Finitsis finds good touch early

SQUASH INNISFAIL’S Steve Finitsis has defeated compatriot Lachlan Coxsedge on the first day of the Cairns Squash International in Westcourt.

Finitsis was in good touch early taking out the match in four sets to advance to the round of 16 today starting at 10am at Cairns Sportsworld.

The former world No.45 will play Malaysia’s Bryan Lim Tze Kang in the morning with a view to advancing to the quarterfinals to be played in the evening.

Organiser Marc Forster said Finitsis, the sole Far North Queenslander competing in the tournament, looked in good touch.

“Steve got through and the result probably went as expected,” Forster said.

“Bryan is the four-seed and should be a tough match-up. Steve will have the home court advantage though and knows the conditions well.

“It’ll be an interesting game between him and Bryan who tends to play more unstructured squash.”

In other matches, Malaysian Darren Chan impressing onlookers in the opening round, cruising past China’s Harley Lam.

“Darren’s training down in Victoria and was a very talented Malaysian junior coming through the ranks a few years ago,” Forster said.

“He’s got a lot of class and can really do anything the ball and he’ll be one to watch.”

Chan will play Australia’s Alex Eustace and Queensland Open champion Tomotaka Endo will play No.2 seed Thomas Calbert in arguably the biggest clash of the day.