IT was a huge sigh of relief for Noor Ainaa Amani Ampandi after she managed to retain her Under-19 title at the National Junior Circuit Grand Finals yesterday.
With senior Ooi Kah Yan and Aifa Azman not in the draw, the 17-year-old Ainaa was deemed a shoo-in for the title.
But she met a strong challenge in 14-year-old K. Sehveetrraa and had to dig deep before pulling out an 11-5, 9-11, 8-11, 11-7, 11-8 win at the National Squash Centre in Bukit Jalil.
Having already beaten Kedah-born Sehveetrraa during the preliminary group stages, top seed Ainaa appeared to be cruising after easily taking the first game 11-5.
Sehveetrraa, the reigning British Junior Open Under-13 champion, however, was feeling confident after beating second seed Yee Xin Ying in the semi-finals on Saturday.
And the spunky Kedahan threatened to cause a major upset when she bounced back by taking the next two games.
Ainaa, however, wore down Sehveetrraa to take the win.
“I played Sehveetrraa during the group stages and it was easier then but I got really nervous today (yesterday) because it was the final. Furthermore, she had beaten Xin Ying in the semi-finals,” said Ainaa yesterday.
“In the second and third, I was really hesitant and nervous on my shots because I didn’t want to lose to a junior.
“But all credit to her as she was superb today and I really couldn’t pick up her shots at all.”
BJSS’ Hii Jia Rong grabbed the boys’ Under-17 title after beating teammate Shamiel Haeyzad in the final but Selangor’s N. Shasmithaa spoiled the party by taking the girls’ Under-17 title. She defeated BJSS’ U. Thanusaa in the final.
Meanwhile, World No 165 Darren Rahul Pragasam fell short of winning his first career PSA Tour title after losing to Hong Kong’s Tang Ming Hong in the final of the XL Open in Auckland, New Zealand.
The 20-year-old had done well to beat top seed and home favourite Evan Williams in the semi-finals but couldn’t get the better of World No 113 Ming Hong in a 12-10, 11-7, 9-11, 11-8 defeat.
Compatriots Ong Sai Hung and Ryan Pasqual were shown the exit in the quarter-finals and first round respectively.
Results: All Finals (BJSS unless stated) — Boys’ Under-9: Jayden Tan (Sel) bt T. Aniessh (Sel) 11-8, 11-6, 11–7;
Under-11: Altamis Aqhar Salam A. Suffian (Sar) bt Jayden Oon (FT) 7-11, 11-2, 11-3, 12-10;
Under-13: Low Wa Sern (Prk) bt M. Nickhileswar (Pen) 10-12, 12-10, 11-8, 11-9;
Under-15: Ahmad Aiman Amsyar Ahamad Azam (Ter) bt Tay Jun Qian (Sel) 8-11, 12-10, 11–6, 14-16, 11-9;
Under-17: Hii Jia Rong bt Shamiel Haeyzad Sharulhisam 11-2, 8-11, 11-8, 11-2;
Under-19: Amir Amirul Azhar bt Darryl Gan 11-7, 7-11, 3-11, 11-6, 11-6.
Girls’ Under-9: Nurul Zara Zamri (Ked) bt Amber Kristy Muyou (Sab) 7-11, 11-9, 11-9, 8-11, 11-5;
Under-11: Harleein Tan (NS) bt Najwa Zara Fakhrur Razi (FT) 11-5, 5-11, 11-7, 11-7;
Under-13: Choo Yi Jie (Ked) bt Dayana Qistina Anuar (Ked) 4-11, 11-5, 11-5, 12-10;
Under–15: Claudia Yong (Sar) bt Eugenia Sulan David (Sar) 11-7, 12-10, 11-9;
Under-17: N. Shasmithaa (Sel) bt U. Thanusaa 11-4, 11-4, 11-5;
Under-19: Noor Ainaa Amani Ampandi bt K. Sehveetrraa (Ked) 11-5, 9-11, 8-11, 11-7, 11-8.