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Friday August 26, 2005

Kenneth faces threat from back-up players

BY S. RAMAGURU

PETALING JAYA: Former national number one Kenneth Low will defend his title in the Petaling Jaya Open squash championships, which will be held at the Astaka Courts here from Sept 9-17.

Kenneth won the title for the 10th time last year but this time he is expected to face stiff challenges from several national back-up players.

Among the back-up players who are expected to play in the men’s Division One competition are Mohd Nafzahisham, Mohd Nafiizwan, Shahril Sahidan, Alvin Keo, Ivan Yuen and Chong Kam Hin.

Last year, Kenneth defeated national player Timothy Arnold 9-7, 4-9, 6-9, 9-6, 9-2 in the final.

National player Tricia Chuah, the women’s Open champion last year, is expected to defend the title.

The championships will celebrate its 25th anniversary this year and the organisers have received more than 240 entries for the six categories.

The organising secretary, Mary Ong, said yesterday that they would have to vet the entries to decide maximum field of competitors for the events.

“Last year, we had to reject some of the entries. It looks like we have to do it again as the number (of entries) that we have received is too high for us to accommodate. The entries are still coming in,” she said.

“We have added another category of competition this year – for the mothers of our trainees in the PJ development squad.”

The Petaling Jaya Municipal Council (MPPJ) are the main sponsors of the championships, which offer a total prize money of RM11,000. The other sponsors are Milo, Sports Toto and Prince.

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