Ameeshenraj on track to end U-19 title drought

PETALING JAYA: It has been too long since a Malaysian has won the boys’ Under-19 title in the Asian Junior Squash Championships.

After current national No. 2 Ivan Yuen triumphed at the 2009 edition in India, none has come close.

But that’s about to change this year after top seeded C. Ameeshenraj reached the quarter-finals in Pattaya, Thailand, yesterday.

The Malaysian youngster came back strongly to win 9-11, 11-0, 11-6 and 12-10 over Parth Ambani of India to earn a place in the quarter-finals against Japan’s Yujin Ikeda.

The Japanese player stopped Malaysia’s sixth seed Hi Jia Rong 5-11, 13-11, 8-11, 11-5, 11-3.

Third seed Joachim Chuah also continued his campaign by beating Japan’s Kanta Ito 11-5, 11-5, 11-0 and fourth seed Andrik Lim was the third Malaysian to book his place in the last eight of the boys’ Under-19 category after beating Rutva Samant of India 11-3, 11-3, 11-5.

Meanwhile, Aira Azman, the top seed in the girls’ Under-19 category, continued to impress with a 11-4, 11-3, 11-4 win over Anargi Perera of Sri Lanka.

Aira will face her toughest test yet as she plays fellow teammate K. Sehveetrraa in the quarter-finals today. Sehveetrraa beat Yuvna Gupta of India 11-5,,11-4, 11-4.

Malaysia looks strong in the girls’ Under-19 with third seed Ying Yee Xin beating Kurumi Takahashi of Japan 11-8, 11-4, 11-8 to enter the last eight.

The fourth Malaysian in the fray, Wong Heng Wai, is also through after a 13-11, 8-11, 11-2, 11-5 win over Renee Wing of Hong Kong.

Only Doyce Lee and Whitney Isabelle Wilson will carry Malaysia’s hopes in the girls’ Under-15 category after Dayana Qistina Anuar and V. Haneesha lost their respective second round matches.

Dayana lost 2-11, 1-11, 3-11 to top seed Anahat Singh of India while Haneesha fell 5-11, 8-11, 1-11 to Ena Kwong of Hong Kong.

SECOND ROUND RESULTS

(MALAYSIANS ONLY)

BOYS

Under-13

W. Lokhesh lost to Ahmed Khalil (Egy) 7-11, 10-12, 2-11; Mohd Fakhrur Razi bt Bihandu Nanayakkara (Sri) 11-8, 11-7, 11-1; Mohd Haiqal Hazim Syarudin bt Savir Sood (Ind) 11-8, 6-11, 11-7, 11-7; Sim Yeak Wei bt Rehaan Singh (Sin) 11-2, 11-4, 11-1.

Under-15

Altamis Aqhar Sallam Sufian bt Ethan Kuan (Sin) 11-5, 11-5, 11-3; Aqil Mirza Naim Khairil bt Vedant Chheda (Ind) 11-9, 11-6, 11-1; M. Nickhileswar bt Ren Makino (Jpn) 14-12, 11-8, 11-5.

Under-17

Hashvind Kugan lost to Sharan Punjabi (Ind) 7-11, 12-14, 7-11; Low Wa Sern bt Oh Seo-jin (Kor) 11-8, 11-7, 11-9; Tay Jun Qian bt Justin Hong (Hkg) 12-10, 11-5, 15-13; Harith Danial bt Usman Nadeem Butt (Pak) 11-5, 11-8, 13-11.

Under-19

C. Ameeshenraj bt Parth Ambani (Ind) 9-11, 11-0, 11-6, 12-10; Yujin Ikeda (Jpn) bt Hi Jia Rong 5-11, 13-11, 8-11, 11-5, 11-3; Joachim Chuah bt Kanta Ito (Jpn) 11-5, 11-5, 11-0; Andrik Lim bt Rutva Samant (Ind) 11-3, 11-3, 11-5.

GIRLS

Under-13 Harleein Tan bt Kayla Choy (Sin) 11-1, 11-2, 11-1; Ru Jean Yek bt Methuki Samaranayake (Sri) 11-4, 11-1, 11-2; Ooi Wen Min bt Naisha Singh (Ind) 11-5, 14-16, 11-3, 11-6; Emelda Camalia lost to Anika Dubey (Ind) 8-11, 10-12, 7-11.

Under-15

Dayana Qistina Anuar lost to Anahat Singh (Ind) 2-11, 1-11, 3-11; Doyce Lee bt Gladys Ho (Hkg) 9-11, 11-4, 4-11, 11-8, 11-6; Whitney Isabelle Wilson bt Luisza Aftab (Pak) 11-3, 11-0, 11-2; Ena Kwong (Hkg) bt V. Haneesha 11-5, 11-8, 11-1.

Under-17

U. Thanusaa bt Aaryaa Belsare (Ind) 11-4, 11-5, 11-6; K. Vinikasheinie lost to Advita Sharma (Ind) 3-11, 3-11, 11-8, 3-11; Goh Zhi Xuan bt Shameena Riaz (Ind) 11-5, 11-2, 11-1; Anrie Goh bt S. Swetha (Sin) 11-7, 11-2, 11-6.

Under-19

Aira Azman bt Anargi Perera (Sri) 11-4, 11-3, 11-4; K. Sehveetrraa bt Yuvna Gupta (Ind) 11-5, 11-4, 11-4; Ying Yee Xin bt Kurumi Takahashi (Jpn) 11-8, 11-4, 11-8; Wong Heng Wai bt Renee Wing (Hkg) 13-11, 8-11, 11-2, 11-5.