Malaysian Open Squash: Sivasangari advances to semi-finals

KUALA LUMPUR: National women's squash player S. Sivasangari is the only player left to carry the country's challenge in the Malaysian Open Squash Championships semi-finals at the National Squash Centre in Bukit Jalil.
Senior player Sivasangari had no trouble disposing compatriot Aifa Azman 11-9, 11-4, 11-3 in the quarter-finals today at Arena Nicol David.
On the match, Sivasangari said she faced a stiff fight by junior player Aifa in the first set.
Sivasangari will be meeting Satomi Watanabe of Japan who defeated second seed Rachel Arnold 11-4, 11-6, 11-7.
For the record, Sivasangari had beaten Watanabe four times in five encounters this year.

Sivasangari said the slots for the final were now wide open as the players, including top seed Zeina Mickawy of Egypt, were from the same batch.
"The players here will face the same pressure as Satomi, Zeina and I were in one batch. Perhaps the home ground would be an advantage to me ... but it would not be easy, just keeping my fingers crossed," she told reporters after the match.
The last Malaysian woman player to win the Malaysian Open title was Datuk Nicol David in 2013. — Bernama