King Saves Match Ball To Down Azman As China Open Returns After Five-Year Hiatus

New Zealand's Joelle King launched an exciting comeback on day one of the China Open at the Shanghai Oriental Sports Center as the Silver-level event returned to the PSA Squash Tour after a five-year hiatus.

World No.85 King, who was absent from the Tour from October 2023 until August 2024 after suffering back and knee injuries, impressed as she came back from a game down and later saved a match ball against Malaysian world No.39 Aifa Azman.

On the spectacular centre court - one of four dazzling all-glass courts at the Shanghai Oriental Sports Center - the former world No.3 may have feared the worst after dropping the first game 9-11, but hit back to move into the lead with 11-7 and 11-8 wins before being pegged back 3-11 in game four as Azman forced a fifth game.

King seemed to be in total control at 7-3 up in the decider, only for a furious barrage from Azman to leave King staring down the barrel at 9-10.

The Kiwi dug in to save match ball, however, and after seeing three of her own match balls saved finally converted her fourth to clinch a 15-13 win.

Joining King in recording come-from-behind victories were England's Simon Herbert, Egypt's Yahya Elnawasany, Malaysia's Ainaa Amani and Hong Kong duo Tsz Kwan Lau and Henry Leung.

Elsewhere, 19-year-old world No.57 Jonah Bryant impressed, with the Englishman taking down Hungary's experienced world No.40 Farkas Balazs in straight games to earn a matchup with Egyptian No.4 seed Fares Dessouky.

For the home fans, there was to be no fairytale result, with all of China's entries exiting after being beaten in straight games. 21-year-old Zhou Penglin was the standout performer, with the world No.504 causing former world No.3 Omar Mosaad a number of problems in an 11-6, 11-7, 11-9 defeat.