Squash team game for tough competition at Asian Mixed Doubles Championship

PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian squash team are brimming with excitement as they gear up for the Asian Mixed Doubles Championship starting at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre Squash Court in China today.

A total of 42 players from 10 countries have confirmed their participation in this edition.

The championship will also serve as a test event for the Hangzhou Asian Games, which will take place at the same venue in September.

Aifa Azman will partner Syafiq Kamal as the top seeded pair for this competition and are in Pool A alongside the South Korean duo Lee Jih-yun-Na Joo-young and Philippines pair Yvonne Alyssa Dalida-David William Pelino.

Rachel Arnold-Ivan Yuen will compete as the second seed against Singapore’s Simmy Ong Zhe Sim-Timothy Leong Yew Sing and China’s Li Dongjin-Zhou Zhitao in Pool B.

Another Malaysian pair Ainaa Amani Ampandi-Addeen Idrakie are in Pool F as the sixth seed in and will pose a great challenge to the Hong Kong pair Cheng Nga Ching-Matthew Lai Cheuk Nam, Singapore’s Gracia Chua Rui En-Jerome Aw Jin Ming and Thailand’s Supakorn Ngamprasert-Nopcahnok Buranakul.

“Syafiq and I have been preparing exceptionally well, we participated in the National Mixed Doubles Championship last week and emerged victorious. We hope that this success will stand us in good stead to face tough competition in Hangzhou,” said Aifa.

Rachel said the event will also decide the Malaysian combinations for the mixed doubles event at the Asian Games.

“It depends on my performance and Ivan’s in China. I don’t mind playing either in singles or in doubles, but I’m excited to compete and see our capabilities. We have also improved our communication on the court and it’s getting better, so I hope we can perform well there,” said Rachel.