Arnold, ranked world No 19, lost 4-11, 12-10, 4-11, 0-11 in a 36-minute match.

The Kuala Lumpur-born player put up a tremendous fight in the second set but failed to curb the continuous pressure of the Hong Kong player who appeared more consistent and sharp in her shots.

“I am a bit disappointed with my performance in the final … I admit the pressure was quite high and I feel I was unable to adapt to the court conditions today,” she said.

She said her opponent (Ho) played really well. “She was putting me under a lot of pressure. Every time she did that, I would just sort of go for it. Now I think maybe I should have just stayed calm in those situations,” said the 29-year-old player, who also admitted that the hot weather was a big challenge throughout the match.

The last Malaysian player to win the tournament was Malaysia’s all-time great and nine-time Asian champion Nicol Ann David, in 2015.

Arnold’s previous attempt at winning the title, in 2021, was also extinguished by a Hong Kong player, Tong Tsz Wing.

Even though her maiden Asian title remains elusive, Arnold said she is determined to stay in the hunt for gold. “My goal is still to get the title, eventually … I am aiming towards getting a better ranking in the PSA (Professional Squash Association). I think of breaking into the top 10 in the end, that is my main goal,” she said.