NATIONAL top women’s squash player S. Sivasangari has become Malaysia’s sole representative at the Egyptian Open 2025 after advancing to the third round in Giza.
Her progress followed the elimination of three other Malaysian players including Rachel Arnold, Aira Azman, and national men’s number one Ng Eain Yow during the second round.
The seventh-seeded Sivasangari required only 29 minutes to defeat Egypt’s Nour Heikal with scores of 13-11, 11-9, 11-5.
The 26-year-old will next compete against England’s Jasmine Hutton, who overcame her compatriot Grace Gear with scores of 11-3, 11-5, 11-7.
Hopes for an all-Malaysian third-round clash between world number 19 Rachel Arnold and world number 28 Aira Azman failed to materialise as both players lost to their respective opponents.
Rachel suffered her fifth consecutive defeat to world number 15 Salma Hany of Egypt, losing 5-11, 11-2, 4-11, 15-17 while Aira fell to world number three Hania El Hammamy with scores of 9-11, 9-11, 5-11.
Salma and Hania will now face each other in an all-Egyptian third-round encounter tomorrow.
Meanwhile, Eain Yow crashed out after surrendering his first set win of 11-8 before falling to Egypt’s Kareem El Torkey with subsequent scores of 9-11, 8-11, 5-11. – Bernama