Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan (MAS) beat Ivan Yuen (MAS) 12-14, 11-7, 7-11, 11-8, 12-10 in the final of the Hibiscus Gardens Open 2012 in Brisbane (photo: Steve Cubbins, SquashSite) Top-seeded Malaysian Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan won beat fellow countryman Ivan Yuen in an epic final of the Hibiscus Gardens Open in Brisbane. The 25-year-old and his 21-year-old compatriot battled each other to a standstill in the climax of the event before Adnan finally clinched victory 12-14, 11-7, 7-11, 11-8, 12-10 in 140 minutes.
It was Adnan’s seventh victory over Yuen in eight matches but the world number 36 had to call on all of his reserves to subdue the fourth seed’s challenge.
The win ends a frustrating period without a win for Adnan, who had not claimed a title on the PSA Tour since July 2009.
Adnan had beaten New Zealand qualifier Evan Williams 7-11, 11-3, 11-2, 11-5 in the first semi-final on Saturday, while Yuen took five games to down unseeded Australian Rex Hedrick 9-11, 11-7, 11-3, 9-11, 11-4.
Whilst the triumph marks Adnan’s 6th Tour title, it is the Malaysian’s 1st on foreign soil.
Final:
[1] Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan (MAS) bt [4] Ivan Yuen (MAS) 12-14, 11-7, 7-11, 11-8, 12-10 (140m)
Semi-finals:
[4] Ivan Yuen (MAS) bt Rex Hedrick (AUS) 9-11, 11-7, 11-3, 9-11, 11-4
[1] Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan (MAS) bt [Q] Evan Williams (NZL) 7-11, 11-3, 11-2, 11-5
Quarter-finals:
Rex Hedrick (AUS) bt [2] Muhd Asyraf Azan (MAS) 11-7, 11-3, 11-5 (62m)
[4] Ivan Yuen (MAS) bt [Q] Paul Coll (NZL) 11-5, 12-10, 11-7 (35m)
[Q] Evan Williams (NZL) bt Ammar Al-Tamimi (KUW) 11-3, 11-8, 11-5 (37m)
[1] Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan (MAS) bt Jamie McErvale (AUS) 9-11, 10-12, 11-2, 11-2, 11-6 (59m)
1st round:
[2] Muhd Asyraf Azan (MAS) bt Ben Takamizawa Harris (JPN) 11-9, 11-6, 11-6 (23m)
Rex Hedrick (AUS) bt Elvinn Keo (MAS) 11-8, 11-6, 11-3 (43m)
[Q] Paul Coll (NZL) bt Justin Beard (AUS) 11-6, 11-8, 11-2 (37m)
[4] Ivan Yuen (MAS) bt Leo Au (HKG) 5-11, 11-3, 12-10, 11-6 (59m)
[Q] Evan Williams (NZL) bt [3] Dick Lau (HKG) 11-7, 11-5, 4-11, 11-3 (46m)
Ammar Al-Tamimi (KUW) bt Chris Lloyd (NZL) 11-1, 11-1, 8-11, 11-8 (45m)
Jamie McErvale (AUS) bt [Q] Nathan Stevenson (AUS) 5-11, 11-9, 14-12, 11-5 (56m)
[1] Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan (MAS) bt [Q] Mahesh Mangaonkar (IND) 11-7, 12-10, 10-12, 11-2 (75m)
