There are many quotes about overcoming personal tragedy. Yet perhaps that belonging to the relatively unknown American actor and multi-genre singer songwriter Val Uchendu best sums up the battle faced by those left to fight on after a loved one has passed.

“The mindset of loss of a loved one is to understand that the loss will never be undone. You must live with it, like it or not. But, to live well, you must turn that loss into something positive. That way, you can become the best version of yourself; scarred, flawed and unstoppable,” said Uchendu and how right he was.

Thus, perhaps these words best sum up the battle that Curtis Malik has faced in rebounding from the loss of his young brother Sumner, who passed some five years ago after being stricken by an extremely rare form of brain tumour, Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma, which affects around just 40 people each year in the UK.

Now, as the young Englishman gets ready to achieve his lifetime ambition of playing in the World Squash Championships, Malik revealed his belief that Sumner’s presence and his desire to make his younger sibling proud are providing powerful motivations he hopes will prove self-sustaining in Chicago.

Malik told Squash Mad: “Sumner has been my main driver since I turned pro at 18. Everything I do Sumner is in my heart and my mind and I know that because of what he went through I can go through anything.

“Sumner really motivates me to push on and be the best I can be in sport and he will definitely be on my mind when I play at the world champs as it is such a pinnacle for me and has been such a target for so long. I just hope it is something he can be proud of me for achieving when he looks down.

“Last week at the British Open it was also really nice as my whole family were there to support me and I could just imagine Sumner sitting there in the front row cheering me on like he always did and at the worlds I will imagine him there as well, right there, front row.

“So I will be keeping him very close to my heart in Chicago.”

The 23-year-old, who is coached by dad Camron and is ranked No.55 in the worlds has been making a move up the PSA rankings list, recently beating in-form World No.21 Eain Yow Ng in the first round of the British Open en route to a second round defeat by defending champion Paul Coll.

While his battle to make the main draw in Chicago also does the young Englishman proud, after he declined an opportunity to use his position as first reserve, to battle through two rounds of qualifying to make the main draw.

As Malik revealed, it was a path not easily trodden. “It was a really big deal to me qualifying for the worlds,” he says. “I grew up watching the world champs and it has always been my goal to play in them and I wanted to qualify in my own right and I’m really pleased to get there this year.

“To make it there were two rounds of qualifying, as I was top six seed, and my first opponent was Daniel Poleschuk from Israel and I had actually played him twice before and lost, so to get through that one was an excellent result for me.

“The difference this time was I controlled the rallies a bit better than the previous match when I got sucked into hard, fast rallies to the front court but this time I made sure I forced the errors and stayed solid.

“Then it was Yannick Omlor from Germany and this was our first meeting but I was really pleased with the start and I sussed it out as I went along. But these types of matches are so good for your development and having that type of stuff in the bank is vital going forward.”

Awaiting Malik in the first round in Chicago’s University Club will be fellow Englishman Nathan Lake and as Malik revealed the duo have history. He adds: “Nathan had a good British Open and made the last-16 and he is another good player but I feel like I have a chance and I’m looking for some revenge after losing to him in the final of the Nash Cup last September 3-1.

“I felt like I was a little bit fatigued there, so hopefully with fresh legs I have a better chance this time around.”

While Malik is slated to face British Open foe NG in tonight’s semi-final of the Canon Kirk Gillen Markets Irish Open, it was his meeting with former World No.1 Coll in the second round in Birmingham that has provided him with invaluable experience as he looks to continue his ascent.

Malik said: “The British worked out well as I throughout my junior career. I have played plenty at Edgbaston and I got there early, got my practice in and that was all a plus for me. So I knew if I stayed relaxed against Ng I had a chance and really from the beginning to the end it was my best match on PSA so far.

“But playing Paul Coll, well I got taught a good squash lesson there! I didn’t even feel I played that badly. I just couldn’t get in front enough and it was a very good learning experience in terms of what it is required to match up against the top guys in the world.

“It felt like I was trying to find a way through armoured plate at times. I would get into attacking positions where maybe the guys I usually play get a couple of balls back but he was getting three or four back.

“Then you start going lower, clipping the tin and you are stuck hovering behind him but I want to be playing these top-10 guys and to get that exposure is what I need now and you do learn a lot from it.

“So I’m getting closer and closer to that top-50 ranking and I feel like I am playing top-30 level but it is about playing that level consistently over a season to get your ranking up where you want it. I just need to keep believing in what I am doing.”

From above there can be no doubt that Sumner will also continue to believe in his big brother.