MEN CARRY NATION’S HOPES
Top women players not competing in Asian Championships
DEVINDER SINGH devinder@nst.com.my
THE Squash Association of Malaysia (SRAM) are banking on the men’s squad to deliver at the Asian Championships in Chennai this week in the absence of the country’s leading women’s players.
National men’s champion Nafiizwan Adnan, who won the Asian title in 2011, is seeded third and will lead Malaysia’s charge for honours at the tournament which begins on Wednesday.
But the women’s squad are without nine-time Asian champion Nicol David, who is skipping the tournament while Low Wee Wern is recovering from injury and top national junior S. Sivasangari is sitting for examinations.
SRAM director of coaching Mej (rtd) S. Maniam said the men’s squad, who include Ivan Yuen, Addeen Idrakie Bahtiar and world junior champion Ng Eain Yow, are Malaysia’s strongest.
“The men’s squad are the best we have but the women’s squad we can safely say are a back-up or second stringers,” said Maniam, who left with the players and coaches for Chennai yesterday.
“The men have all trained very hard and we’ve had a look at the draw it’s tough for Ivan for example. It’s by no means an easy draw, you have to beat people to get where you want.
“But Nafiizwan and Ivan have set their targets to get on the podium and I would very much like to see that. It is to get our men’s players on the podium and the way we prepared them, I’m convinced it’s one of the better preparations we’ve had in a long time. I’m happy with that.”
Nafiizwan and Ivan are due to clash in the quarter-finals while Addeen and Eain Yow would do well to reach the last eight.
In the absence of Nicol and Wee Wern, reigning Sea Games champion Rachel Arnold and juniors Andrea Lee, Zoe Foo and Aifa Azman make up the women’s squad.
“The sad part is that Nicol, who has won this event many times, isn’t there while Wee Wern is recovering from injury,” said Maniam.
“So, we’ve had to go with our second stringers but that is the sad part.
“The good thing is that these girls (except Rachel) are all playing at the World Juniors in New Zealand and this is a really good, solid preparation.
“It gives us an idea of where the girls stand vis-a-vis the seniors and their level of players playing in the event. I’m happy in that respect.
“That is also the reason why I have taken juniors coach Andrew Cross as an assistant coach for this event. I’m looking forward to see the girls go however far they can and I’m looking more at performance rather than results.”