Sunny Yue captured his first local major when he overcame the loss of the opening set to beat No. 2 seed Ethan Leung 3-6 6-1 6-2 in the men\u2019s singles final. Meanwhile, top-seeded Maggie Ng defeated third seed Luk Kei Yuen 6-2 6-2 to claim a record-setting ninth ladies\u2019 singles title.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The men\u2019s final began with the No. 2-seeded Leung breaking Yue in the second game to take a quick-fire 2-0 lead. Yue responded by breaking Leung\u2019s next two service games to grab a 3-2 lead. To his credit, Leung regained his composure and knuckled down to snag the next four games in a row to take the set 6-3.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the second set, Yue saved a break point to hold for 1-0. Leung then managed to save three breaks before he was finally broken. Yue swiftly consolidated for a 3-0 lead. Leung then held to get on the board before Yue produced another three-game run to close out the set 6-1. The last game was a battle of wills, as Yue was forced to save three break points before he finally connected on his fourth game point to hold serve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the third set, Leung began by saving three break points to hold for 1-0. Yue, on the hand, squandered three game points before holding to draw even at 1-1. On serve at 2-2, Leung double faulted twice to lose serve. Yue the belted an ace on game point to consolidate the break to lead 4-2. In the next game, up 40-0 on serve, Leung conceded the next five points to yield serve again. Yue then held to complete a 3-6 6-1 6-2 victory to lift his first SCAA Open title.
Leung, a runner-up here in 2020, lamented: “First set, I had enough energy to control the rallies, but in second and third sets I just didn’t do enough to control the points. I just wasn’t up to the task put in front of me today.”
At the CRC Open last year, Leung sent two-time defending champion Jack Wong crashing out in the quarterfinal and took the opening set in the title match before Kevin Wong rallied to win 4-6 6-3 6-3.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hong Kong Junior Davis Cupper, 15-year-old Walter Tam, defeated last year\u2019s runner-up, Rihards Emulins 6-4 3-6 6-3 to reach his first SCAA Open semifinal. However, he was unable to get past Sunny Yue, who broke the teenager once in each set to advance to the final with a 6-3 6-4 win.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the other semifinal, 2022 runner-up Ethan Leung was up 2-1 in the opening set when his opponent, Kelvin Lam, saved all four break points he faced and took the next seven games in a row to jump out to a 6-2 2-0 lead. Then, with a 3-1 lead in hand, Lam proceeded to lose the next six games on the trot, as Leung restored parity by grabbing the second set 6-3.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the third, Lam broke back twice in the early going to stake himself a 4-2 lead. However, in the seventh game, Lam pulled a calf muscle midway and Leung wasted no time in breaking back to force a 4-4 impasse. In the ninth game, Lam dug deep to save a pair of break points to hold for 5-4. After Leung held easily for 5-5, Lam squandered four game point opportunities consecutively before the No. 2 seed broke again to go up 6-5. Leung held again to complete a 2-6 6-3 7-5 victory. The final set alone took an hour and eight minutes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt is always tough to play Kelvin, he\u2019s such a smart player. I had nothing to lose after going down a set and a break, just tried to stay in the match as long as possible and run after every ball. Glad it worked in my favour at the end,\u201d said Leung.<\/p>\n\n\n\n