2010 WUC Squash Update: Leo Keeps Au Double Bid Alive In Melbourne

MELBOURNE – Hong Kong’s Leo Au battled to a five-game upset in yesterday’s (July 12th) men’s quarter-finals of the 2010 World University Squash Championships to keep alive hopes of the first ever sibling final double in the 7th staging of the event in Melbourne, Australia.

38 students from 11 countries are competing in the week-long event at Monash University, where FISU, is represented by Kenny Chow and the World Squash Federation by Vice-President Heather Deayton.

Au, a 20-year-old student at Hong Kong Polytechnic University, stemmed a fightback by Colin West to beat the 3/4 seed from Canada 11-1, 11-4, 7-11, 3-11, 11-5.

The 5/8 seed will now face men’s event favourite Joel Hinds after the 23-year-old Briton, representing Birmingham University, despatched South African Richard Colburn 11-3, 11-8, 11-3.

In the women’s event, Hong Kong favourite Annie Au remains on course to reach the final after dismissing USA’s Kristen Lange 11-5, 11-3, 11-6. The 21-year-old represents the same University as her younger brother Leo. If both reach the finals, they would be the first siblings to do so in the 14-year history of the championships.

Miss Au – ranked 16 in the world, and the highest-ranked player in the event – now faces Kirsty McPhee, one of three Britons in the semi-finals. The 5/8 seed from Leeds Metropolitan University needed five games to overcome surprise opponent Senada Haupt, an unseeded 20-year-old from South Africa, 11-9, 8-11, 5-11, 11-6, 11-6.

Men’s semi-final line-up:

[1] Joel Hinds (GBR) v [5/8] Leo Au (HKG)

[2] Jens Schoor (GER) v [5/8] Todd Harrity (USA)

Women’s semi-final line-up:

[1] Annie Au (HKG) v [5/8] Kirsty McPhee (GBR)

[2] Melody Francis (AUS) v [3/4] Emma Chorley (GBR)

(Source: Howard Harding on behalf of the WSF)

RESULTS                                             

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