Eain Yow, last Malaysian boy standing in British Juniors

Malaysia

PETALING JAYA: Malaysia’s Ng Eain Yow inched closer to a third British Junior Open squash title as he strolled into the boys’ Under-17 semi-finals.

Eain Yow, who won the Under-13 title in 2011 and the Under-15 crown two years later, brushed aside Canada’s Michael Mehl 11-9, 11-9, 11-5 in the quarter-finals in Sheffield on Sunday.

The 16-year-old top seed put up a much better performance than he did in the third round against Mexico’s Jorge Luis Dominguez on Saturday where dropped the first set in the 9-11, 11-4, 11-7, 11-6 win.

“I played better today and it was a good win. I hurt my back earlier in the second round, but everything is coming along just fine now. Having a physiotherapist from the National Sports Institute (NSI) here helps a lot,” said Eain Yow, the Asian Junior champion.

“Right now, I just have to focus and keep everything tight as usual and I should do just fine,” added Eain Yow, who is on course to equal Ong Beng Hee’s record of three British Junior Open titles.

Eain Yow will face either Egypt’s Youssef Ebrahim or India’s Velavan Senthilkumar for a place in the final.

He is now the only Malaysian boy left after Mohd Amir Amirul and Mohd Hafiz Zhafri were beaten in the Under-13 and Under-15 quarter-finals respectively.

In the girls’ Under-17 category, Andrea Lee was also sent packing in the last eight. She lost 4-11, 2-11, 4-11 to top seed Habiba Mohamed of Egypt.

Two other Malaysians – second seed S. Sivasangari and joint fifth-eighth seed Zoe Foo – are still in contention in the quarter-finals.

In the Under-15 category, Aifa Azman is the sole survivor after Nur Aliah Izzati, Ma Si Yi, Lai Wen Li and Chan Yiwen all crashed out in the third round on Saturday.