KUALA LUMUPR, Sept 10 — The national mixed squad are only one step away from clinching the World University Squash Championships mixed team title when they cruised into the final after defeating South Africa 2-0 at the National Squash Centre in Bukit Jalil, today.

Ivan Yuen who was fielded as the first player beat Kyle Maree 3-1 to gain Malaysia's first point.      

Ivan easily took the first and second sets 11-3 and 11-6 but lost to the South African player 10-12 in the third set.

Stunned by the loss, Ivan recovered quickly to take the fourth set 11-6 to deliver the first point to Malaysia.

"I started well but lost concentration in the third set. However, I bounced back to take the fourth set," he told reporters after the match.

Ivan Yuen (front) fights in vain for the crucial point that would set him up an an all-Malaysia final at the Hong Kong Football Club International, May 27, 2016. — Picture courtesy of Steve Cubbin/SquashSite

Low Wee Wern, who won the women's singles title two days ago, was fielded as the second player against Alexa Pienaar.

Penang player needed only 26 minutes to demolish Alexa in 11-6, 11-5 and 11-2 to win Malaysia's second point and a berth in the final.

The national mixed team will meet top seeded Hong Kong in the final tomorrow. Hong Kong had earlier defeated Japan 2-0 in the first semi-finals.

Meanwhile, national coach Ong Beng Hee said the team played well today and hoped it would give confidence to all players in action in the final at noon tomorrow.  

"Now that we have entered the final, we are putting our bets on our top two players, Ivan and Wee Wern create the upsets," he said.

Earlier in the tournament, Ivan lost to Hong Kong's top player Tsz Fung Yip in men's singles final.      

Tomorrow, Ivan is expected to meet Fung Yip in the mixed team event while for Wee Wern, it is a repeat of the women's singles final when she met Tsz Wing Tong.

Malaysia could only manage to win a bronze medal in the mixed team in the 2008 and 2014 editions. — Bernama