Joelle King (Ngāti Porou) has won a five-game thriller in the first round of the China Open in Shanghai.
King impressed as she came back from a game down and later saved a match ball to win three games to two against Malaysia’s Aifa Azman on day one at the Shanghai Oriental Sports Center, Squash New Zealand said Thursday.
The 36-year-old world no. 85, who returned to the PSA Squash Tour in August after 10 months out with back and knee injuries, dropped the first game 9-11, before claiming the next two 11-7 and 11-8.
But Azman, the world no. 39, fought back to level the games two-a-piece, pegging back King 3-11, and forcing a fifth game decider.
The former world no. 3 seemed in total control at 7-3 up, only for a “furious barrage” from Azman to leave King staring down the barrel at 9-10, the release said.
King, however, dug in to save match ball and - after seeing three of her own match balls saved - finally converted her fourth to clinch a 15-13 win, in just under an hour.
King will face world no. 30 Malaysia’s Rachel Arnold in the second round.
The win comes a week after King publicly confirmed she is working towards competing for New Zealand at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, where squash will make its Olympic debut, the release said.
Result: Joelle King (NZL) bt Aifa Azman (MAS) 3-2: 9-11, 11-7, 11-8, 3-11, 15-13 (54m)