Hitting the skids

Eain Yow stumbles in last four of Asian Junior Championships

KUALA LUMPUR: National player Ng Eain Yow could not handle the pressure that comes with high expectations and has crashed out of the Asian Junior Squash Championships.

Eain Yow, who won the World Junior Championships title in Poland last month, was looking to win the Under19 title and end Malaysia’s sevenyear wait for the crown.

Instead, he blew a twoset lead to lose 117, 116, 1012, 1113, 811 to Jordan’s Mohammad Alsarraj in the semifinals at the National Squash Centre in Bukit Jalil yesterday.

With the 18yearold Eain Yow enjoying a brighter start, winning the first two sets, the Jordanian changed tactics and gave himself a lifeline by winning the third 1210.

Despite having two matchball opportunities in the fourth set, Eain Yow failed to convert them and this allowed Mohammad to sneak up and nick it 1311.

Alsarraj, who turns 18 in November, then coolly held off a late charge by Eain Yow to seal his place in the final after 76 minutes.

The defeat will surely haunt Eain Yow as he will no longer be eligible to compete in the Asian Juniors next year.

“Alsarraj played better in the last three sets ... he took the crucial points when it mattered,” admitted Eain Yow. “I’m a bit unhappy at the referees ... I thought they could have done a bit more to stop all that pushing on court.

“But it’s also my fault ... when you play loose shots, you’re bound to get punished. So, full credit to Mohammad.

“I definitely put too much pressure on myself ... the high expectations also affected me.

“But it’s a good lesson ... I’m positive I’ll come back stronger.”

Mohammad will face second seed Velavan Senthilkumar of India for the title.

Malaysia’s challenge in the Under17 category also ended after Darryl Gan lost 611, 711, 411 to Pakistan’s Abbas Zeb.

The Under15 title, however, is in the bag as Mohd Amir Amirul and Danial Nurhaqiem have set up an allMalaysian final.

In the Under13 category, top seed Andrik Lim of Malaysia will meet Pakistan’s Asad Ullah for the title.

— AZHAR MAHFOF/ The Star Roadblock ahead: Malaysia’s Eng Eain Yow tries to get past Jordan’s Mohammad Al-Sarraj in the boys’ Under-19 semi-finals of the Asian Junior Championships in Bukit Jalil yesterday. Al-Sarraj won 7-11, 6-11, 12-10, 13-11, 11-8.

Full concentration: Lai Wen Li (right) about to take a shot against Malaysian team-mate Ooi Kah Yan in the girls’ Under-17 semi-finals of the Asian Junior Championships in Bukit Jalil yesterday. Wen Li won 11-8, 11-9, 11-9.