Hong Kong squash prodigy’s fairy-tale in New York comes to end – but opponent brands her ‘amazing’

Having won the preceding Challenger event, Chan Sin-yuk knocks out Zeina Mickawy of Egypt at Tournament of Champions, after saving 7 match balls

Chan then loses to No 3 seed Salma Hany, but takes a game off her and earns glowing praise

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Chan Sin-yuk (right) on her way to victory over Egypt’s Kenzy Ayman in the Tournament of Champions Challenger final in New York. Photo: Professional Squash Association

Published: 8:46pm, 4 May 2022Updated: 8:48pm, 4 May 2022

Teenager Chan Sin-yuk of Hong Kong continued to make a name for herself in New York, stunning world No 36 Zeina Mickawy and testing third seed Salma Hany before her run ended at the J.P. Morgan Tournament of Champions.

Chan at the weekend leapt into the world’s top 50 by winning the Challenger event that served as a qualifier for the tournament, and she carried that form into her opener in the gold-level event.

She saved multiple match balls against Mickawy, of Egypt, as she edged a five-game thriller.

The 19-year-old Hongkonger took the opening game 13-11 on a tiebreak, but was on the other end of a tiebreak in the third, losing it 12-10 to find herself 2-1 behind. The fourth game was an epic in itself, as Chan saved seven match balls to stay in the contest – six of them in the tiebreak, which she eventually won 21-19 after 20 minutes of action.

Chan Sin-yuk (right) during her victory over world No 36 Zeina Mickawy of Egypt in the first round of the Tournament of Champions. Photo: PSA

Chan took the decider 11-5 to advance to face another Egyptian, Hany, in the second round. And she again came out firing, putting Hany under all kinds of pressure and coming close to winning the first game when leading 10-7.