Thursday evening at the
CRC Open 2007 saw No. 1 seed and two-time winner, Wayne Wong, march into his third men's singles final in four years when he defeated fourth seed Andrew Town in straight sets, 7-5, 6-1. Meanwhile in the ladies' singles, 15-year-old Sher Pui Wing was the first to go through to the final after accounting for Feng Yi-Di in the semifinals, 7-6(4), 7-5.
Wayne Wong had also beaten Andrew Town in straight sets at last year's SCAA Open final in addition to a 6-3, 6-2, win at the quarterfinal stage of the 2004 CRC Open. However, the 2004-05 champion will have to await the winner of the semifinal between No. 2 seed Michael Lai and No. 3 Goran Bosalevski, which is scheduled for Friday, November 23, at 7pm.
A glance over their respective career head-to-head match-ups indicates that Wayne Wong has a winning record against these two players. As a matter of fact, he is thus far undefeated against them both.
Against Michael Lai, Wayne Wong was victorious in the quarterfinal at the 2005 CRC Open, 6-4, 6-4. Last year, he also won both their round of eight face-offs at the SCAA and CRC Opens.
Against Goran Bosalevski, a 6-0, 7-5, semifinal win at the 2004 CRC Open was tagged by another 6-2, 6-2 decision at the same stage of the same tournament the following year. In 2006, he won their semifinal match-up at the SCAA Open, 6-2, 6-3 and then registered a fourth win at the 2007 HK Tennis Masters Cup at Clearwater Bay – a round robin group match that went the distance, 2-6, 6-4 [10-4].
As it turned out, his 6-2, 6-4, setback against Yu Hiu Tung in the semis of the 2006 CRC Open was Wayne Wong's only loss in singles play since entering the 2004 CRC Open.
In the ladies' singles, Sher Pui Wing's victory against Feng Yi Di was her second one over the same player at this year's CRC Open after she had come from a set down to win their School Girls' semifinal, 4-6, 6-2, 6-2, earlier this month.
Sher Pui Wing is the 2007 CRC Open School Girls' singles champion.
In other results, No. 2 seeds Goran Bosalevski/Jason Lijewski saw off Jason Sankey/Graeme Foster, 3-6, 7-6(4), 6-3, to reach the men's doubles final. The gunslinging duo will face either No. 1 seeds Yu Hiu Tung/Michael Lai or Andrew Town/Adrian Montesinos in the final.
In the ladies' doubles, No. 2 seeds Tong Ka Po/Tan Lynn-Yin defeated Geraldine Leong/Katherine Ip, 6-1, 6-2 to reach the final and will face either top seeds Lam Po Kuen/Chattida Thimjapo or Sher Chun Wing/Sher Pui Wing in the final.
Besides the Michael Lai v Goran Bosalevski men's semifinal, also on this evening is the ladies' singles final four match-up between No. 1 seed Tong Ka Po and Wu Ho Ching. In two rounds of play so far, five-time champion, Tong Ka Po, has yet to drop a game.
Don't forget, there's LIVE action of Court 7 via the internet. Go to www.crcopen.com and click on "Live Information" on the left menu.