Sanjay eager to make up for lost time in world university meet
PETALING JAYA: Sanjay Singh Chal has fully recovered from a knee injury and is ready for action in the World University Squash Championships, which will be held at the National Squash Centre in Bukit Jalil from Sept 5-11.
The 22-year-old left-hander has barely played in a competition since injuring his knee towards the end of last year.
That saw the Sarawakian, who won the Singapore SEA Games gold medal and finished as runner-up in two Malaysian Tour Squash Circuit (SSJM) events last year, plunging to No. 135 in the world ranking.
Sanjay only returned to action earlier this month when he competed in the World Doubles Championships in Australia, partnering Ivan Yuen in men’s doubles and Delia Arnold in mixed doubles.
His appetite whetted, Sanjay, who is pursuing a diploma in business management at Universiti Malaya (UM), is eager to get going in the singles tournament.
“I really didn’t play much this year because I was recovering from my knee (cartilage) injury,” said Sanjay.
“The doubles meet was the first time I’d seen action all year ... I’m glad I got through it without aggravating my injury.
“I’m really looking forward to the varsity meet because it will be my first singles competition in a while.
“My ranking has also gone down quite a bit, so I’m hoping to get some good results in this tournament.
“As for targets, we’re really hoping to finish with a gold or a silver in the mixed team event.”
Sanjay and national No. 3 Mohd Addeen Idrakie are the only two players from this year’s five-member squad to have featured in the team who finished with a bronze medal in 2014.
The other players in this year’s squad are national No. 2 Ivan Yuen, women’s world No. 31 Low Wee Wern and 19-year-old Nazihah Hanis.
Twenty-one countries will be vying for the three gold medals – individual (men and women) and mixed team – up for grabs.
Defending mixed team champions Egypt are not sending their top players so Hong Kong, with on-form world No. 50 Yip Tsz Fung leading the line, should be Malaysia’s biggest threat in the quest for gold.