KUALA LUMPUR – National squash coach Ajaz Azmat refuses to place undue pressure on his charges despite having seven players set to compete in the World Squash Championships, which will kick off on May 9 in Cairo, Egypt.
Among the seven players, six will be playing for the women’s title: S. Sivasangari, Ainaa Amani, Rachel Arnold, sisters Aira and Aifa Azman, as well as Chan Yiwen, who secured the last slot through the Asian qualifiers for the championships in Kuala Lumpur last month.
Ng Eain Yow will be Malaysia’s sole men’s representative, and he will face world number 17 Baptiste Masotti from France in the first round.
The situation is similarly challenging in the women’s draw, with the Malaysian players facing tough opponents in their quest to advance far in the championships.
Sivasangari, seeded 13th, is expected to comfortably handle her first-round opponent, Ineta Hopton from Latvia.
However, the true test awaits in the third round, where she could potentially face off against second-seed Hania El Hammamy from Egypt.
Formidable opponents also await the other Malaysian players, with Ainaa set to face the 46th-ranked Marie Stephan of France.
Yiwen will challenge 38th-ranked Katie Malliff, while Aifa must surpass the hurdle posed by world number seven Tinne Gilis.
Meanwhile, Rachel will play Georgina Kennedy, who is sixth in the world rankings.
Aira, however, finds solace as she prepares to compete against Marta Dominguez, ranked 62nd in the world, providing her with a comparatively favourable matchup.
Since Datuk Nicol David claimed victory in Cairo in 2014, no Malaysian has made the semi-finals in subsequent editions, including David herself, who retired in 2019.
“It will be a dream come true for me and a significant milestone for Malaysian squash after Datuk Nicol did it. There is a chance Sangari wil play in the third round against Hania El Hammamy, and it won’t be easy.
“The last time they met at the London Classic, they played to five sets. On the day of the match, it will be crucial for us.
“She has nothing to prove in this round as we don’t want to burden her with unnecessary pressure. Just let her play and showcase her best,” said Ajaz.
In their last meeting, at the London Classic last month, Sivasangari upset El Hammamy in the final to be crowned champion, marking her first Gold-level title in the PSA World Tour calendar.
Therefore, Ajaz expects El Hammamy and her coach to prepare meticulously to ensure they do not succumb, once again, to Sivasangari’s game.
“For me, this is normal, when you win, your opponents will surely evaluate their weaknesses to avoid repeating them when they meet again.
“The same goes for us, and I can say that throughout last week when Sangari returned to Malaysia to join the training camp with other players, she showed a high level of commitment during training sessions, as did the other players.
“Nevertheless, we will try our best for the country,” Ajaz added. – May 7, 2024