Honeymoon can wait for Zulhijjah in quest for squash title


National squash player Zulhijjah Azan in action in last year's world meet qualifying tournament. - The STAR Filepic

PETALING JAYA: Zulhijjah Azan is putting off her honeymoon – at least until she finishes the sixth leg of the Malaysian Tour Squash Circuit (SSJM) in Kangar.

The 25-year-old international tied the knot with national cricket player Syazrul Ezat Idrus last Saturday.

And Zulhijjah is jumping straight back into action when she takes on Pakistan’s Sadia Gul in the first round on Wednesday.

The world No. 82 is hoping to make her first professional final.

“I didn’t have any break yet since getting married on Saturday. I’ll most probably take some time out after competing in Kangar,” said Zulhijjah who made the semi-finals of the fifth leg in Kuching last month.

“My training under Peter (Genever) has been going well. We’ve been working on correcting my techniques.

“I definitely hope to finish this tournament strongly. It would be great to get into the final,” added Zulhijjah.

If fifth seed Zulhijjah gets past Sadia, she is expected to meet fourth seed and SEA Games team-mate Teh Min Jie in the quarter-finals.

The other Malaysian women in action are second seed Vanessa Raj, third seed Rachel Arnold and juniors Zoe Foo, Andrea Lee, S. Sivasangari and Aika Azman.

Ex-international Mohd Asyraf Azan, Zulhijjah’s brother, is the top seed in the men’s event. He takes on a qualifier in the first round.

The other Malaysians competing are Ivan Yuen, Sanjay Singh Chal, Ng Eain Yow, Gurshan Singh, Mohd Hannan Tarmidi, Mohd Syafiq Kamal and Andrew Lee.

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