Eain Yow storms into last eight in 21 minutes as Olympic dream edges closer

Defending champion Ng Eain Yow continued his Asian Games title defence in clinical fashion on Thursday, 24 September, beating South Korea's Ryu Jeong-min 11-3, 11-4, 11-5 to reach the men's singles quarter-finals in Aichi-Nagoya.

The top seed needed just 21 minutes to see off his opponent at the Nagoya Kinjo Futo Arena.

Two rounds, barely troubled

Eain Yow's latest win followed an equally dominant opener. The Star reported that he beat the Philippines' Reymark Begornia 11-2, 11-2, 11-1 in only 19 minutes, with the chilly conditions inside the arena suiting him well.

That means the world No. 18 has spent only around 40 minutes on court across two matches, dropping very few points along the way. That is good news for a player who wants to stay fresh for the tougher matches ahead.

According to a Newswav report, Eain Yow said he now approached big events with a different mindset.

"I focus on myself and my mentality is different now. I'm more mature in handling pressure, especially having won gold before," he said, according to the report.

Hong Kong test next

Eain Yow's quarter-final opponent is Hong Kong's Lau Tsz Kwan, also known as Alex Lau. World Squash said the singles quarter-finals are being played today, 25 September, from 12pm Japan time (11am Malaysian time).

An Olympic first on the line

There is more than an Asian Games medal at stake. The PSA Squash Tour reported that winning the title in Aichi-Nagoya would make Eain Yow the first confirmed male squash player to qualify for the LA 2028 Olympics, where squash will make its Olympic debut.

"To be one of the first Olympic squash players would be amazing... There were definitely times when I thought it would never happen for us squash players, so it's super, super exciting," Eain Yow told the PSA before the Games.

He won the men's singles gold at the Hangzhou Asian Games in 2023, and Aichi-Nagoya is his fifth major multi-sport Games for Malaysia. The PSA noted that rivals such as Pakistan's Noor Zaman and India's Abhay Singh are among the threats, but Eain Yow has said his focus is on his own game.

Heartbreak for Sanjay

There was disappointment for Malaysia's other men's singles player, Sanjay Jeeva. He was beaten by India's Veer Chotrani in a five-game battle, 9-11, 11-8, 6-11, 17-15, 6-11, in a match that lasted 77 minutes.

Sanjay saved the match in a dramatic fourth game that went to 17-15, but Chotrani pulled away in the decider. World Squash described it as a "five-game epic".

Malaysian squash in good shape

Eain Yow's progress means Malaysia still have a strong presence in the squash draw. Sivasangari and Aira Azman are in the women's singles quarter-finals, and both mixed doubles pairs are also in the last eight.

Key takeaways

• Ng Eain Yow beat South Korea's Ryu Jeong-min 11-3, 11-4, 11-5 in 21 minutes on 24 September.
• He faces Hong Kong's Lau Tsz Kwan (Alex Lau) in today's quarter-final.
• Winning gold would make him the first confirmed male squash qualifier for LA 2028, according to the PSA.
• Sanjay Jeeva lost a 77-minute, five-game match to India's Veer Chotrani.

FAQ

Who is Ng Eain Yow playing in the quarter-finals? Hong Kong's Lau Tsz Kwan, also known as Alex Lau.

Is Eain Yow the defending champion? Yes. He won men's singles gold at the Hangzhou Asian Games in 2023.

What happened to Sanjay Jeeva? He lost to India's Veer Chotrani 9-11, 11-8, 6-11, 17-15, 6-11 in the round of 16.

Sources: Newswav, The Star, World Squash, PSA Squash Tour