Hosts India, Egypt, and top seeds Hong Kong also advance as semi-finals set for Chennai tomorrow
Japan edged Malaysia to reach the semi-finals of the SDAT Squash World Cup in Chennai, joining hosts India, defending champions Egypt, and top seeds Hong Kong, China in the last four.
The No.4 seeds advanced by a single game on a Games Won count-back after the mixed team tie ended 2-2 in matches. Aifa Azman gave Malaysia an early lead, but Akari Midorikawa and Satomi Watanabe turned the tie in Japan’s favour, setting up a dramatic decider.
Malaysia’s Mohammad Syafiq Kamal delivered a heroic performance in the final match, saving three match balls and taking crucial games to keep Malaysia in contention. Tomotaka Endo clinched the decisive game for Japan 7-3, securing the team’s spot in the semi-finals despite Kamal’s efforts in the fourth game.
Japan will face Hong Kong, China in the semi-finals after the top seeds defeated Switzerland 3-0 in just 50 minutes. The other semi-final sees hosts India take on defending champions Egypt, with India feeding off the energy of a home crowd and Egypt dominating Australia to reach the last four.
The semi-finals take place tomorrow, 13 December, from 15:00 at Express Avenue Mall, Chennai, with playoff ties starting from 10:30 at Express Avenue and the Indian Squash Academy. Fans can watch live on the Olympic Channel, ANOC TV, WORLDSQUASH.TV, and the YouTube pages of the Squash Rackets Federation of India and the Government of Tamil Nadu.
