Foo fighter in Zoe makes sure nothing locks her down
The 26-year-old Zoe, who had quit her corporate job in June to make the return to competitive squash, put on a valiant performance but was overpowered by Aira at the Nicol David International Squash Centre on Friday (Aug 15) as she fell 12-14, 11-13, 11-6, 2-11.
"It's so different being back," said Zoe.
"I still get goosebumps watching my peers play, whether on screen or in person, and I knew I had to do something about it."
Zoe's journey back to the courts has been anything but straightforward.
After a successful junior career, Zoe moved to the United States to further her education and play squash at George Washington University, and graduated right in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2021.
"Graduating during Covid made things difficult. I had to come back to Malaysia because it was tough to get a job in the United States.
"I was lucky to land a consulting job here and I ended up working at the same firm for four years," she said.
While work took priority for Zoe, her love for squash never left. As the itch slowly grew, she eventually made the decision to lace up her squash shoes once again.
"I think I always wanted to play competitively again but between the lockdowns and the demands of consulting, it was hard to get back into the groove.
"But last year, I started hitting the ball on and off again. This year, with work getting tougher, I decided to quit my job and give squash a proper go," said Zoe, who had a career-best ranking of world No. 93 in 2015.
Zoe's return to the game has been swift and determined, having competed in Tasmania and reached the semi-finals of a PSA 3K Challenger event before arriving in Penang.
"I'm trying to play as many smaller tournaments as I can to get my ranking up. That way I don't keep drawing top players in the first round," she said.
With the National Championships now behind her, Zoe said she has already mapped out her calendar.
"It's going to take some time getting used to competing again, but I'm excited, and I've got a lot of tournaments lined up.
"I just want to enjoy the journey and see where it takes me," she said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
3 hours ago
- The Star
Sabah squash ace one win away from first national crown
Focused: Duncan Lee returning a shot to C. Ameeshenraj during the National Championships semi-final match at the Nicol David International Squash Centre. He faces Sanjay Jeeva next. — SRAM
The Star
3 hours ago
- The Star
Sister Act II: Aira and Aifa set for title showdown
In cruise control: Aira Azman (left) in action against Goh Zhi Xuan during the semi-final match yesterday. Aira will face her sister Aifa (right) in the final today. — SRAM PENANG: Squash sisters Aira and Aifa Azman will clash once again in the National Championships final, but with contrasting pressures on their shoulders. It's a repeat of last year's title match: 20-year-old Aira is chasing her third consecutive national crown, while Aifa, 23, is still searching for her first.
The Star
15 hours ago
- The Star
Sister Act II: Aira and Aifa set for national title showdown
PENANG: Squash sisters Aira and Aifa Azman will clash once again in the National Championships final, but with contrasting pressures on their shoulders. It is a repeat of last year's title match: 20-year-old Aira is chasing her third consecutive national crown, while Aifa, 23, is still searching for her first. Aira cruised into the final with a swift 11-4, 11-6, 11-6 win over Goh Zhi Xuan in just 17 minutes at the Nicol David International Squash Centre yesterday (Aug 15). For her, facing her sister has become less intimidating over time. 'I feel less pressure now because it's a familiar face. The first time we played, I was nervous, but after meeting several times, we know each other well,' said Aira. She added that the sisters remain supportive despite being rivals. 'We always back each other until the final. Once we're on court, we focus on ourselves, but after the match, we talk about how it went and debrief together.' Aifa, meanwhile, admits to feeling the weight of expectation as she hunts her maiden national title. 'The toughest part of playing my sister is that she knows everything about me – my style, my routines, even my sleeping schedule. I'll need to dig deep for a new game plan. I really want a national title for my record,' she said. Last year, Aira defeated Aifa 11-7, 11-5, 10-12, 11-5 in the final at the Jalan Duta Squash Courts in Kuala Lumpur. This time, big sister is determined to rewrite the ending.
