Aifa’s under the weather and will give Windy City Open a miss

PETALING JAYA: National squash player Aifa Azman has pulled out of the Windy City Open as she is still recovering from an illness.

World No. 28 Aifa was supposed to face off against younger sister Aira in the opening round today but decide to forgo it at the Platinum-level Windy City Open in Chicago.

“I’ve been travelling a lot lately. I got sick in Pakistan last month and I wasn’t feeling good after I got back,” said the 24-year-old Aifa.

“I got a little better and then I flew to the United States. The weather was really cold there and after two days of travelling, I was sick again.

“So I just needed more time to recover and train for my next events.”

Aifa lost in the second round of Karachi Open last month and then bowed out in the opening round the Tournament of Champions in New York City.

Aifa, who won mixed doubles silver with Syafiq Kamal at the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games, is hoping to do one better this year in Aichi-Nagoya from Sept 19-Oct 4.

Only the individual event gold medallists will earn the ticket the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

“It would be best to win at the Asian Games to qualify for the Olympics, but I might be playing in the mixed doubles.

“I’m not sure where my ranking will be in the next few months and which event I’ll be in. So we’ll see.

“But it’s exciting. Everyone is already preparing for the qualification and putting in the effort,” she said.

Currently, Aifa is Malaysia’s fourth-best-ranked player behind world No. 6 S. Sivasangari, Aira (21) and Rachel Arnold (23).

Aifa will compete next at the New Zealand Open from March 3-8, followed by the Australian Open the following week.