WA Open International squash: Double joy for Hong Kong’s Kirstie Yui Po Wong

The new WA Open International squash champions share a common goal - cracking the top 100 in the pro ranks.

Hong Kong’s Kirstie Yui Po Wong took out the women’s trophy 11-4 11-7 7-11 11-4 over Malaysian Goh Zhi Xuan, while men’s second seed Darren Pragasm also triumphed in four games over Egypt’s Shady El Sherbiny at the State Squash Centre, Belmont.

Racking up back-to-back titles (Wong also won last week’s Golden Open in Kalgoorlie) will be a big rankings boost for Wong, currently the world No.122.

Wong’s mid-court boasts proved a killer weapon in her final and she admitted afterwards it was a pre-planned tactic.

“I’d been studying her the night before the final ... we noticed she didn’t go very smoothly to the front court, so I tried to use more boasts and cross-court stuns,” she said.

The men’s final was a battle of mind games as much as stroke making, with both players earning the ire of the referee.

“It was more of a mental battle on court,” said Pragasm, the world 120, of what was at times a fiery encounter, with El Sherbiny receiving an official warning for unwarranted physical contact.

“It was very scrappy, not the best watch. I think I played the big points better than he did. Hopefully this win will get me closer to my goal of making the top 100 this year,’‘ said the 24-year-old Malaysian, who collected his second career title.