Malaysia’s ACE sparks Squash fever in Asia with self-funded tournament in Seremban

Building on the triumph of the Ace Malaysia Squash Cup 2023 and a series of satellite tournaments held throughout the year, ACE Sports and Management is looking to transform professional squash in Asia!

The PSA Southeast Asian leg, a Bronze-level tournament in Seremban, saw three Malaysian players reaching the semifinals amid fervent local support. In addition to the Bronze tournament, ACE also organized 13 satellite events across Malaysia, offering junior players opportunities to bolster their PSA rankings without the financial strain of competing overseas.

The Bronze event, hosted in Negeri Sembilan’s new squash facility, garnered substantial viewership on various platforms. ACE’s report indicates a record-breaking 3 million viewers with over 4 million video views on social media platforms and 33 thousand views on official broadcaster Squash TV worldwide. Astro Awani also broadcasted the semifinals and final matches live across Malaysia.

Chandran, ACE’s CEO, expressed gratitude for local support, stating,

“Over the next five years, we’ll be pushing the boundaries in Malaysia and Asia to bring world-class tournaments to the region’s sporting landscape.”

This ACE-organized event also marked a historic achievement, the first instance of a private sports management company running a global World Series tournament. PSA Official for World Series Events, Engy Elmandouh, praised the tournament’s success, calling it “phenomenal” and commending the Malaysian experience and culture embraced by both staff and players.

SRAM Director Major (Rtd) S. Maniam also praised ACE for promoting squash “the correct way” with a focus on producing world-class players.

“The year-long satellite tournaments is something that I really feel has produced the requisite results in getting our young players to get ranking points in the PSA.”

Major Maniam further mentioned that with Squash’s debut in the LA28 Olympics, companies and state organizations in the region should take the reins to host events.

For 2024, ACE has outlined a few plans, notably:

1. Extending their commitment to fostering a competitive environment for junior players across Asia, beginning with talks in Jakarta to organize three satellite tournaments and two challenger series.
2. Concentrate on successfully running satellite tournaments, four Challenger series, and another Bronze-level event to attract top squash players worldwide.
3. In collaboration with Cairo-based Faragallah Squash and Fitness Academy (FSA), organise squash clinics across Malaysia, elevating coaching standards.

With a resounding success in 2023, ACE is set to redefine the squash landscape in Asia, intertwining tradition and innovation, and laying the foundation for a future generation of squash champions.