Hosts Hong Kong, China fight through to reach knockout stages of 2024 WSF World Squash Team Championships

Hong Kong, China, enjoyed a perfect day on the home court of Hong Kong Football Club as their women’s and men’s teams reached the knockout stages of the 2024 WSF World Squash Team Championships, the first edition of the event to feature both competitions simultaneously.

The women’s team showed off their impressive strength in depth by opting to rest their No.1 and Hong Kong Football Club’s own Tomato Ho, with Sin Yuk Chan promoted to first string as she, Ka Yi Lee and Tsz-Wing Tong earned victory over South Africa, with Chan coming back from 2-1 down to defeat Hayley Ward to ensure that the hosts ended the pools stage without a match dropped and winning 27 of the 32 games played.

The hosts will play Scotland in the next round after Scotland finished second in Pool B.

The men’s team, meanwhile, fired back after a defeat to Pakistan yesterday by beating tournament debutants Peru, who are led by former World No.1 and reigning individual world champion Diego Elias.

Elias won his match against the hosts’ first string Alex Lau, but Henry Leung and Ming Hong Tang were able to get the wins needed over Rafael Galvez and Alonso Escuder to secure their spot in the last 16, with Leung recovering from a nervy start to record a 3-1 win and Tang looking controlled in a straight-games victory.

Hong Kong, China will face USA in the next round after USA topped Pool G after crushing China without dropping a game.

Afterwards, team manager and coach Peter Genever said: “The women were all really convincing. I think [the team’s balance is a real strength]. They’re all experienced on the PSA Squash Tour and have been playing for a number of years and are experienced as a group. All four get on well and it’s nice to have that team spirit and that’s really strong with them. I think they’re a really good group and are looking forward to the knockout stages.”

On the worries of exiting in the Pools Stage in the men’s event, he said: “Everyone’s always looking for a story, all the other teams aren’t they! It’s added pressure there but the guys responded really well today. Henry Leung played late last night and was first on today and he came back really well, and then Tang winning in three looked good.

“Now, let’s recover well and get in shape for the next one!”

Elsewhere, defending champions in both events Egypt overcame spirited challenges from Japan in the men’s and women’s events on the all-glass court to eventually record 3-0 wins, with the women’s team also beating Spain on the traditional court later in the day.

Both No.1s Nour El Sherbini and Ali Farag found it difficult initially, with El Sherbini falling a game down to Satomi Watanabe before eventually triumphing 6-11, 13-11, 11-8, 11-8, while Farag recovered from losing his first game against Tomotaka Endo to win.

The WSF World Team Championships continue tomorrow, 11 December, from 12:00 (GMT+8), as the knock out stages take place, with the men’s event entering a round of 16 and the women’s entering a round of 12, with Egypt, Belgium, England and USA receiving a bye to the quarter-finals.

Watch the action live and free on WORLDSQUASH.TV and partner channels.

Click here to view results for the 2024 WSF World Squash Team Championships.

Find out more about the WSF World Squash Team Championships at wsfworldteams.com.

2024 WSF World Team Championships

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About the WSF World Squash Team Championships
The WSF World Squash Team Championships are contested annually and pit National Federation squads of four players against each other as they compete for the title of World Champions. The 2024 edition, which is taking place in Hong Kong, China, from 09-15 December 2024 and will be hosted at the Hong Kong Football Club, with the support of the Squash Association of Hong Kong, China.

This year’s championships will be the first to feature concurrent men’s and women’s events, with previous editions alternating between the two annually.

The WSF World Squash Team Championships is proud of being an “M” Mark event that helps

enhance the image of Hong Kong as Asia’s sports event capital. The “M” Mark awarded by the Major Sports Events Committee, symbolising intense, spectacular and signature event in the territory sports calendar.

About the World Squash Federation
The World Squash Federation (WSF) is the International Olympic Committee (IOC) recognised International Federation for squash. It is a member of the Association of IOC Recognised International Sports Federations (ARISF) and from 1 January 2025 an associate member of the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF).

**About Hong Kong Football Club
**Hong Kong Football Club (HKFC) was founded in 1886 with a mission to facilitate the development of sporting activities in Hong Kong. It has followed a vision to be one of the leading not-for-profit sports clubs in the world.

Regarded as one of the finest sporting clubs in Asia, the 64,000-square-metre building offers the largest range of facilities among all the sports clubs in Hong Kong. HKFC not only provides Hong Kong with a world-class venue for many major international sports events, but also plays a key role in Hong Kong’s thriving sporting and social community.