England's Lee Books Hong Kong Main Draw Berth After 98-Minute Battle

Omar Abdel Meguid will join Lee in the Hong Kong Open main draw

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England’s Joe Lee emerged triumphant in a physically punishing 98-minute battle with Frenchman Lucas Serme today to come through qualification at the 2016 Cathay Pacific Sun Hung Kai Financial Hong Kong Open and book a place in the main draw of the opening PSA World Series tournament of the 2016/17 season.

Awaiting Lee – who qualified courtesy of a seesaw 11-1, 9-11, 11-6, 5-11, 11-8 win – in the first round is Hong Kong number one and home favourite Max Lee, who will be hoping to improve on his first round exit here to Omar Mosaad last year.

Elsewhere in the Men’s qualification, there was a big win for German Raphael Kandra – overcoming former World Junior champion Diego Elias – while Alan Clyne, Omar Abdel Meguid, Zahed Mohamed, Nicolas Mueller, Nafiizwan Adnan and Gregoire Marche all came through to complete the 32-strong field.

In the Women's tournament, Liu Tsz-Ling, the local player ranked No.29 in the world, came through a gripping five-game battle with Australian Sarah Cardwell, taking the decisive fifth game 12-10 to complete a triumvirate of home hopes in the main draw alongside Annie Au and Joey Chan.

Tsz-Ling will face compatriot Au in the first round in what will be a keenly watched contest, with fellow five-game tie-break qualifiers Tesni Evans and Nadine Shahin facing Nicol David and Joshna Chinappa, respectively. Nicolette Fernandes, Mariam Metwally, Low Wee Wern, Hania El Hammamy and Olivia Blatchford complete the qualifiers.

The first round action gets underway at the Hong Kong Squash Club from noon on Tuesday August 23.

2016 Hong Kong Open – Men's Qualifying Finals
Omar Abdel Meguid (EGY) bt Greg Lobban (SCO) 3-1: 12-10, 11-5, 7-11, 11-8 (56m)
Alan Clyne (SCO) bt Mazen Gamal (EGY) 3-0: 11-4, 11-1, 11-7 (36m)
Raphael Kandra (GER) bt Diego Elias (PER) 3-1: 9-11, 11-5, 11-8, 12-10 (56m)
Zahed Mohamed (EGY) bt Ivan Yuen (MAS) 3-1: 13-11, 6-11, 11-6, 11-6 (63m)
Nicolas Mueller (SUI) bt Mahesh Mangaonkar (IND) 3-0: 11-7, 12-10, 11-4 (35m)
Joe Lee (ENG) bt Lucas Serme (FRA) 3-2: 11-1, 9-11, 11-6, 5-11, 11-8 (98m)
Nafiizwan Adnan (MAS) bt Olli Tuominen (FIN) 3-0: 11-7, 11-4, 17-15 (45m)
Gregoire Marche (FRA) bt Alfredo Avila (MEX) 3-0: 11-9, 11-5, 11-9 (47m)

2016 Hong Kong Open – Women's Qualifying Finals
Nicolette Fernandes (GUY) bt Tong Tsz-Wing (HKG) 3-1: 11-5, 7-11, 11-7, 12-10 (59m)
Liu Tsz-Ling (HKG) bt Sarah Cardwell (AUS) 3-2: 7-11, 11-9, 11-13, 12-10, 12-10 (64m)
Mariam Metwally (EGY) bt Hollie Naughton (CAB) 3-0: 11-4, 11-9, 11-7 (31m)
Tesni Evans (WAL) bt Amina Youssry (EGY) 3-2: 11-6, 9-11, 9-11, 11-5, 13-11 (59m)
Nadine Shahin (EGY) bt Fiona Moverley (ENG) 3-2: 13-11, 11-8, 6-11, 8-11, 12-10 (48m)
Low Wee Wern (MAS) bt Millie Tomlinson (ENG) 3-0: 11-7, 12-10, 11-5 (34m)
Hania El Hammamy (EGY) bt Salma Hany Ibrahim (EGY) 3-1: 12-14, 11-3, 11-5, 11-3 (44m)
Olivia Blatchford (USA) bt Milou van der Heijden (NED) 3-0: 11-7, 11-2, 11-9 (26m)

2016 Hong Kong Open – Men's First Round Draw
[1] Mohamed Elshorbagy (EGY) v Chris Simpson (ENG)
Leo Au (HKG) v Cameron Pilley (AUS)
Mazen Hesham (EGY) v [Q] Nafiizwan Adnan (MAS)
Borja Golan (ESP) v [6] Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY)
Tarek Momen (EGY) v [Q] Alan Clyne (SCO)
Tom Richards (ENG) v James Willstrop (ENG)
Ryan Cuskelly (AUS) v [Q] Omar Abdel Meguid (EGY)
[WC] Tsz Fung Yip (HKG) v [3] Miguel Angel Rodriguez (COL)
[4] Marwan ElShorbagy (EGY) v [Q] Nicolas Mueller (SUI)
Ramy Ashour (EGY) v Saurav Ghosal (IND)
Cesar Salazar (MEX) v Simon Rösner (GER)
[Q] Zahed Mohamed (EGY) v [5] Mathieu Castagnet (FRA)
[7] Ali Farag (EGY) v [Q] Raphael Kandra (GER)
Max Lee (HKG) v [Q] Joe Lee (ENG)
Fares Dessouky (EGY) v Mohamed Abouelghar (EGY)
[Q] Gregoire Marche (FRA) v [2] Gregory Gaultier (FRA)

2016 Hong Kong Open – Women’s First Round Draw
[1] Nour El Sherbini (EGY) v Heba El Torky (EGY)
[Q] Liu Tsz-Ling (HKG) v [11] Annie Au (HKG)
[10] Joshna Chinappa (IND) v [Q] Nadine Shahin (EGY)
Line Hansen (DEN) v [8] Omneya Abdel Kawy (EGY)
[7] Amanda Sobhy (USA) v Joey Chan (HKG)
Victoria Lust (ENG) v [12] Sarah-Jane Perry (ENG)
[16] Nour El Tayeb (EGY) v Donna Urquhart (AUS)
Rachael Grinham (AUS) v [3] Raneem El Welily (EGY)
[4] Nicol David (MAS) v [Q] Tesni Evans (WAL)
[Q] Nicolette Fernandes (GUY) v [9] Joelle King (NZL)
[14] Jenny Duncalf (ENG) v [WC] Ho Tze-Lok (HKG)
Dipika Pallikal (IND) v [6] Camille Serme (FRA)
[5] Nouran Gohar (EGY) v [Q] Olivia Blatchford (USA)
[Q] Low Wee Wern (MAS) v [13] Alison Waters (ENG)
[15] Emily Whitlock (ENG) v [Q] Mariam Metwally (EGY)
[Q] Hania El Hammamy (EGY) v [2] Laura Massaro (ENG)

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