Big challenge
LIMELIGHT: Sivasangari expects a tough test in world meet
It will, however, be a great test of 17-yearold Sivasangari’s character as Malaysia prepare to open against the Netherlands tomorrow before facing Austria and Australia in other Group C ties.
But having won six PSA Tour titles this year and the Asian Junior Under-19 title alongside reaching the semi-finals of the World Junior Championship, Sivasangari feels ready to shoulder the burden of expectations.
“I don’t consider myself a senior player yet even though I made the senior team,” said Sivasangari, who played an instrumental role in helping Malaysia retain the Asian Team Championship women’s title in May.
“I feel excited to be going to the World Team Championship for the first time and join top players like Nicol and Delia. I did not know I was going to be in the team so I’m quite happy.”
With Rachel Arnold named as Wee Wern’s replacement, the Malaysian squad saw just one change from the side which won the Asian team title in Taipeh.
World No 5 Nicol and Wee Wern both skipped the Asian meet leaving Delia to lead a young squad featuring Sivasangari, Rachel and Teh Min Jie to victory.
“The Asian Team Championship was a good experience but it was just me with Delia, Rachael and Min Jie,” said Sivasangari, who stretched World No 15 Delia to five
helped Malaysia retain the Asian Team Championship women’s title in May. games at the recent National Championships semi-finals.
“At the Worlds, there will be stronger teams like England and Egypt and that is going to be tough. But being in this team is a big motivation for me and playing at the Nationals was good preparation for the Worlds.”
Meanwhile, despite 27th-ranked Wee Wern’s withdrawal, Malaysia remain seeded third behind Egypt and England in Paris.
Wee Wern played a major role in Malaysia reaching the final in 2014 when she downed Egypt’s Nour El Sherbini, the current world champion and No 1, in the semi-finals.
But the World Squash Federation saw no need to change Malaysia’s seeding despite Wee Wern’s absence, leaving the national team with a good chance of reaching the semi-finals.