Sanjay-Sivasangari deliver
SANJAY Singh Chal should have pushed on after winning the Sea Games men’s singles squash gold in 2015 only for injuries to slow his development.
The Sarawak-born player saw his ranking plummet from a high of No 110 in the world in September 2015 to his current rank of 167th.
But now with a win in the mixed doubles with S. Sivasangari on Thursday at the National Squash Centre in Bukit Jalil, he gets a chance to realise the potential he showed two years ago.
Sanjay-Sivasangari edged a close final with teammates Ryan Pasqual-Andrea Lee 11-9, 11-10 for Malaysia’s third squash gold medal after the men’s and women’s doubles triumph on Wednesday.
For Sanjay, the mixed doubles gold makes up for the fact that he missed out on selection for the singles to Ng Eain Yow and Syafiq Kamal.
“I’m not disappointed with missing out on the singles,” said Sanjay, 23, who also won team gold in 2015. “Obviously I’ve been injured for a whole year and Eain Yow and Syafiq has caught up with me.
“I have to accept the fact that they are better than me. I will try to come back as strong as I can.
“Getting gold in mixed doubles means I have three in singles, doubles and team. I hope to play in more events but one is good enough for me.”
Sanjay said he expected the final to be close as the two pairs trained together ahead of the Games.
“Every training session between us in the two weeks before the Sea Games has been close,” he said. “So it was down to the tactics in the match and how both of us played which made the difference.
“There was no pressure on either pair but for Sangari and I we are looking towards the Commonwealth Games next year so winning this one gives us a better chance of being selected.”
Sivasangari, 18, turns her attention to the women’s singles which starts on Friday with top seeded teammate Rachel Arnold and Jemyca Aribado of the Philippines her main rivals for gold.
“I already have one gold medal and it gives me more confidence to play in the singles,” said World No 61 Sivasangari. “It won’t be easy with Jemyca and Rachel in there. My target is to win it, not be overconfident and put myself under pressure and to just do my best.” Devinder Singh