Wee Wern wins gold in World University Squash Championship
Bernama
September 8, 2016 23:35 MYT
September 8, 2016 23:35 MYT
Wee Wern (centre) flanked by Ivan (left) and bronze medallist Nazihah Hanis Abd Razak. - BERNAMApic
The World University Squash Championship top women's singles seed Low Wee Wern clinched the gold medal after beating Tsz Wing Tong of Hong Kong in the final at the National Squash Centre in Bukit Jalil today.
Wee Wern won the first set 11-3, easily beating Wing Tong who made a lot of unforced errors due to the pressure exerted by the national player.
However, Wing Tong rebounded in the second set, winning 11-8 after some hard work on the court.
Stung by the loss in the second set, Wee Wern turned her game up a notch, playing attack after attack, and won the third and fourth sets of the 49-minute match, 11-3, 11-8.
"The match was very intense, and in the first set Wing Tong couldn't find her rhythm and was still trying to adjust to the court, so I took the opportunity to get ahead.
"I continued to stay focused on the third and fourth sets to win the match. This victory is not only for myself but for the national team, which last won this event 10 years ago," Wee Wern told reporters after the match.
For the record, Wee Wern had just made her return after a long break due to injury, and the last championship she won was the China Open in 2014.
Meanwhile, Ivan Yuen failed to emulate Wee Wern's success, making do with a silver in the men's singles event, losing to Hong Kong's Tsz Fung Yip - the tournament's top seed - in straight sets.
Unable to find his rhythm with too many mistakes, Ivan conceded the first set to Fung Yip, 3-11.
In the second set, supporters at the National Squash Centre rallied behind Ivan. However, he could not overcome Fung Yip, losing narrowly 9-11, before Fung Yip dealt the final blow in the third set, winning it 11-4 for the gold.
"I tried my best, but he (Fung Yip) is a good player and ranks much higher than me.
"After this, I will play in the mixed team event, and will focus on it," he said.
The mixed team event will begin Friday, comprising two men's singles and one women's singles.
Malaysia won the bronze medal in the mixed team event in 2008 and 2014.