Malaysian finalist on the cards
A FIRST Malaysian men’s finalist in seven years is guaranteed at the Ohana Malaysian Open after Ivan Yuen and Ng Eain Yow set up a semi-final meeting yesterday.
Ivan saw off an early challenge by teammate Sanjay Singh by saving three game points in the opening game to win 12-10, 11-5, 11-3 in the quarter-finals while 2016 world junior champion Eain Yow wore down higher-ranked Mazen Gamal of Egypt 13-11, 3-11, 11-6, 11-1.
Azlan Iskandar was the last Malaysian finalist at the tournament when he won his third Malaysian Open title in 2010.
But with the top two seeds Alan Clyne and Nafiizwan Adnan out of the running, Ivan has a great chance to become the third Malaysian winner of the tournament after Azlan and Ong Beng Hee.
National champion Ivan, who has not won a PSA Tour title since November 2015, did not want to look past 2017 Sea Games individual gold medallist Eain Yow for now.
“I would definitely love to end my title drought but I just want to take it one step at a time and not think too far ahead,” said World No 41 Ivan, who has six career PSA Tour titles to his name, at the National Squash Centre in Bukit Jalil.
“I have to play this match first and it’s not going to be easy. In squash anything can happen at anytime and I’m just looking forward to the game.”
World No 77 Eain Yow’s only previous meeting with Ivan was a three-game defeat in the National Championships semi-finals in May.
“After Nafiizwan’s withdrawal, he messaged me good luck and it served as great motivation to give my best and make sure the semis was an all-Malaysian match,” said Eain Yow, 19, who was supposed to play Nafiizwan in the first round prior to the second seed’s withdrawal due to a knee injury suffered in a traffic accident.
“I’ve beaten a few players ranked higher and I know Mazen is 20 rungs higher but the ranking is just a number. It’s about who plays better on the day and I went in with that mindset and managed to pull through.” Devinder Singh