No more bridesmaid’s role for Yiwen as she nicks U-19 title
KUALA LUMPUR: The first time is always the sweetest.
After repeatedly finishing second over the years, Chan Yiwen is simply ecstatic to win her maiden National Junior Squash Championships crown in the Under-19 category.
The joint third-fourth seed even did it in style as she outplayed top seed Lai Wen Li 11-6, 11-6, 7-11, 11-8 in the final at the National Squash Centre, Bukit Jalil yesterday.
It was a sweet win for the 17-year-old who has always found herself down the pecking order in the national set-up and only managed a runner-up finish in the Under-17 category last year.
“It feels great to win because I’ve never won before. Not in any of the other agegroups in past years,” said a jubilant Yiwen.
“I did feel that I could have done a bit better against Wen Li today, especially in the third set.
“I was 7-6 up and I was too impatient to finish off the match. I just made so many mistakes then.
“I also panicked a little towards the end in the fourth. But I managed to calm myself down to finish strongly.
“It’s definitely a relief to finally put my name on the winner’s trophy at least once before I end my junior career,” added the world No. 110.
In the boys’ Under-19 category, top seed Darren Rahul Pragasam held off a strong challenge by Siow Yee Xian to defend his title.
The 18-year-old Darren just had the edge as he won 11-9, 11-9, 11-7.
“It was tough because I’m older and also the defending champion so it was a learning experience in dealing with it,” said Darren.
“But it is good to see the younger boys closing the gap.
“We are a team after all and it’s always good to improve together rather than win everything without a challenge.”