NO ‘MENTAL BACKUP’ FOR SIVASANGARI
But Malaysian No. 1 is well psyched up for World Championships after London Classic success
ASIAN champion S. Sivasangari won’t have mental trainer Jesse Engelbrecht at the US$565,000 (RM2,681,648) World Squash Championships which will begin in Cairo today.
But the Malaysian world No. 13 is still psyched up against Egypt’s big guns in their own backyard.
Sivasangari is in high spirits after being named Athlete of the Month for April by The World Games after her London Classic triumph last month where she upset Egypt’s world No. 1 Nour El Sherbini and world No. 3 Hania El Hammamy, and
Belgium’s world No. 4 Nele Gilis.
Comparatively, the Kedahan had a fraught preparation for last year’s World Championships in Chicago, having to make a comeback after a serious road accident. She lost to Egypt’s Rowan Elaraby in the first round.
Sivasangari will open her campaign against Latvia’s Ineta Hopton tomorrow. Her first serious challenge should come in the third round against Hania.
However, Sivasangari was given a grim preview of what she can expect after losing to Egypt’s world No. 3 Nouran Gohar in straight sets in the El Gouna Open second round last month. Since then she has been focusing on her mental strength and tactics.
“I want to focus on one match at a time. Every match will be tough, so I just want to focus from the start and do my best,” she said.
Squash Racquets Association of Malaysia director Major (rtd) S. Maniam said: “Sivasangari is legendary when it comes to training as she trains three times a day. She is in good form and in high spirits.
“She has the tendency to bounce back and give her best against Egyptian players in their own backyard.
“I’m confident she will do well in Cairo. But she will not have mental trainer, Jesse, along with her because he is based in London and does not travel with players.”
National women’s champion and world No. 40 Aira Azman is expecting a good outing in Cairo following her splendid performance in the El Gouna Open where she stunned Egypt’s world No. 30 Hana Ramadan and Scotland’s world No. 32 Georgia Adderley before losing to England’s world No. 6 Georgina Kennedy in the third round.
Aira will meet Spain’s Marta Dominguez in the first round while her elder sister, Aifa, faces a tough opener against Belgium’s world No. 8 Tinne Gilis.
National women’s No. 2 Rachel Arnold, who will feature in the World Championships for the fifth time, has never gone past the second round. The world No. 26 will face England’s world No. 6 Georgina Kennedy in the first round.
Rachel, 28, said: “It’s quite a tough draw. Georgina has been playing well recently (winning the Edinburg Open in March and German Open last month).”
Ainaa Amani will meet France’s Marie Stephan in the first round while Chan Yiwen, making her debut in the world meet, will play England’s atie Maliff.
In the men’s section, Ng Eain Yow got a boost ahead of the World Championships when his world ranking rose by one rung to No. 17.
The Bristol-based Asian champion, who won the German Open last month, will face France’s world No. 18 Baptiste Masotti in the first round.
Maniam said: “It will be a very close match but I believe that Eain Yow will beat Masotti.”
National men’s No. 2 Addeen Idrakie, who will feature for the first time in the World Championships, will battle Egypt’s Karim El Hammamy in the opener.