KUALA LUMPUR – National ace S. Sivasangari defeated compatriot Aifa Azman to reach the women’s semi-finals of the Asian Squash Individual Championships in Hong Kong today.
The 24-year-old Kedahan triumphed 12-10, 12-14, 12-10, 11-7 after an intense 43-minute quarterfinal tussle.
Sivasangari, however, faces an acid test as she will be up against top seed Satomi Watanabe in the last four tomorrow after the Japanese ousted Hong Kong’s Tong Tsz Wing 11-5, 11-4, 11-7 in the quarterfinals.
Malaysia’s Rachel Arnold, the runner-up last year, missed out on the semifinals this time despite winning the opening set, falling 13-11, 10-12, 4-11, 7-11 to Hong Kong’s Chan Sin Yuk in another quarterfinal tie.
Meanwhile, there is a possibility of an all-Malaysian final in the men’s singles category as Ng Eain Yow and Ivan Yuen sailed into tomorrow’s semifinals.
Defending champion and top seed Eain Yow brushed aside compatriot Muhammad Addeen Idrakie Bahtiar 11-3, 11-4, 11-4 in just 25 minutes in the quarterfinals.
The 25-year-old Eain Yow will face Hong Kong’s Henry Leung, who took about an hour to down compatriot Wong Chi Him 11-5, 11-3, 6-11, 11-7 in the last eight.
Ivan, meanwhile, defeated home favourite Tang Ming Hong 14-12, 11-5, 11-8 to set up a semifinal date against India’s S. Velavan. – Bernama, June 8, 2023
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