PETALING JAYA: Rising squash player Harith Danial Jefri put the cherry on his birthday cake after securing his first PSA Challenger title at the Auckland Open yesterday.
Having just turned 19 on Saturday, Harith took the win in the final after defeating compatriot Low Wa Sern 11-5, 2-11, 16-14, 10-12, 11-6 at the North Shore Squash Club.
Twelfth seed Harith, who won silver at the Asian Junior Championships in Pakistan last year, had delivered an upset in the semi-finals as he took down third seed Benjamin Ratcliffe of Australia.
The 2024 World Junior Championship bronze medallist had a streak of stellar performances as he toppled higher-seeded players en route to the finals.
World No. 473 Harith came from a set down to defeat world No. 196 Ratcliffe 8-11, 11-5, 11-5, 11-8 in the semi-finals.
The quarter-finals saw him take down eighth seed William Donnelly of New Zealand in straight sets, while Harith sent second seed Sri Lankan Shamil Wakeel packing in the second round.
Harith is currently based at the University of West England (UWE) in Bristol and recently won the UWE X Ace PSA Satellite there.
He was also named the university’s men’s Rookie of the Year recently.
Meanwhile, Wa Sern also had a good run on his way to the finals as he toppled top seed and home favourite Oliver Dunbar in the second round.
He then faced two South Koreans back-to-back, winning both matches in straight sets against Yoo Jae-jin in the quarter-final and Joo Young-Na in the semi-finals.
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