Brilliant week for Yee Xian

SIOW Yee Xian had a week he will not forget as he underlined his status as the country’s top schoolboy by completing a double at the Malaysian Schools Squash Championships in Petaling Jaya yesterday.

After winning the Under-18 individual title, Yee Xian led Malacca to the team gold as well by beating Selangor 2-0 in the final, just a day after an upset of favourites Kuala Lumpur in the semi-finals.

With Yee Xian also having won the National Junior Championships Under-17 title earlier this month, it has been a whirlwind month for the Bukit Jalil Sports School student.

“It has been a really good week after winning both events for the first time since I started playing in the national schools tournament,” Yee Xian told Timesport yesterday.

“I am very happy with this achievement and it gives me more confidence to aim for bigger honours.”

Yee Xian, who won the Asian Junior Championships Under-15 title in 2015, defeated KL’s Danial Nurhaqiem Shahrul Izham 11-13, 11-5, 11-6, 11-3 in the individual final at the SMK (L) Bukit Bintang courts on Tuesday.

Yesterday, a gruelling fivegame win over Sunil Kumar paved the way for Malacca to beat Selangor to the team title.

Now, Yee Xian hopes to make the final squad for the both the World Junior Championships in New Zealand in July and the Asian Junior Individual Championships in August.

“The selection has not been made yet but I am hopeful of making the cut for both events,” said Yee Xian, whose chances will have been boosted by his recent success.

Among those also vying for a place in the two tournaments are national Under-19 champion Darren Rahul Pragasam, Hafiz Zhafri Harif and Danial.

Kedah claimed two individual titles, one less than in 2016, through Aifa Azman and K. Sehveetrraa in the girls’ Under-18 and Under-12 events respectively.

Aifa moved up to the Under-18 category after winning the Under-15 title last year and defeated Chan Yiwen of Kuala Lumpur 11-3, 4-11, 11-7, 2-0 (rtd) while Sehveetrraa defeated U. Thanushaa of Malacca 11-5, 11-2, 11-3.

Kelantan’s Amir Amirul Azhar recovered from blowing a twogame lead to down Sarawak’s Nathan Kueh Tze Bing 11-7, 11-5, 10-12, 5-11, 11-2 for the boys’ Under-15 title and complete a double after his triumph at the National Junior Championships two weeks ago.

Selangor ’s Tay Jun Qian defeated Harith Danial Jefri of Sarawak 7-11, 11-6, 13-11, 11-7 to win the boys’ Under-12 final as Sabah’s Jessica Keng lifted the girls’ Under-15 crown with an 11-3, 11-9, 18-16 win over Low Jia Hui of Kedah. Devinder Singh