Asiad-bound Syafiq aims to make the cut for home tourney

KUALA LUMPUR: National No. 4 squash player Mohd Syafiq Kamal has achieved the first of his two goals by making the Asian Games squad.

The world No. 78 is now aiming to achieve his second target by getting into the main draw of the US$35,000 (RM141,231) Malaysian Open Squash Championships from July 17-22 at the National Squash Centre in Bukit Jalil.

The 21-year-old Syafiq enjoyed a fine run at the National Championships last week as he got the better of world No. 87 Addeen Idrakie in a crucial five-setter in the quarter-finals.

The win over Addeen secured Syafiq a spot for the Asian Games alongside national No. 1 Muhd Nafiizwan Adnan, national champion Ivan Yuen and Ng Eain Yow.

The Kelantan-born player is now looking to justify his selection with another stellar performance in the Malaysian Open.

“I gave my best against Nafiizwan in the semi-finals but it just wasn’t enough in the end. I lost out in small margins,” said Syafiq.

“It was the same against Eain Yow in the third-place playoff. He stayed ahead of me even though I did pretty well.

“Now, I’m feeling confident with my game, I want to show that I can do well on the PSA Tour too. My goal is to get past the qualifiers and make the main draw of the Malaysian Open.”

Fourth seed Syafiq will start from the qualifiers together with Addeen, Ryan Pasqual, Ong Sai Hung, Mohd Farez Izwan and Darryl Gan and India’s No. 4 Mahesh Mangaokar, England’s Angus Gilliams and Kuwait’s Ammar Altamimi.

Nafiizwan, Ivan and Eain Yow will start from the tournament proper.

Nafiizwan will meet Ivan in the first round while Eain Yow is up against seventh seed Chris Simpson of England.

Former world No. 5 Low Wee Wern will look to put the disappointment of finishing second at last week’s national meet by earning a spot in the main draw of the US$15,000 (RM60,527) women’s event.

The 27-year-old Penangite, who is back after a 20-month injury layoff, is one of eight Malaysians in the qualifiers.

Newly crowned national champion S. Sivasangari, Rachel Arnold and Nazihah Hanis will start in the main draw.