Wee Wern pulls through

Wee Wern (right) during the US Open

Low Wee Wern made the cut to reach the US Open quarter-finals after disappointing the home crowd in Philadelphia. The Penangite sent their representative Amanda Sohby packing in four games, taking 41 minutes in the glass court in Drexel University to secure her berth 2-11, 11-6, 11-9. 11-5.

Home favourite Sohby did everything right in the first game to put Wee Wern in a passive stance. But all of that changed after Wee Wern, who has compatriot Nicol David sitting in her corner, raised the tempo to make Sohby struggle for points. 

Wee Wern took control of the match after winning game four to lead 2-1, and just cruised through Sohby, who made too many errors in the fifth to allow Wee Wern to advance. "Playing on the glass is so different," said Wee Wern. "This court is punishing if you get stuck at the back, and if you give Amanda anything loose she will punish you.

"I just couldn't get it past her in the first, but with Nicol giving me advice I started to step up more - playing a bit more like she does!" The seventh seed will face a tough quarter-final opponent in Raneem El Weleily, who shut her compatriot Omneya Abdel Kawy down 11-7, 5-11, 11-6, 8-11, 11-9.