All-Australian finals in prospect as Down Under quartet power into semis of joint Hong Kong showpiece

Advance Australia fair. Hong Kong's first joint Open saw four Aussies move into today's semi-finals and set up the prospect of all-Australian finals in both the men's and women's events tomorrow.

Australia's new flagbearer David Palmer, the reigning British Open champion, enhanced his growing reputation yesterday when he defeated Malaysian Ong Beng Hee 3-1 to enter the semi-finals of the US$100,000 Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Open.

Palmer was joined by compatriot Stewart Boswell in the men's semi-finals. Boswell is in the other half of the draw, thus raising the hopes of an all-Aussie final. The same could happen in the US$63,000 Women's Open with Sarah Fitz-Gerald and Carol Owens looking good.

Palmer, the 24-year-old Sydneysider from Lithgow, knocked out Ong 15-3, 8-15, 15-9, 15-12 in the quarter-finals and in the process crushed the hopes of a large number of Hong Kong supporters who were keen to see Asia's only top 10 player progress further in the competition.

The partisan crowd displayed their unabashed support for Ong when the Malaysian was denied a penalty stroke and two let calls at a crucial stage in the fourth game, allowing Palmer to move from 11-10 to 13-10, and stand on the verge of victory.

The fans booed loudly, but New Zealand referee Peter Highsted was not having any of it. An anguished Ong could not believe it. One of the most polite players on the circuit, Ong kept his frustrations in check but could not find a way out as Palmer went on to wrap up the match.