MALAYSIA continued to showcase dominance in Asian squash as five national women’s players advanced to the quarter-finals of the 2025 Asian Individual Championships at the Sarawak Squash Centre, Petra Jaya, today.
Top seed Rachel Arnold had little trouble dispatching Japan’s Risa Sugimoto in straight games, winning 11-5, 11-7, 11-8.
The 29-year-old is set to face China’s Tong Tsz Wing, who earlier defeated Singapore’s Au Yeong Wai Yhann 11-4, 11-6, 11-7.
Also recording a comfortable victory was Aira Azman, who overwhelmed Japan’s Boram Ryoo 11-1, 11-3, 11-4. Aira is scheduled to face fellow Malaysian Yee Xin Ying in tomorrow’s last eight. Earlier, Yee beat another Japanese opponent, Erisa Sano, 11-4, 11-4, 9-11, 11-7.
Aifa Azman also secured her place by defeating Chan Sin Yuk of China 11-3, 11-5, 11-5. She will next face another Chinese player, Lee Ka Yi.
Another Malaysian player, Ainaa Amani, extended the women’s team’s excellence by defeating Japan’s Akari Midorikawa 11-3, 11-3, 11-6. Ainaa is set to meet Ho Tze Lok in another quarter-final tie.
Meanwhile, in the men’s category, Joachim Chuah advanced to the last eight after a hard-fought five-game battle against Pakistan’s Noor Zaman, winning 11-3, 11-3, 3-11, 10-12, 11-2. Joachim will face India’s Velavan Senthilkumar next.
His teammate, Ameeshenraj Chandaran, also earned a convincing win, defeating India’s Suraj Chand 5-11, 11-3, 11-4, 11-3 to book a meeting with top Qatari seed, Abdulla Al-Tamimi.
Squash Racquets Association of Malaysia (SRAM) head coach, Shahril Shahidan expressed confidence in the growing maturity of the young Malaysian players in high-intensity matches.
“In the women’s category, we have strong hopes, especially with Rachel as the top seed.
“As for the men’s matches, they are expected to be more intense, but I believe in the physical ability and fighting spirit of our young players. Our hope is for them to remain consistent,” he told Bernama.
