Sivasangari and Aira cruise into Asian Games squash quarter-finals as title defence rolls on
Defending champion Sivasangari and Aira Azman both won in straight games, while Malaysia's two mixed doubles pairs also reached the last eight.
Malaysia's women's squash stars made quick work of their opponents on Thursday, 24 September, as S. Sivasangari and Aira Azman both booked places in the Asian Games women's singles quarter-finals in Aichi-Nagoya.
Malaysia's two mixed doubles pairs also advanced, leaving the country with plenty of medal chances as the squash competition moves into the business end.
Sivasangari in control
Sivasangari, the world No. 5 and top seed, began the defence of her Asian Games title by beating Sri Lanka's Chanithma Sinaly Veera Samiyel 11-3, 11-5, 11-3.
"I am happy with the way I started. I am still trying to get used to the court and adapt to the surroundings, so everything has been going well so far," Sivasangari told Bernama.
Her quarter-final opponent is Hong Kong's Ho Tze Lok, ranked 39th in the world.
Sivasangari made history at the Hangzhou Asian Games (held in 2023) by winning gold in both the women's singles and team events. This year there is an added prize: Malay Mail reported that winning gold in Aichi-Nagoya serves as a qualifying route for the LA 2028 Olympics, where squash will make its debut.
"Both are important. Representing Malaysia is always a big thing, and the Asian Games are also very important to me. This year, there is another motivation, which is to secure an Olympic berth," she said before the Games.
Aira survives a wobble
Aira Azman, ranked 24th in the world and seeded fourth, beat Iran's Najmeh Boushehrizadeh 11-2, 11-2, 12-10. The third game was much tighter than the first two, and Aira admitted her concentration slipped.
"I was comfortable in the first two sets but lost a bit of focus in the third," she told Bernama.
Aira now meets Hong Kong's Chan Sin Yuk in the quarter-finals, a rematch of their 2022 meeting.
Mixed doubles pairs through
In the mixed doubles, top seeds Mohd Syafiq Mohd Kamal and Aifa Azman beat Japan's Renshi Makino and Risa Sugimoto 11-5, 11-3 in the round of 16. They face Hong Kong's Tang Ming Hong and Lee Ka Yi next.
Second seeds C. Ameeshenraj and Rachel Arnold were even more dominant, beating China's Zhang Yuning and Li Haizhen 11-5, 11-1. They will face a South Korean pair in the last eight.
Quarter-finals today
According to World Squash, the quarter-finals are being played today, 25 September, with mixed doubles starting at 10am Japan time (9am Malaysian time) and singles from 12pm Japan time (11am Malaysian time).
With both singles players and both mixed doubles pairs seeded, Malaysia will be hoping for a strong day that puts several athletes in line for medals.
Key takeaways
- Sivasangari beat Sri Lanka's Chanithma Sinaly 11-3, 11-5, 11-3 and faces Hong Kong's Ho Tze Lok in the quarter-finals.
- Aira Azman beat Iran's Najmeh Boushehrizadeh 11-2, 11-2, 12-10 and meets Hong Kong's Chan Sin Yuk next.
- Both Malaysian mixed doubles pairs, Syafiq/Aifa and Ameeshenraj/Rachel, reached the quarter-finals.
- Asian Games gold is a qualifying route to squash's Olympic debut at LA 2028.
FAQ
Is Sivasangari the defending Asian Games champion? Yes. She won the women's singles and team golds at the Hangzhou Asian Games in 2023.
Who does Sivasangari play in the quarter-finals? Hong Kong's Ho Tze Lok, the world No. 39.
Why is the Asian Games squash title extra important this year? According to Malay Mail, gold in Aichi-Nagoya serves as a qualifying route for the LA 2028 Olympics, where squash will be played for the first time.
Sources: Bernama, Malay Mail, World Squash, Newswav