Ivan defends title, Sivasangari wins maiden national c’ship

KUALA LUMPUR: Defending champion, Ivan Yuen Chee Wern retained his men’s premier title of the National Squash Championship, after edging national number one Mohd Nafiizwan Adnan in the finals yesterday.

The 27-year-old Penangite, who was seeded joint thirdfourth, displayed a splendid performance at the National Squash Centre here, to beat the top seed 11-6, 12-14, 119, 11-9 in the neck to neck battle, which saw repeat of last year’s final.

The national number three, who bagged the Professional Squash Association (PSA) Tour Player of The Month award in June following the New Zealand International Classic and New Zealand Southern Open title wins, hoped to bring the momentum to the Asian Games medal in August.

“He is always a tough player to beat. He has been my teammate for many years, his experience is definitely more than mine, he has been in PSA Tour and circuit for a long time. I’m happy that I played according to my game plan and won the match.

“I am also very happy to defend the title and play at this level again. I think it is good to peak now and hopefully to win the Asian Games medal,” he told reporters after the match.

Ivan advanced to the finals after defeating Ng Eain Yow 11-5, 8-11, 11-4, 11-3 in the semifinals on Saturday, while the two-time champion Mohd Nafiizwan (2015 & 2016), cruised into the finals after beating Muhammad Syafiq Kamal 11-7, 12-10, 1012, 11-3.

In the third-fourth place playoff today, second seed Eain Yow bounce back from a game down to beat Muhammad Syafiq Kamal 12-14, 11-6, 11-6, 11-8.

Meanwhile, in the women’s premier division, S. Sivasangari clinched her maiden national title to emerge as the youngest ever champion, after another close fight with two-time champion, Low Wee Wern 9-11, 11-7, 11-9, 4-11, 11-7.

The 19-year-old Kedahan erased Wee Wern’s achievement of being the youngest champion as the latter had won her maiden title back in 2012 at the age of 22.

Despite having returned to the glass court after 20month layoff due to anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury, the former world number five and 2014 Asian Games silver medallist gave Sivasangari a run for her money, before losing the match. — Bernama