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Eain Yow First Malaysian in Seven Years to Reach World Junior Championship Final
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World No.144 Eain Yow Ng ended a seven-year wait for a Malaysian finalist in the Men’s World Junior Individual Championships after becoming the first person since Ivan Yuen in 2009 to reach the final of the prestigious tournament currently taking place in Bielsko-Biala, Poland.
The 18-year-old, who reached the semi-final last year, lined up against Egypt’s Youssef Ibrahim Abdallah in his semi-final encounter and soon went 2-0 up courtesy of two exceedingly tight tie-break victories.
Abdallah managed to halve the deficit in the third, but Eain Yow was soon back on top in the fourth and final game to bring an end to a high-octane contest with a 13-11, 12-10, 6-11, 11-8 triumph in 63 minutes.
“That was a really tough match,” said Eain Yow.
“We both had patches where we played fantastic squash. Youssef is a fantastic player, one to watch out for next year for sure.”
Eain Yow will go head-to-head with pre-tournament title favourite Saadeldin Abouaish for the biggest prize on the junior circuit after Abouaish axed Isar Ahmed to ensure an Egyptian finalist for an 11th straight year.
“I’m delighted to end it in four this time,” explained Abouaish, who also reached the last four last year.
“I kept my concentration right through. That’s one better than last year, and hopefully one more.”
Elsewhere, World No.5 and defending champion Nouran Gohar will compete in a third successive World Junior Championship final after maintaining her 100 per cent record against Malaysia’s Sivasangari Subramaniam.
Gohar, who lost out to fellow Egyptian Habiba Mohamed in the 2014 final before exacting revenge the following year, is still yet to drop a single game throughout the tournament and dispatched her opponent by an 11-4, 11-6, 11-5 scoreline.
The 18-year-old is only the third female ever to reach three World Junior Championship finals – an exclusive club that also features current senior World Champion Nour El Sherbini and World No.16 Nour El Tayeb.
“She’s very talented and attacks from everywhere, it’s difficult to play against,” Gohar said.
“I’m happy with how I played in the end and pleased to be through to the final again fairly fresh.”
Gohar will lock horns with compatriot Rowan Reda Araby, who defeated second seed Hania El Hammamy, in what will be the sixth time in succession that the Women’s final has been an all-Egyptian affair.
Results – Semi-Final: Men’s World Junior Individual Championships 2016
[1] Saadeldin Abouaish (EGY) bt [3/4] Israr Ahmed (PAK) 3-1: 11-5, 5-11, 11-6, 11-1 (44m)
[2] Eain Yow Ng (MAS) bt [3/4] Youssef Ibrahim Abdallah (EGY) 3-1: 13-11, 12-10, 6-11, 11-8 (63m)
Draw – Final
[1] Saadeldin Abouaish (EGY) v [2] Eain Yow Ng (MAS)
Results – Semi-Final: Women’s World Junior Individual Championships 2016
[1] Nouran Gohar (EGY) bt [3/4] Sivasangari Subramaniam (MAS) 3-0: 11-4, 11-6, 11-5 (30m)
[3/4] Rowan Reda Araby (EGY) bt [2] Hania El Hammamy (EGY) 3-0: 11-8, 11-4, 11-7 (46m)
Draw – Final
[1] Nouran Gohar (EGY) v [3/4] Rowan Reda Araby (EGY)
Watch live streaming of the World Junior Individual Championships finals from 8pm local time (GMT)
