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[Ong Beng Hee summary and statistics]
April 2001 Player of the Month

Ong Beng Hee is already Malaysia's most successful squash player of all-time. In August 1998, the 18-year-old from Kuala Lumpur crowned a glittering junior career to become the world junior champion in the USA – an achievement which made him the first non-Pakistani Asian to claim the world junior title.

Beng hee is now poised to enter the PSA top ten in May 2001, a stunning rise through the ranks of the PSA hopefuls. After reaching the quarterfinals of the upset-filled British Open last fall, Beng Hee had his most successful outing in Egypt at the PSA Masters in Egypt, where he reached the semi-finals before falling to eventual champion and World #1 Jonathon Power.

Born in February 1980, Ong Beng Hee began playing squash when he was eight – at the 17-court club his squash-enthusiast father had built in Malaysia.

He first came to international attention in January 1994 when he won the prestigious British Junior Open U-14 title in England. A year later he reached the final of the U-16 British Open, going one better in January 1996 by winning the U-16 title.

Later that year, he showed his promise in Egypt by reaching the semi-finals of the 1996 World Junior Open in Cairo, competing as a 16-year-old in an event in which most fellow competitors were at least two years older.

By this time, Ong Beng Hee was also competing on the PSA Tour, and reached the final of the Milo Open in his home city Kuala Lumpur.

In January 1998, he became the British Junior Open U-19 champion, at the age of 17, and joined a select and distinguished group of squash players who have claimed all three British Junior Open titles.

By August 1998, Ong Beng Hee was in Princeton, New Jersey, where he was the favourite to take the world junior title for the first time.

The success which was anticipated duly came to Ong Beng Hee – he overcame Pakistan's 3rd seed Muhammad Hussain in the semi-finals, then dismissed Egypt's Wael El Hendy 7/9 9/5 9/0 9/5 in the final to claim the World Junior Open title for the first time.

Ong Beng Hee was universally admired and respected in Princeton. His victory was a popular one, earning a huge ovation from spectators and players alike.

With his distinguished junior career now over, Ong Beng Hee is concentrating his efforts on the PSA Tour. In April 1999, just three months after turning nineteen, he claimed his first professional title by winning the Milo Open in his fourth successive appearance in the KL event.

The victory was all the more sweet as he triumphed in a titanic final over Malaysia?s then highest-ranked player Kenneth Low, unbeaten by a fellow Malaysian since 1996. His 17/15 5/15 15/8 11/15 15/9 win took 100 minutes. The fast pace throughout took its toll on both players, but Beng Hee was always in control.

The teenager's pro career continued to blossom – and within two weeks of his home country success, Ong Beng Hee claimed his second PSA Tour title – when he won the Castellanza Open in Italy.

Moving his training center to the UK, Beng Hee now trains on a regular basis under coach Neil Harvey and with Peter Nicol. Ong seems fearless in the face of his competition, "I love watching the top five play," he said -- clearly studying his most formidable rivals for strategic ideas and to canvas their weak points. Ong Beng Hee enjoys strong sponsorship. He has been a Dunlop player since he started playing at eight years old. He uses the Revelation Pro 3DTitanium racket. Ong also receives excellent support from the Malaysian Squash association.

Many observers feel that it's only a matter of time before Ong Beng Hee reaches the top. "You're looking at the next world champion," says Paul Walters, Dunlop marketing manager, confirming why Dunlop supports Beng Hee. "... after Jonathon he is showing strong signs of fighting for the top position with Price, Palmer, and Evans..."

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