Malaysian squash celebrated a double victory in the United States yesterday as national players Ainaa Amani and Siow Yee Xian secured titles in their respective professional tournaments.
National woman No. 5 Ainaa Amani recorded her biggest career victory to date by winning the US$15,000 RC Pro Series in St. Louis, Missouri. The 24-year-old world No. 55 showed incredible resilience in a 40-minute final against Egypt’s Jana Safy, eventually prevailing with a score of 11-7, 8-11, 11-9, 7-11, 11-3.
“I have been pushing myself to my limit for the past few months,” said the SEA Games champion. “I thank my coach Ajaz Azmat and the team back home for their belief in me.”
In Santa Fe, Siow Yee Xian maintained his winning momentum by capturing the US$6,000 Palace Kiva Open. The 25-year-old, seeded second, upset fellow Malaysian and top seed Nathan Kueh 11-7, 8-11, 12-10, 11-5 in a competitive “All-Malaysian” final.
This victory marks Yee Xian’s second title in just one month, following his success at the Rochester Pro Am Open in New York on April 12. “Winning this title will motivate me to keep up this momentum for the next few months,” Yee Xian remarked.
The dual success in the US highlights the rising form of Malaysia’s professional squash players as they continue to make their mark on the global stage.
“I never thought I’d enjoy training this much until joining Sportif. The coaches are supportive and really know how to bring out the best in you.”