Can’t break her stride
Sivasangari hasn’t lost her touch despite three-month layoff
PETALING JAYA: S. Sivasangari showed that she hasn’t lost her touch despite taking a threemonth break from squash.
The 18-year-old took time out from the sport in April to focus on her final year examinations.
It was as if she never left the game as she swept past teammate Zoe Foo to book a spot in the quarter-finals of the World Junior Championships in Tauranga, New Zealand, yesterday.
The world No. 59 won their fourth-round clash 11-5, 11-6, 11-9 in just 22 minutes.
The Kedahan is hoping to keep the run going when she takes on top seed Hania El Hammamy of Egypt for a place in the semi-finals.
World No. 35 Hania proved too strong for Malaysian Chan Yiwen, prevailing 11- 3, 11- 5, 11-4.
“It wasn’t easy playing Zoe because we know each other’s game so well,” said Sivasangari, who was a semi-finalist in last year’s world juniors.
“I’m definitely pleased to make the quarter-finals since it’s my first tournament after my break.
“I want to do better than last year as this is my last world juniors. The pressure will be on Hania as she’s the top seed.”
World No. 80 Andrea Lee also made the last eight after dispatching England’s Elise Lazarus 11-9, 11-8, 11-8.
The joint fifth-eighth seed will meet Egypt’s joint third-fourth seed Rowan Reda for a place in the semi-finals.
Fifteen-year-old Aifa Azman fell to a 10-12, 11-13, 7-11 loss to second seed Zeina Mickawy of Egypt.
Malaysia’s challenge in the boys’ event has come to an end after Ong Sai Hung and Darren Rahul Pragasam failed to get past higher-ranked opponents.
The 18-year-old Sai Hung went down fighting 11-9, 14-16, 16-14, 7-11, 5-11 to top seed Youssef Ibrahim of Egypt.