Singapore Open 2018
27 Nov / 01 Dec, Singapore, $5k

Both players were a little cautious to start and did not take much risks. The rallies were kept safe and mostly down the line. The points were never far off, two apart at most, up to 6/6. Wee Wern then stepped up and strung together series of cross court winners, with a few wrong footing her Hong Kong opponent. 11/5 to Wee Wern after 8 minutes.

Ka Yi, who uses the lob a lot to create her chances to attack, couldn’t execute what she does best in the first game. Her lifts were simply not high and wide enough, often creating far too many opportunities for Wee Wern to put it away or put her on the back foot of the rallies.

In the second game, Wee Wern came in a different player altogether and was far more aggressive, increasing the pace quite substantially. That troubled Ka Yi a lot, who quickly fell behind 1/8. She was constantly being under pressure and often forced into an error.

She manages to turn things around a little, putting in a couple of lovely winners from her backhand into the front corner. But the deficit was way too big to mount a comeback and she found herself two games down after Wee Wern converted her third game ball at 10/5.

Sensing the pace was troubling her opponent, Wee Wern continued hitting with a higher pace in the third. She raced to a 9/1 lead, with the last point being a perfect backhand straight kill into the front corner that Ka Yi couldn’t reach.

Ka Yi manages another two points, before the former world number 5 hit a lovely forehand attacking boast in the front that caught her opponent by surprise to clinch the winning point.

Wee Wern, who won her first Asian Junior title here on Singapore soil in 2006, said after her match :

“It’s good to end the year on a high. This is my last tournament for the year so I’m happy to finish off with a win. I haven’t played in Singapore for a while, so it’s good to be back.

I" think in the first game, we were trying to figure each other out, so we were not attacking as much. Towards the end of the first game, I got a little more confident and that showed in the second and third. I got out there and took the ball earlier, so that didn’t give her much chance to do anything. I think that was what made the difference today.”

Wee Wern, who is currently ranked 52 in the world, is hoping that her win here would push her up into the top 48 that will enable her to compete in much bigger events.

Lee Ka Yi, meanwhile, was not as happy with her performance today understandably. The pair had met once just three months ago at the Women’s World Team Championship, which Wee Wern won in four close games. She had this to say:

“I’m a little disappointed because I think I can play a little better than I did, perhaps better than yesterday. But I did not do well. Wee Wern is such a good player and I did not control well, so that gave her a lot of chances to attack. I made a lot more mistakes in the second and third, which is evident in the score.

"I think I learned today to be more patient and not to attack too early, which sometimes end up as mistakes.”

Earlier, in the men’s closed satellite event, Chinese Taipei’s former world number 86, James Huang went one better this year by clinching the title after being runner up a year ago.

He beat Philippines’ Robert Garcia in four entertaining games which kept the packed gallery on the edge of their seats. This is the second Singapore Open title for James, who also won it in 2016.
 

Men's Closed Satellite Draw

* = 9/16 seed

Lee, the 25/year old from Hong Kong had a dream start to the first game, racing into an 8/0 lead before Tanvi manages a point. She drops another point at game ball, before wrapping up 11/2 after just 5 minutes in court. Ka Yi was simply cutting off many of the shots, and that put Tanvi on her back foot for most of the game.

Tanvi manages a better showing in the second game, not repeating the first game disaster of falling into a huge deficit. But Ka Yi was still far too strong overall. Her surprising cross courts often caught Tanvi off guard one too many times.

The third game was the most evenly contested, with Ka Yi never ahead for more than two points until 6/6. A surge of four points took Ka Yi to match ball at 10/6. Tanvi then began to turn the tables, saving two match balls to get to 10/8. But she then did the cardinal sin of serving out to hand Ka Yi her ticket to the final.

Both players play a similar game, with a preference of lifting the ball and playing the front a lot. But Ka Yi, being the far more experienced player, showed great maturity and executed her game plan way better than Tanvi.

