Wednesday October 3, 2012
Rising star Wee Wern aims to strike it big in US Open
PETALING JAYA: National No. 2 Low Wee Wern’s star keeps on shining. The Penangite has climbed a rung to the world No. 9 spot in the latest Women’s Squash Association (WSA) rankings.
Despite losing to new world No. 2 Laura Massaro in the first round of the Carol Weymuller Open in New York last week, Wee Wern received good ranking points as she fell at the qualifying stages last year.
“It’s been a great year so far and I’m really playing so much better now,” said Wee Wern in a telephone interview from New York.
“I suffered a painful loss to Laura in New York and she went on to win the tournament. Climbing up another rung is really wonderful ... it gives me a real sense of belief that I’m actually up there with the best.
“I’ve always known that I could match the top girls. It’s great to have finally broken through and be constantly challenging them.”
There was more great news for team Penang as national junior champion Vanessa Raj soared 39 spots to break into the top 100 for the first time. She is now ranked 93rd in the world.
The 16-year-old Vanessa received a massive boost after making the second round of the Malaysian Open last month, taking out world No. 49 Olga Ertlova in the first round.
The 22-year-old Wee Wern’s next competition is the US Open which begins in Philadelphia tomorrow.
The unseeded Wee Wern’s first-round opponent is Egyptian world No. 3 Raneem El Weleily, a player she narrowly lost to in the Malaysian Open.
If she beats Weleily, her quarter-final opponent will probably be sixth seed Annie Au of Hong Kong, with Massaro a potential semi-final rival.
All eyes will also be on world No. 1 Nicol David, who is seeking to avoid a rare third straight defeat.
The 29-year-old has a favourable draw, with the main threat in her half coming from England’s Jenny Duncalf and Egyptian teenager Nour El Sherbini.
- Mixed reaction to Chong Wei’s remarks on Lin Dan’s wild card
- Formula One: Increased venom as F1 tyre war erupts again
- Badminton: Coaches voice out frustration over new lighting system at Putra Stadium at Bukit Jalil
- Cai Lin breaks 200m freestyle record
- Djokovic crashes in Rome, ailing Sharapova pulls out, Federer wins
- China play it cool; Past records mean nothing, says chief coach Yongbo
- Learn Spanish Hafizh as part of plan to conquer MotoGP
- Table tennis: Leading Chinese quartet power into last 16 of world meet
- Shankar hopes Sri Lanka will shine at Sudirman Cup
- KLHC don’t want final to go into extra-time or shootout
- O'Gara retires to take up coaching role
- Shields up to push claim for higher honours
- Dane Hoyer Larsen elected BWF president
- Crusaders slap down upstart Blues in soggy Christchurch
- Cycling: Leader Van Garderen wins California time trial
- Golf: Keegan Bradley maintains Byron Nelson lead
- Golf: Korda seizes lead at Mobile Bay LPGA
- Bradley stays in charge, Guan exits
- Hall of Famer Venturi dies aged 82
- Formula One: Increased venom as F1 tyre war erupts again
RSS
