Sivasangari defends Asian Games title, sets sights on world No. 1 and Olympic gold

S. Sivasangari won the gold that completed Malaysia's six-gold target at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. She is also now heading to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.

The world No. 5 and top seed beat India's Anahat Singh 11-4, 11-4, 11-7 in the women's singles final at the Nagoya Kinjofuto Arena on Sunday, 27 September. She keeps the title she won at Hangzhou 2022 and becomes the second Malaysian, after Ng Eain Yow, to qualify for LA28.

From semi-final to final

Sivasangari reached the final by beating Hong Kong's Chan Sin Yuk 11-6, 11-8, 11-7 on Saturday.

According to The Star, she had some well-known support before that match. Datuk Nicol Ann David, Malaysia's greatest squash player and a former Asian Games champion, was in Nagoya and met Sivasangari before the semi-final.

"So I think it has come full circle. Now she's watching me play at my third Asian Games," Sivasangari said. "I'm happy to have her here and happy for her to see how Malaysian squash players have progressed."

In the final she dropped just 15 points across three games against Anahat, the world No. 17.

Handling the pressure

This was Sivasangari's first Asian Games as top seed. She admitted that came with extra pressure.

"This Asian Games was slightly different because I came as the top seed. So, there was a little pressure, but I am happy with the way I controlled my emotions and the way I played throughout this week," she said, according to Bernama.

Her record at the Games keeps getting better. She won silver on her debut at Jakarta-Palembang 2018 and gold at Hangzhou 2022, and she has now retained that title.

Coming back from the crash

Reuters, in a report carried by The Star, recalled the road accident near Kuala Lumpur about four years ago that left Sivasangari with neck and spine injuries.

"I definitely went through a tough journey," the 27-year-old said. "My low was pretty low, but I'm glad I managed to bounce back."

Next targets: top three, then world No. 1

With her Olympic place secure, the Kedah-born player has set clear goals.

"I want to perform well on the PSA Tour and try to improve my ranking to be among the top three in the world by the end of the season," she said.

"I hope I can do it and eventually become the world number one player and win Olympic gold."

Still more to play for in Nagoya

Her Asian Games is not over yet. The squash team events run from 28 September to 2 October. World Squash named Malaysia's women's team of Sivasangari, Aira Azman, Aifa Azman and Rachel Arnold as the top seeds. They are also the defending champions from Hangzhou.

Key takeaways

• Sivasangari beat Anahat Singh 11-4, 11-4, 11-7 to retain her Asian Games title.
• The gold was Malaysia's sixth and completed the national target.
• She beat Hong Kong's Chan Sin Yuk 11-6, 11-8, 11-7 in the semi-finals.
• She has qualified for LA28 and wants to reach the world top three this season.

FAQ

What was the score in Sivasangari's final? She beat India's Anahat Singh 11-4, 11-4, 11-7 on 27 September 2026.

Who did she beat in the semi-finals? Hong Kong's Chan Sin Yuk, 11-6, 11-8, 11-7.

Is Sivasangari playing in the team event? Yes. She is named in Malaysia's top-seeded women's team, which is defending its Hangzhou 2022 title.

Sources: Bernama, The Star (incl. Reuters), Malay Mail, World Squash