On fire: Aifa Azman (left) returning a shot to Chan Yiwen during the semi-finals of the Malaysian Tour Squash Circuit No. 4 at the Royal Lake Club yesterday. — AZHAR MAHFOF/The Star
KUALA LUMPUR: Sixteen-year-old Aifa Azman can be optimistic about winning her second Malaysian Tour Squash Circuit (SSJM) title.
The sixth seed from Kedah needed just 17 minutes to end the fine run of seventh seed and compatriot Chan Yiwen in the semi-finals of the SSJM No. 4 at the Royal Lake Club yesterday.
World No. 127 Yiwen, who stunned top seed and world No. 48 Ho Tze Lok of Hong Kong a day earlier, failed to shine in the semi-finals and lost 6-11, 0-11, 5-11.
Aifa will face eight seed Lai Wen Li in the final.
Aifa, who won the SSJM second leg last month, said the semi-finals against Yiwen was a big anti-climax.
“I expected it to be tough but it wasn’t. She tried to make a comeback in the third set but I made sure that I won in straight,” said Aifa, who won the British Junior Open girls’ Under-17 title in Birmingham last month.
“I’m happy with my performance and look forward to winning my second title.
“I defeated Wen Li in the first round of the SSJM first leg last month and I’m expecting another win although I won’t take her lightly,” said Aifa.
In the men’s competition, unseeded Elvinn Keo’s good run came to an abrupt end in the hands of top seed Tang Ming Hong of Hong Kong.
The 29-year-old Elvinn, who works and trains on his own, went down 5-11, 6-11, 6-11 in 29 minutes.
He made some unforced errors in the semi-finals but was still satisfied with his game.
“I reached the semi-finals despite training only twice a week,” said Elvinn, the 2007 Korat SEA Games gold medallist.
SEMI-FINAL
RESULTS
Men: Tang Ming Hong (Hkg) bt Elvinn Keo (Mas) 11-5, 11-6, 11-6; Tsz Kwan Lau (Hkg) bt Syed Ali Bokhari Mujtaba (Pak) 11-2, 12-14, 12-10, 11-5.
Women: Aifa Azman (Mas) bt Chan Yiwen (Mas) 11-6, 11-0, 11-5; Lai Wen Li (Mas) bt Ma Si Yi (Mas) 11-6, 6-11, 11-5, 11-8
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