The amazing comeback

Golden girl: S.Sivasangari celebrates after beating Nele Gilis of Belgium to win the semi-final match at the London Classic. — PSA

Sivasangari goes through turbulent period in career to reach her best

PETALING JAYA: In June two years ago, Sivasangari was in a hospital bed, with severe fractures on her face and, more frighteningly, a fracture of her C1 vertebra after a serious car accident.

For two months, she wore a neck collar and often needed her mother to give her a bath.

Her squash career seemed to be over.

Two years on, the scar on her forehead still tells of her struggles – but what a feat she has achieved in her amazing comeback.

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She not only recovered from her injuries and returned to court but beat all odds to win her first PSA World Tour Gold title as a seventh seeded player. It’s the kind of story fairy tales are made of.The story of her recovery is a profound one. She managed two gold medals from an impressive Asian Games campaign in Hangzhou last September - individual and team event.

It was a sign that she intended to step up and become the new Malaysian squash queen - one for whom Malaysians had desperately been waiting for since eight-time world champion Nicol David hung up her racquets five years ago.

The Kedah-born player sent a strong statement to the world squash community in London by bundling out three o the top four players in the world en route to winning the London Squash Classic title.

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First, she startled the squash world with a shock quarter-final victory over world No. 1 Nour El Sherbini of Egypt. Then, she beat world No. 4 Nele Gilis of Belgium to reach the final.

It was April Fools Day on Monday but Sivasangari was not fooling around. She again outlasted another top Egyptian – world No. 2 Hania El Hammamy - in a five-game final thriller.

Her father K. Subramaniam was understandably proud. He said that what his daughter has achieved had been unimaginable just almost two years ago when they first saw her lying on the hospital bed after the car crash.

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“We were devastated as there was the chance that she would probably never play competitive squash anymore.

“It broke our hearts at that time. There were people who wanted to support her getting treatment in the United States and suggested that we fly her there. But I had faith in the specialists in Putrajaya Hospital.

But four months later, Sivasangari was back on the courts to train again.

“For me, it’s a real good comeback she achieved. It is her determination to recover her fitness back and also her game.

ALSO READ: Malaysians united in celebrating Sivasangari’s victory

“From young, she has never been one to stay quiet. Once she decides to do something, you can be sure she will pursue it with full commitment,” he said.

And Sivasangari has not forgotten her support base.

“This win shows that if I believe in myself, I can do it. I dedicate this win to my family, my coaches (David Palmer and Ajaz Azmat), my mental training and strength trainer, and all my supporters back in Malaysia.

“A huge thank you to my sponsors for always believing in me,” said the 25-year-old.

Now, she can prepare for her ultimate target – to deliver the gold, likely Malaysia’s first-ever, in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics when squash makes its debut.