NATIONAL junior Rachel Arnold boosted her chances of making her maiden Sea Games appearance next year by winning the Singapore Open last weekend for her first senior international title.
Although the Singapore Open carries no ranking points as it is not sanctioned by the WSA Tour, the win is still Rachel’s first senior career title having come close several times on WSA Tour.
Rachel, 18, was glad to end the year on an uplifting note which see hopes would be enough to secure a spot in the squad for the 2015 Singapore Sea Games.
The Squash Racquets Association of Malaysia is heavily leaning towards sending a squad made up of back-up and junior athletes to Singapore with Rachel among the names mentioned.
“I hope so but I haven't heard anything yet,” said Rachel yesterday when asked if the win was enough to earn her a spot at the Sea Games.
“It has not really been a good year for me because I thought I could have done better. I had hoped to win more junior tournaments though playing at the Commonwealth Games was a good experience for me.
“I’m really looking forward to next year starting with the Asian Junior Team Championship in January which would be my last tournament as a junior. There is also the Sea Games to look forward to, if I'm picked.”
Rachel defeated Singapore’s Mao Shi Hui 11-5, 12-10, 11-5 in the Singapore Open final at Kallang to end the tournament without dropping a game in four matches.
National No 1 Ong Beng Hee also ended the year with a title to his name, albeit at a non-PSA Tour tournament, after winning the men's final 11-7, 11-3, 11-8 over compatriot Valentino Bong.
Beng Hee defeated 2007 Sea Games winner Elvinn Keo 11-9, 11-7, 11-7 in the semi-finals while Valentino ousted Hong Kong's Ma Tsz Hei 11-5, 11-6, 11-2.
In the junior categories, Siow Yee Xian downed C. Kishenraj 11-8, 11-4, 17-15 in an all-Malaysian boys’ Under-15 final and Lai Wen Li beat Singapore’s Sneha Sivakumar 11-4, 11-6, 11-4 for the girls’ Under-15 title.
Ryan Pasqual finished third in the boys’ Under-19, Australia’s Alex Eustace outlasted Daren Rahul Pragasam 10-12, 11-7, 11-4, 7-11, 11-8 in the boys’ Under-17 final while India’s Navaneeth Prabhu beat Nicolas Chee 8-11, 11-6, 11-8, 12-10 for the boys’ Under-13 title.
Sara Chew lost to Australia's Lakeesha Rarere 11-2, 9-11, 11-4, 11-8 in the girls’ Under-19 final as Lee Ka Ern finished third while Sehveetrraa Kumar lost to Hong Kong’s Lee Sum-Yuet 11-3, 11-2, 11-1 in the girls' Under-13 final.