90 Seconds with…Low Wee Wern

One of Malaysia's most successful female athletes of all-time, Low Wee Wern has long labored in the shadow of her countrywoman, Nicol David
One of Malaysia’s most successful female athletes of all-time, Low Wee Wern has long labored in the shadow of her countrywoman, Nicol David


Squash Magazine: How would you explain your name to an American? Is it LowWee Wern, Wee Wern Low, Wee Low Wern, Wern Low Wee?
Low Wee: That’s a pretty tough one. Here in Asia, or in the Chinese culture, our last names are in front. Thus my name in Asia is Low Wee Wern. But in America, last names are actually last! So my name will be Wee Wern Low…Still confused? Yup I thought so! Haha 🙂

SM: Describe the first time you played squash.
LW: I was about eight or nine years old in Penang. I just kept running around, didn’t really hit the ball at all—lot of running in circles.

SM: If you weren’t a squash professional, what would you be?
LW: I would actually be going to college in the U.S.

SM: What would you study? Did you ever look at any specific colleges in the U.S.?
LW: I would probably be doing economics or management…somewhere along those lines as I majored in Economics back in 2007 when I was doing my O Levels. I actually had a couple of offers to pursue my degree and also to play for college in the US Probably the most persistent was Wendy Bartlett from Trinity College. She has been in contact with me, calling me every week without fail since I was sixteen years old. It was extremely hard to say no in the end but hey, Trinity has my sister and I visit Wendy and the girls at least once a year.

SM: When you retire, you will…
LW: Probably still be involved in squash somehow.

SM: Most embarrassing moment on tour…
LW: When I almost dropped the Asian Championship trophy. After the men’s final we did the final ceremony, but I didn’t know that the trophy was not properly sealed, so I almost dropped it.

SM: Worst travel experience…
LW: Probably flying all the way from Penang to the Cayman Islands for the World Open in 2012. That was about thirty-eight hours one way, and I was about done when I got there.

SM: If you could change one thing in the world of squash, what would it be?
LW: Get it into the Olympics.