Serme Strikes Home For World Series Debut
by Howard Harding

2 December 2013 - Frenchman Lucas Serme will make his PSA World Series event debut after masterminding his second successive upset in today's men's qualifying finals of the Cathay Pacific Sun Hung Kai Financial Hong Kong Open.

The 21-year-old from Creteil becomes the lowest-ranked player to earn a place in the main draw of the eighth and final PSA World Series squash event of the year at the Hong Kong Squash Centre.

It was in the first qualifying round that Serme claimed one of the biggest scalps of the day when he ousted Scotland's World No.34 Alan Clyne. Today, the World No.76 reached more than 20 places above him to claim an 11-3, 13-11, 11-8 win in 53 minutes over Pakistan's Nasir Iqbal.

"Happy doesn't start to describe it," the jubilant young Frenchman told www.squashsite.com later. "I wanted to win so much - it is my first attempt to qualify for a World Series, and first time in Hong Kong!"

Serme will now face Saurav Ghosal in the main draw in his first ever meeting with the World No.15 from India.

It was a good day for Frenchmen in Hong Kong: Serme was one of a trio of French qualifiers who will join second-seeded compatriot Gregory Gaultier in the main draw.

Gregoire Marche squandered a 2/0 lead against Shaun le Roux before fighting back in the decider to beat the South African 11-9, 11-6, 3-11, 5-11, 11-8 in 77 minutes.

By contrast, fellow Aix-en-Provence-based Mathieu Castagnet needed only 30 minutes to see off England's Jaymie Haycocks 11-8, 11-2, 11-3.

The most popular win of the day was achieved by local hero Max Lee. But the Hong Kong number one had to fight back from 2/1 down to take out Egypt's Andrew Wagih Shoukry 11-5, 6-11, 3-11, 11-5, 11-8 in 50 minutes.

There was further Lee success when England's Joe Lee beat India's Mahesh Mangaonkar 11-0, 11-4, 11-8 to make the event's first round for the second year in a row.

Compatriot Adrian Waller also claimed his second successive main draw appearance after defeating Indian Harinder Pal Sandhu 11-9, 11-7, 11-7.

The other two qualifying slots went to Malaysian Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan and Egyptian Omar Abdel Meguid. Adnan twice came back from behind to beat New Zealand's Campbell Grayson 5-11, 11-8, 8-11, 11-8, 11-7.

And it was second time lucky for Meguid who made amends for failing to qualify last year by beating lone Australian Steven Finitsis 11-8, 1-11, 11-6, 11-5.

RESULTS: PSA World Series Cathay Pacific Sun Hung Kai Financial Hong Kong Open, Hong Kong

Qualifying finals:
Gregoire Marche (FRA) bt Shaun le Roux (RSA) 11-9, 11-6, 3-11, 5-11, 11-8 (77m)
Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan (MAS) bt Campbell Grayson (NZL) 5-11, 11-8, 8-11, 11-8, 11-7 (67m)
Omar Abdel Meguid (EGY) bt Steven Finitsis (AUS) 11-8, 1-11, 11-6, 11-5 (51m)
Max Lee (HKG) bt Andrew Wagih Shoukry (EGY) 11-5, 6-11, 3-11, 11-5, 11-8 (50m)
Lucas Serme (FRA) bt Nasir Iqbal (PAK) 11-3, 13-11, 11-8 (53m)
Joe Lee (ENG) bt Mahesh Mangaonkar (IND) 11-0, 11-4, 11-8 (40m)
Adrian Waller (ENG) bt Harinder Pal Sandhu (IND) 11-9, 11-7, 11-7 (40m)
Mathieu Castagnet (FRA) bt Jaymie Haycocks (ENG) 11-8, 11-2, 11-3 (30m)

Updated 1st round draw:
[1] Ramy Ashour (EGY) v [Q] Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan (MAS)
Cameron Pilley (AUS) v [Q] Adrian Waller (ENG)
Stephen Coppinger (RSA) v Chris Simpson (ENG)
[7] Borja Golan (ESP) v Ong Beng Hee (MAS)
[5] Mohamed Elshorbagy (EGY) v [WC] Leo Au (HKG)
Marwan Elshorbagy (EGY) v Ryan Cuskelly (AUS)
Simon Rosner (GER) v Tom Richards (ENG)
[3] James Willstrop (ENG) v Adrian Grant (ENG)
[4] Nick Matthew (ENG) v Daryl Selby (ENG)
Saurav Ghosal (IND) v [Q] Lucas Serme (FRA)
Nicolas Mueller (SUI) v [Q] Gregoire Marche (FRA)
[6] Amr Shabana (EGY) v [Q] Mathieu Castagnet (FRA)
[8] Tarek Momen (EGY) v [Q] Max Lee (HKG)
Olli Tuominen (FIN) v [Q] Omar Abdel Meguid (EGY)
Karim Abdel Gawad (EGY) v [Q] Joe Lee (ENG)
[2] Gregory Gaultier (FRA) v Laurens Jan Anjema (NED)