No letting up: C. Ameeshenraj (right) battling against compatriot Bryan Lim at the World Championship Qualifiers Asia Region.
PETALING JAYA: C. Ameeshenraj continued his march towards qualifying for the World Championships in Chicago next month but not after a tough mental challenge against compatriot Bryan Lim in the qualifiers.
Third seed Ameeshenraj had to fight his way from behind to beat Bryan 8-11, 11-13, 11-8, 11-2, 11-6 at the World Championship Qualifiers Asia Region quarter-finals at the Universiti Malaya Wall Squash Complex yesterday.
Ameeshenraj admitted it wasn’t easy to take on Bryan, whom he grew up playing squash with in Seremban.
“I’m very pleased with getting away with the win. I probably didn’t play the squash I wanted in the first two sets,” said Ameeshenraj.
“I was able to recollect myself and stick to my game plan.
“It was tough playing against Bryan. Both of us are from the same state, and growing up I always watched him play and idolised him.
“So it’s exciting and a good experience to step on court with him and hopefully there will be more matches with him.”
The 21-year-old Ameeshenraj will face top seed Mohd Asim Khan of Pakistan in the semi-finals today.
The challenge is over for Mohd Syafiq Kamal and Darren Pragasam as they fell to India’s Veer Chotrani and Hong Kong’s Wong Chi Him respectively.
There will be no local representative at the women’s semi-finals after third seed and Yokohama Open winner J. Yasshmita lost 11-9, 5-11, 7-11, 4-11 to seventh seed Toby Tse of Hong Kong.
Quarter-final results
Men: C. Ameeshenraj (Mas) bt Bryan Lim (Mas) 8-11, 11-13, 11-8, 11-2, 11-6; Veer Chotrani (Ind) bt Mohd Syafiq Kamal (Mas) 9-11, 11-6, 11-6, 11-7; Wong Chi Him (Hkg) bt Darren Pragasam (Mas) 6-11, 11-8, 11-3, 11-6; Mohd Asim Khan (Pak) bt Ravindu Laksiri (Sri) 9-11, 11-8, 11-4, 14-12.
Women: Toby Tse (Hkg) bt J. Yasshmita (Mas) 9-11, 11-5, 11-7, 11-4; Helen Tang (Hkg) bt Tanvi Khanna (Ind) 11-5, 11-6, 10-12, 11-9; Anahat Singh (Ind) bt Akari Midorikawa (Jpn) 11-1, 11-7, 11-5; Akanksha Salunkhe (Ind) bt Au Yeong Wai Yhann (Sin) 11-0, 11-3, 11-3.
