Flying start: Aira Azman in action against Japan’s Satomi Watanabe during the first round of the Qatar Classic. — PSA Squash Tour
PETALING JAYA: National squash player Aira Azman gave herself the perfect birthday present by booking her spot in the Qatar Classic quarter-finals on Monday (Sept 29).
Aira, 21, stormed her way past world No. 28 Zeina Mickawy to win 11-8, 11-7, 13-11 and advanced to the last eight of the Platinum-level tournament at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex.
World No. 26 Aira had started off strong at the tournament by handing an upset to fifth seed Satomi Watanabe of Japan in the opening round, and will now meet fourth seed Amina Orfi of Egypt in the quarter-finals on Wednesday (Oct 1).
A win against Orfi could see Aira meet compatriot S. Sivasangari in the semi-finals, granted seventh seed Sivasangari gets past second seed Hania El-Hammamy in the quarter-finals.
