WEE WERN TARGETS TOP-25 RANKING NEXT YEAR

KUALA LUMPUR: National squash player Low Wee Wern has achieved her target of breaking into the top 50 in the world within a year. Now, she is ready to up the ante.

The third-ranked Malaysian player hopes to keep her momentum going by moving into the top-25 zone in 2019.

The 28-year-old was on the brink of quitting the sport due to a series of injuries but showed great perseverance to end the year as the world No. 47.

“It feels really good to get back my form after a long layoff. The last five months have been great,” said Wee Wern, who was ranked No. 5 in the world in October 2014.

“I aim to compete in at least nine PSA (Professional Squash Association) to reach my target next year.”

Wee Wern will start the 2019 season at the Tournament of Champions in New York from Jan 16-24, where she will take on Mayar Hany of Egypt in the first round.

“The plans are ready but I’m waiting for the greenlight from the NSC (National Sports Council) on the funding for all the tournaments,” said Wee Wern, who has been training under coach Aaron Soyza in Penang since she was nine.

Wee Wern was out of action for 20 months due to a knee injury and only returned to play in the PSA tournaments in July as a world No. 254.

But she showed true grit and determination by winning five out of six PSA tournaments she featured in within a period of five months to make huge jump in the world rankings.

The titles she won this year were the Opens in Malaysia, Tasmania, Australia, Queensland and Singapore.