Impressive start for Aifa
was a solid start for Aifa Azman as she marched into the quarter-finals of the SRAM PSA 1 Championships yesterday.
After missing more than a year of Professional Squash Association (PSA) Tour events due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Aifa was eager to impress in the SRAM meet that signalled the return of competitive squash in the country.
The third seed, who received a first-round bye, defeated N. Shasmithaa 11-2, 11-3, 11-3 in the second round at the National
RESULTS — Men’s 1st rd:
Hafiz Zhafri bt Joachim Chuah 11-4, 119, 12-10; Siow Yee Xian bt Ishant Shah 11-7, 11-4, 6-11, 6-11, 11-8; Darryl Gan bt Harith Danial 11-9, 11-7, 11-7; Duncan Lee bt Shamiel Haeyzad Sharulhisam 11-9, 11-6, 11-0; Hi Jia Rong bt Mivesh Kumar 11-9, 6-11, 11-7, 11-7; C. Ameeshenraj bt Amir Amirul Azhar 118, 9-11, 6-11, 11-8, 11-5; Adam Agan Aziz bt Fayyad
Wajdi Hashim 11-4, 116, 11-5; Andrik Lim
Squash Centre in Bukit Jalil.
“It was a good start to the tournament for me,” said the World No 64.
“I’m very pleased that I moved well on the court after being out for so long.
“I wasn’t expecting to face Shasmithaa in the second round, but she had a good first-round win, so I had to change my game plan a little.
“I’m looking forward to playing on the glass court in the quarter-finals and progress even further.”
bt Shauqi Halim 8-11, 11-3, 11-8, 11-7.
2nd rd: Ong Sai Hung bt Darryl Gan 11-3, 11-8, 11-2; Addeen Idrakie bt Duncan Lee 11-5, 11-7, 11-0; Darren Rahul Pragasam bt Hi Jia Rong 11-7, 11-3, 11-5; Adam
Aifa plays eighth seed Noor Ainaa Amani Ampandi today.
Ainaa denied a sibling showdown by beating Aira Azman 11-5, 9-11, 11-9, 13-11 in the second round.
Also safely through to the quarter-finals was second seed Rachel Arnold, who downed K. Sehveetrraa 11-4, 11-7, 11-3.
The World No 44 meets Chan Yiwen, who defeated Angie Ooi 11-6, 11-7, 11-5, in the last eight.
In the men’s event, second seed Syafiq Kamal, third seed Addeen Idrakie and fourth seed Darren Rahul Pragasam all safely progressed into the quarter-finals.
Agan Aziz bt Wee Ming Hock 1311, 11-6, 12-10; Syafiq Kamal bt Andrik Lim 11-9, 11-3, 11-4. Women’s 1st rd: Nur Maisara Azlan Shah bt Anrie Goh 11-2, 119, 5-11, 11-4; U. Thanusaa bt Doyce Lee 5-11, 11-5, 11-6, 11-5; Yashmita Jadishkumar bt Wong Heng Wai 11-5, 11-8, 7-11, 8-11, 11-6; N. Shasmithaa bt Goh Zhi Xuan 11-8, 11-6, 11-6; K. Sehveetrraa bt Whitney Isabelle Wilson 11-4, 11-2, 11-3.
2nd rd: Ooi Kah Yan bt Yashmita Jadishkumar 11-4, 11-6, 11-4; Aifa Azman bt N. Shasmithaa 11-2, 11-3, 11-3; Chan Yiwen bt Angie Ooi 11-6, 11-7, 115; Rachel Arnold bt K. Sehveetrraa 11-4, 11-7, 11-3; Noor Ainaa Amani Ampandi bt Aira Azman 115, 9-11, 11-9, 13-11.