Mosaad (Egy) |
Qualifying:
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27-Mar, Semis:
Bailey battles into KL climax
England's Tania Bailey produced her second upset in 24 hours in the
NSC Series No5 Squash Championships when she beat No2 seed Vanessa
Atkinson in straight games to reach the final at the Bukit Jalil
National Squash Centre in the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur.
The 29-year-old fifth seed from Lincolnshire, who dismissed
fourth-seeded New Zealander Shelley Kitchen in the previous round,
defeated former world champion Atkinson, from the Netherlands, in 30
minutes to reach the 14th Tour final of her career – but her first
since July 2007.
Bailey, a former world No4 who is fighting back to her old form
after knee surgery last year, will now face Madeline Perry, the top
seed from Ireland.
Perry survived a tough opening game in her semi-final against
rapidly-improving Annie Au before beating the 20-year-old from Hong
Kong. The 10 times Irish National champion from Belfast is
celebrating her 13th WISPA final appearance.
Malaysian interest rides high in the men's event where favourite
Azlan Iskandar needed four games to overcome Egyptian Hisham Ashour,
the No3 seed.
The 26-year-old from KL – now marking his 20th appearance in a PSA
final – will line up against Egypt's second seed Omar Mosaad. The
21-year-old from Cairo ended the unexpected run of Frenchman
Stephane Galifi, beating the unseeded 30-year-old from
Aix-en-Provence. Mosaad will be making his sixth PSA final
appearance.
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26-Mar, Quarters:
Galifi & Au make KL semis
More than nine years after last meeting on the Tour, Stephane Galifi
repeated his upset over higher-ranked French compatriot Renan
Lavigne in the quarter-finals.
The unseeded 30-year-old from Aix-en-Provence beat Lavigne, the
fourth seed, in 61 minutes in the only upset in the men's event.
Galifi will now face Omar Mosaad, the No2 seed from Egypt who also
triumphed over a Frenchman, beating qualifier Mathieu Castagnet.
Favourite Azlan Iskandar maintained local interest in the
championships when he beat fifth-seeded Indian Saurav Ghosal. The
26-year-old Malaysian will face Egypt's third seed Hisham Mohd
Ashour, winner over local player Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan, the eighth
seed.
There were two quarter-final upsets in the women's event. England's
Tania Bailey brought to an end a 13-match-winning run by Shelley
Kitchen in the NSC Series in KL when she upset the fourth seed in 52
minutes.
The former world No4 from Lincolnshire, still fighting back to her
old form after knee surgery last year, will now take on second seed
Vanessa Atkinson for a place in the final. The Dutch star despatched
England's Dominique Lloyd-Walter.
Hong Kong's Annie Au continued her upward rise - the 20-year-old
sixth seed dismissed Australia's Kasey Brown, the No3 seed, and will
now face Irish favourite Madeline Perry in a surprise semi-final.
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25-Mar, Round One:
Blake blows local hopes in KL
Ireland's Aisling Blake reduced local hopes for success in the NSC
Series No5 event after upsetting Malaysia's No8 seed Delia Arnold in
the opening round at the Bukit Jalil National Squash Centre in the
country's capital Kuala Lumpur.
The unseeded 27-year-old from Sligo beat world No23 Arnold in 51
minutes and will now face Irish rival Madeline Perry in an
unexpected quarter-final. Top seed Perry also ousted a Malaysian,
beating Lim Yoke Wah.
Second seed Vanessa Atkinson needed five games to overcome Sarah
Kippax – the Dutch star beating her unseeded English opponent in 55
minutes.
It was a good day for France in the men's event. Mathieu Castagnet
became the only qualifier to make the last eight after dismissing
New Zealand's sixth seed Kashif Shuja in 61 minutes.
Castagnet, from Le Mans, progresses to meet Omar Mosaad, the No2
seed from Egypt who took four games to defeat Australian qualifier
Zac Alexander.
A surprise all-French quarter-final clash is the result of the
unexpected demise of Pakistan's Yasir Butt. The fifth seed retired
injured midway through his third game against unseeded Stephane
Galifi – leaving the Frenchman to line up against compatriot Renan
Lavigne, the fourth seed who beat Malaysian Nafzahizam Adnan.
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