KUALA LUMPUR: Low Wee Wern roared to life on Chinese New Year as she stormed into the quarter-finals of the Carol Weymuller Open Squash Championships.
With Malaysia waking up to the festive mood on Saturday morning, the former World No 5 rolled back the years as she took out American World No 7 Amanda Sobhy 8-11, 12-10, 8-11, 11-3, 13-11 in the second round at the Heights Casino, Brooklyn.
It was a buoyant performance from the World No 24, who has worked hard to get her career back on track following two years on the sideline due to her anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury.
In fact, it is Wee Wern’s first win over a top-10 player in six years since she defeated Hong Kong’s Annie Au at the Greenwich Open in Jan 2014.
The 29-year-old didn’t have the best start, but kept her head down to take the second game 12-10 to level proceedings at 1-1.
After Amanda had surged ahead in the third for a 2-1 lead, Wee Wern turned on the style by nicking 10 straight points to take the fourth 11-3 to force a deciding rubber.
It was neck-to-neck in the fifth before the Penangite showcased her former gritty self by saving three matchballs before eventually sealing the win in 54 minutes.
“It’s been really tough for me since coming back from injury and not getting the results I want, but matches like this makes it worth it,” said a relieved Wee Wern.
“I resonate with Amanda because she too has been out with injury although she was back within a year and I was out for nearly two years.
“It’s certainly frustrating when results don’t go your way but I’m really happy to have come up on top this time.
“It’s definitely a good win for me although I’m not at my best pre-injury but I feel that my hard work is slowly paying off.
“Truthfully, I’m still struggling with my confidence but a win like this really means a lot and it keeps me going to get back to where I was.”
Wee Wern, who will compete in only her second Professional Squash Association (PSA) World Tour Bronze event quarter-finals, goes on to meet World No 4 Nour El Tayeb of Egypt for a place in the semi-finals.
Second seed Nour was made to work hard before dispatching younger compatriot Farida Mohamed 11-5, 11-5, 9-11, 11-7.
In other results, World No 30 Mariam Metwally of Egypt also pulled a scalp by beating India’s World No 12 Joshna Chinappa 11-9, 11-6, 10-12, 9-11, 11-9 and will meet New Zealand’s World No 6 Joelle King in the last eight.