“Maybe she was a little slow to get into her rhythm in the first two games. Perhaps she was also a little nervous. But of course, I didn’t let it bother me and just played to my game plan. In the third, I lost a little concentration and made it a little harder for myself. I got a little impatient and was anxious to finish the match,” said Ka Yi.

Ka Yi, whose best result this year was a semi/final showing at the NT Open in Australia back in May, is hoping she can even better her already best result this year.

“Tomorrow, I will just have to play my game. Whoever I play, it should be a good match. I hope to be able to give my best and hopefully, walk out with the title.”

Tanvi, whose unbeaten run in Singapore was ended today, said later:

“My shots were not coming in and everything was coming lose. She’s a really with her volleys and she was just putting everything away. The rallies were longer than yesterday, so it was a bit of adjustment for me as well. Towards the end, I was getting the hang of it but then silly mistakes came at the crucial points.

Overall, I’m very happy with my performance, especially yesterday and the day before. Today, not so much, but lots to learn from. Today is a big learning.”

In the second semi/final, Low was tested by the talented Kuruvilla. After winning the first two games comfortably thanks to the many tins that came off Sunayna’s racket, the third was another story altogether. The Indian teenager was playing with a lot more patience and hitting with more purpose, forcing Wee Wern to move around a lot more. She was handsomely rewarded with the third game 12/10.

However, in the fourth, Sunayna seem to have lost a little focus and went back to trying to kill off the rallies too early. Wee Wern was gifted a huge lead, which she ever gave away and after 43 minutes, she was through to the final.

“She started off the third game very well. It was close all the way. She had three game balls and I tried to pull back, but unfortunately lost it 12/10. But in the fourth, I started off really well and got a big lead, and managed to close it off from there,” the former world number 5 said.

“I’ve played Ka Yi once at the World Team’s and obviously, she’s a very hardworking player from Hong Kong. She’s got very strong basics and will be trying very hard. I think it will be a close match tomorrow and I’m looking forward to it.”

Men's Closed Satellite Draw

While Jessica might have the greater shot/making ability, the 22/year Delhi native did well to put the ball pass the Malaysian teenager, thus limiting her attacking options and forcing the mistakes.

“It feels really good to win today against such a good junior," said Tanvi,  who gets a shot against second seed Lee Ka Yi tomorrow.

"It was a good match and she’s got some really good shots. You give her anything on the T and the point is over. So I had to really make a big effort to keep the ball out of her reach and stop her from volleying, which I managed. My short game was also coming in, and that is one of the big reasons why I won today.

"She was even attacking straight off my service, so I really had to think today. I think she got a little tired after the first, and I was able to play more fluidly after that without having to think of the score. I’ll have to be more patient tomorrow, as I’ll be playing someone more experienced."

Home favourite Sneha Sivakumar failed to advance after falling out to Hong Kong’s sole participant and second seed Lee. The 25/year old world number 63 was accurate and clinical, never allowing Sneha to attack as much as she’d like. Even with the home behind her, the 17/year old could not do much today.

“I was trying to concentrate on the match a lot more today and try not to be affected by the home crowd," said Ka Yi.

"I was also trying to make less mistakes and I’m glad I managed to do that. My game plan fell in place and I had a lot more opportunities to attack.

"Tomorrow, I’m playing a younger and less experienced player, so obviously the pressure is on me. They’ve got nothing to lose. I can only keep myself calm and try my best to be more patient."

Despite her loss, Sneha was still upbeat of her first PSA experience on home soil.

“It was a great experience and I am glad I made it to the quarter/final. I thought I had a great chance today but things weren’t on my side. Basically today just wasn’t my day”, Sneha said later.

In the upset of the day, Indian teenager Kuruvilla came from a game behind to oust Philippines’ Jemyca Aribado. The 19/year old showed some great racket skills to put in some impressive winners throughout the match.

