KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 20 — Malaysia’s top-notch squash players, Ng Eain Yow and Low Wee Wern, will lead the country’s challenge at the 2019 Malaysian Open squash tournament from September 25-29 at the National Squash Centre, Bukit Jalil.

According to the statement issued by Squash Racquets Association of Malaysia (SRAM), Eain Yow, who is the national men’s number one and the world ranked 37th, is expected to be the next Malaysian to win the title after Mohd Azlan Iskandar in 2010.

The tournament’s fourth seed received a bye in the opening round before facing either compatriot, Addeen Idrakie or Hong Kong’s Henry Leung in the second round.

He is expected to meet sixth seed, Tayyab Aslam of Pakistan in the quarter-finals with a potential semi-final clash against the world ranked 26th from Hong Kong, Max Lee.

For the record, Eain Yow beat Max Lee in the quarter-finals of the Asian Individual Championships last May.

Besides Eain Yow and Addeen, the other national players who took part in the tournament were Ivan Yuen, Syafiq Kamal, Ong Sai Hung and Darren Rahul Pragasam.

In the women’s category, there were high hopes on world No. 34, Wee Wern to produce another superb week of squash to retain her title.

Wee Wern will certainly fancy her chances in a relatively easy draw although her compatriot and world junior bronze medallist, Aifa Azman, might prove to be a really tricky opponent in the second round.

Besides Wee Wern and Aifa, the other Malaysian women in the fray were Rachel Arnold, Chan Yiwen, Lai Wen Li, Aika Azman and Ooi Kah Yan.

The tournament offers total prize money of US$30,000 (RM125,403) and US$20,000 (RM83,602) for the men’s and women’s category respectively. — Bernama