Aifa outshines Sri Lanka’s Issadeen in Asian meet first round

PETALING JAYA: Newly crowned Malaysian Open squash champion Aifa Azman easily cleared the first round at the Asian Individual Championships in Islamabad, Pakistan.

Aifa defeated Fathoum Issadeen of Sri Lanka 11-5, 11-5, 11-4 and will take on Hong Kong’s fourth seed Tong Tsz Wing for a place in the women’s singles semi-final today.

It will be the first test for the fifth seeded Malaysian, who has high hopes of ending the year with a bang by winning her third straight title.

Aifa won her first Malaysian Open title and went on to play a pivotal role to help Malaysia claim a double when they hosted the Asian Team Championships recently.

Noor Ainaa Amani Ampandi beat Zynab Khan of Pakistan 11-5, 11-2, 11-0 and will go up against top seed Liu Tsz Ling of Hong Kong in the quarter-finals today.

In the men’s event, Syafiq Kamal had to go the distance to beat Kuwait’s Ammar Al Tamimi 5-11, 5-11, 11-6, 11-2, 11-4 while Addeen Idrakie overcame Sri Lanka’s Shamil Wakeel 11-5, 11-8, 11-6.

National No. 1 Ng Eain Yow and No. 2 Ivan Yuen had first-round byes and will see action today. For the record, Malaysia have not taken the men’s title since Nafiizwan Adnan won in 2011 while eight-time world champion Nicol David was the last Malaysian women’s winner in 2015.