After losing out the close first game, Sunayna, who had former world number ten Dipika Pallikal Karthik in her corner today, stormed back to take the second to level. She squeezed in the third, which went to the tie/break, proved to be decisive as in the fourth, Jemyca was unable last pace and lost tamely.

“We played a very close match the last time, so I knew what to expect. This time, it was even closer. I’m happy to get through and also happy that Tanvi is through as well. Hopefully, we’ll both do well again tomorrow,” Sunayna said later.

In the final match of the evening, Low Wee Wern, a popular household name here, took to court to a packed gallery. It has been a few years since Wee Wern has played an event here, so the crowd was probably eager to catch the former world number five in action.

Wee Wern did not disappoint as she stamped her mark on her younger opponent, winning in straight games in against fellow Penangite Angie Ooi.

Angie, a regular in Singapore for the SGSquash Circuit through the year, found no answer to the accuracy and finesse of her more illustrious compatriot. Like most matches involving a senior against a junior, Angie did seem to appear to have too much respect for Wee Wern on court and lacked that self/confidence.

“It’s actually the first time I am playing Angie in a professional tournament," said Wee Wern.

"We do train together a bit back in Penang, so yeah, it’s either a very good or very bad that we’re playing each other. I’m feeling a little bit more comfortable in court today, so that’s good."
 

Men's Closed Satellite Draw

The 22/year old from New Delhi, who played the fourth string for India at the Women's World Team Championship this year, started in devastating form as she only allowed her Maltese opponent only a single point in the opening game.

Colette fared a lot better in the next two games, but there was no stopping the young Indian, whose win here today means she maintains her perfect winning record on Singapore soil.

"It feels really good as this is my first big tournament. I've come without my coach and any family, so it's nice to know I can play on my own. It's really good to be playing in this court after I did so well here a month back.”

Third seed Jemyca Aribado narrowly escaped the jaws of defeat in the hands of Korean teenager Oh Sunghee. The world number 80 had to twice come from behind for her win today. The Filipino wasn’t playing her best evidently, but Jemyca was able to gather all her experience to force the decider, which she eventually won on the tie/break 12/10.

"I guess I wasn't really prepared enough mentally. There was also some discomfort in my arm which gave me trouble with my cross courts. I'm not really happy with my performance, but I'm happy to get through the match," a relieved Jemyca said later.

Jemyca will next play Sunanya Kuruvilla, who won the all/Indian showdown against Aparajitha Balamurukan.

In the much anticipated local derby, Sneha Sivakumar upstaged her higher ranked rival Au Yeong Wai Yhann. The match lived up to its hype as it went all the way to the decider before Sneha booked her place in the last eight

"It feels really good to make it to the quarters of a PSA event, especially one that is happening here in Singapore," said Sneha after her match.

"Obviously, it was a tough and intense match playing my team mate and I am glad I pulled it through in five games. I haven't played a tournament since September, so I had to keep changing my strategy. I think that made my game harder to predict today.

"It would've been great if we were both in the quarters, but the draw is what it is."
 
Sneha's opponent tomorrow will be second seed and world number 63 Lee Ka Yi of Hong Kong. The 25/year old had started today's play with a straight games victory over India Sachika Balvani.

Tournament top seed Low Wee Wern had it easy today when she comfortable saw off fellow Malaysian Chen Yu Ng in just 20 minutes and will play fellow Penangite Angie Ooi tomorrow.

"It's good to be back in Singapore, playing in front of so many familiar faces. I haven't played here for quite a long time! It's good to get the first match out of the way. It took me a while to get used to the court, so hopefully it gets better tomorrow. This is my last tournament of the year, so I hope to finish the year on a high. Just a last push on the three matches ahead," top seed Wee Wern said.

In another upset of the day, Malaysian teenager Jessica Keng came from a game down to upstage her more illustrious compatriot Nazihah Hanis.
  

Men's Closed Satellite Draw

Jemyca Aribado with Robert Garcia

Men's Closed Satellite Draw

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