By ALAN THATCHER (Squash Mad Editor) and MATT COLES (PSA) in Singapore
Yesterday, Eain Yow Ng told Squash Mad readers that he was playing the best squash of his life. Today he proved it in stunning style against top seed Paul Coll by fighting back from two games down to win an astonishing battle in the second round of the Marigold Singapore Open.
The Bristol-based Malaysian might have been forgiven for being below par after yesterday’s 90-minute victory over Indian No.1 Saurav Ghosal.
But it was Coll who showed signs of fatigue after flying in to Singapore after two tiring weeks competing back home in the Nations Cup followed by the New Zealand Open, where he lost in the final to Mohamed ElShorbagy on Saturday.
Yow triumphed 9-11, 9-11, 11-8, 11-5, 11-4 in 58 minutes and now meets No.6 seed Joel Makin of Wales in the quarter-finals of this PSA World Tour Gold level competition at the OCBC Arena.
Kiwi Coll won the first two games, both by an 11-9 scoreline, but it all changed in the third as the Malaysian fought back. He went 5-0 up, but Coll brought it back to 8-8. Yow was able to regroup to win three of the last four points, taking it 11-8.
The World No.24 made a rapid start in the fourth game and won it comfortably 11-5 to set up a tense deciding game. Everything seemed to work in the fifth as Yow powered through it to win 11-4 to move through to the last eight.
“To be honest.. I don’t even know (how I’m feeling). I am still processing it. It means a lot this time round because I have been knocking on the door for quite a long time now,” he admitted.
“It has felt like forever since I got a win against a top ten player, and I have gotten close a few times. To pull through today, to the finish line, I am really proud of myself! I just want to say thanks to Andrew (Cross, Malaysian National Coach) who is here helping, my parents supporting and to the crowd for their support, it’s been amazing!
“Once I went 2-0 down, I stopped thinking. In the first two games, I was thinking a bit too much, trying to play a little bit too perfect.
“From the third game onwards, I just believed in myself and tried to play my own game, playing with my own instincts. I kept running, and I hit a lot of winners today compared to what I normally do.
“That was encouraging, but it was still a big mental battle. I was 5-0 up in the third and he came back strong. I really had to dig deep to get that third game and it really helped me in the fourth and the fifth.”
Makin came through a tricky test against Swiss No.1 Nicolas Mueller, downing the World No.14 11-2, 6-11, 11-9, 11-7 in a four-game battle.
Makin dropped just two points in the opening game but Mueller came fighting back. He started hitting winners from all over the court to level up the match, and he then had his chance in the third before Makin took it 11-9.
In the fourth, Makin took the first five points and never looked like relinquishing the lead. Makin advances and will now face Eain Yow Ng in the last eight.
“Obviously, it was hard. I started the match and I was playing well, but it quickly changed. The ball dropped off and he started hitting his spots, got around the middle and he made it difficult,” the Welshman said.
“I struggled on this court. It is nice but it is a little bit dead, so I just needed to adjust. I had to play to the conditions, I had an idea of what I wanted to do, and the conditions allowed that. As the conditions changed, I had to go with it. He was 6-2 up in the third, and I had to attack short quickly when I had my chance, commit and play through the ball.
“I was lucky today, that I always have that [good movement] there. It wasn’t what I wanted to do today, but it is never going to perfect. We are travelling all over, different court conditions, humidity, jet lag – you just have to adapt. That is the thing at this level, the better players get through those matches where it is a mess and you just have to win!”
Egypt’s World No.7 Tarek Momen had to survive a comeback from Colombia’s Miguel Rodriguez, eventually winning after 68 minutes in a fifth game. He will now take on England’s Mohamed ElShorbagy, who accounted for Germany’s Raphael Kandra in straight games.
MARIGOLD Singapore Squash Open, OCBC Arena, Singapore.
Men’s Second Round Results (Top Half):
Eain Yow Ng (MAS) bt [1] Paul Coll (NZL) 3-2: 9-11, 9-11, 11-8, 11-5, 11-4 (58m)
[6] Joel Makin (WAL) bt Nicolas Mueller (SUI) 3-1: 11-2, 6-11, 11-9, 11-7 (51m)
[5] Tarek Momen (EGY) bt Miguel Rodriguez (COL) 3-2: 11-8, 11-5, 4-11, 7-11, 11-6 (68m)
[4] Mohamed ElShorbagy (ENG) bt Raphael Kandra (GER) 3-0: 11-2, 11-6, 11-7 (31m)
Men’s Second Round Draw (Bottom Half): To Be Played Thursday, November 17:
[3] Diego Elias (PER) v Moustafa El Sirty (EGY)
Abdulla Mohd Al Tamimi (QAT) v [7] Mazen Hesham (EGY)
[8] Victor Crouin (FRA) v Gregoire Marche (FRA)
Patrick Rooney (ENG) v [2] Mostafa Asal (EGY)
Men’s Quarter Final Draw (Top Half): To Be Played Friday, November 18:
Eain Yow Ng (MAS) v [6] Joel Makin (WAL)
[5] Tarek Momen (EGY) v [4] Mohamed ElShorbagy (ENG)
Women’s Second Round Results (Top Half):
[1] Amanda Sobhy (USA) bt Nadine Shahin (EGY) 3-0: 11-3, 12-10, 11-7 (24m)
Nele Gilis (BEL) bt [6] Olivia Fiechter (USA) 3-1: 6-11, 11-7, 11-4, 11-4 (52m)
[5] Rowan Elaraby (EGY) bt Rachel Arnold (MAS) 3-1: 12-14, 11-9, 11-5, 11-3 (39m)
[3] Nour El Tayeb (EGY) bt Aifa Azman (MAS) 3-0: 11-6, 16-14, 11-4 (28m)
Women’s Second Round Draw (Bottom Half): To Be Played Thursday, November 17:
[4] Sarah-Jane Perry (ENG) v Emily Whitlock (WAL)
Sabrina Sobhy (USA) v [7] Georgina Kennedy (ENG)
[8] Tinne Gilis (BEL) v Salma Hany (EGY)
Hollie Naughton (CAN) v [2] Joelle King (NZL)
Women’s Quarter Final Draw (Top Half): To Be Played Friday, November 18:
[1] Amanda Sobhy (USA) v Nele Gilis (BEL)
[5] Rowan Elaraby (EGY) v [3] Nour El Tayeb (EGY)
Pictures courtesy of PSA World Tour