Seventh time unlucky for Sivasangari against Orfi

PETALING JAYA: Egypt’s Amina Orfi used her past experience to crush national squash player S. Sivasangari (pic) in straight sets at the Karachi Open final yesterday.

The 18-year-old and world No. 3 Orfi crafted her seventh win over world No. 7 Sivasangari by winning 11-8, 11-2, 11-7 in 38 minutes at the DA Creek Club to seal the first gold-level tournament of the year.

The two have met eight times on Tour, with Orfi winning all three meetings last year.

But the tournament top seed said she was extra prepared for the encounter with Sivasangari this time.

“I’m happy to have gotten past her (Sivasangari) in three sets,” said Orfi.

“But one mistake I made in the last few meetings was that when I was leading 2-0, I let her back into the game.

“I started playing loose and gave her the chance to put away shots, which she did very well.

“But this time I just stuck to my game plan and stayed focused from the beginning to the end.”

Sivasangari’s progress at the British Open and Egyptian Open quarter-finals was halted by Orfi last year, as well as their clash at the London Squash Classic semi-finals.

Her only win against Orfi came in 2023 at the Hong Kong Football Club Open final.

The Karachi Open was 26-year-old Sivasangari’s third final appearance of the season, after the Silicon Valley Open last October and the Hong Kong Football Club Open in November.