Squash: Beng Hee wins first title for this year

PETALING JAYA: Malaysia’s Ong Beng Hee secured his first title of the year at the Ilkley Open squash tournament in Ilkley, Yorkshire, on Sunday.

The national number one and world number 16 defeated English player Scott Handley 11-9, 4-11, 6-11, 11-5, 11-5 in a 45-minute final.

Beng Hee certainly did not have it smooth sailing in the tournament.

He needed 53 minutes to beat Simon Parke of England 8-11, 11-5, 11-4, 8-11, 11-5 in the semi-finals on Saturday.

In the quarter-finals played on the same day, Beng Hee also needed five games to beat Ben Ford of England 11-10 (4-2), 11-8, 5-11, 10-11 (1-3), 11-6.

He had in the first two rounds beaten English players Mick Biggs (11-5, 10-11, 11-3, 11-3) and Stuart Crawford (11-7, 11-8, 7-11, 11-2).

Last month, Beng Hee competed in the Canadian Open (Toronto), Windy City Open (Chicago) and Dayton Open (Ohio).

His next tournament is the Indian Open in Mumbai from March 6-11.