NAZIHAH SHINES THROUGH
She advances to the semis as men’s topseed Addeen disappoints
NAZIHAH Hanis Razak kept the country’s hopes alive by reaching the women’s semi-finals of the Malaysian Squash Tour’s first leg in Seri Menanti yesterday after the exit of men’s top seed Addeen Idrakie Bahtiar.
A 2017 Sea Games silver medallist in women’s doubles, Nazihah outlasted Welsh qualifier Ali Hemingway 11-8, 11-7, 2-11, 6-11, 11-4 to join Aika Azman as the only Malaysians through to the women’s last-four at the Seri Menanti Golf Club in Negri Sembilan.
“I was pretty firm with my game and was 2-0 up but then lost focus in the third and fourth games when my shots were not coming through,” said Nazihah.
“In the fifth, I cooled down and regained my focus and played like I did in the earlier games.”
World No 110 Nazihah will face India’s Sunayna Kuruvilla, who stunned second seed Jemyca Aribado of the Philippines 11-4, 8-11, 13-11, 11-6, for a place in the final.
“Sunayna played better than she did yesterday and I will have to stay focused throughout the match tomorrow,” added Nazihah, 20.
Aika, who struggled past national junior Ooi Kah Yan 4-11, 11-9, 9-11, 11-7, 13-11, takes on French top seed Enora Villard in the hope of setting up an all-Malaysian final.
I was pretty firm with my game and was 2-0 up but then lost focus in the third and fourth games when my shots were not coming through.”
Enora was forced to the distance by three-time British Junior Open champion Aifa Azman before scraping through 11-7, 12-14, 5-11,11-7, 11-9.
Wildcard Hannan Tarmidi made up for World No 114 Addeen’s exit after a 8-11, 117, 14-12, 11-9 upset of French second seed Geoffrey Demont.
Hannan, who knocked out sixth seed Elvinn Keo in the first round, takes on Pakistan’s Syed Ali Mujtaba Shah Bokhari in the semi-finals.
After taking five games to get past qualifier Gurshan Singh in the first round, national player Addeen fell to an 11-7, 12-10, 7-11, 14-12 upset by World No 127 Asim Khan of Pakistan.
RESULTS - Men’s q-finals: Asim Khan (Pak) bt Addeen Idrakie Bahtiar (Mas) 11-7, 12-10, 7-11, 14-12; Abhay Singh (Ind) bt Darren Rahul Pragasam (Mas) 10-12, 11-7, 6-11, 11-9, 11-7; Syed Ali Mujtaba Shah Bokhari (Pak) bt Guhan Senthilkumar (Ind) 11-9, 11-6, 11-6; Hannan Tarmidi (Mas) bt Geoffrey Demont (Fra) 8-11, 11-7, 14-12, 11-9.
Women’s q-finals: Enora Villard (Fra) bt Aifa Azman (Mas) 11-7, 12-14, 5-11,11-7, 119; Aika Azman (Mas) bt Ooi Kah Yan (Mas) 411, 11-9, 9-11, 11-7, 13-11; Nazihah Hanis Razak (Mas) bt Ali Hemingway (Wal) 11-8, 117, 2-11, 6-11, 11-4; Sunayna Kuruvilla (Ind) bt Jemyca Aribado (Phi) 11-4, 8-11, 13-11, 11-6.
NAZIHAH HANIS RAZAK