Sangari can equal her best World Championships finish, but bettering it will be tricky

Daunting task: S. Sivasangari faces a tall order if she reaches the last eight of the World Championships.

PETALING JAYA: National squash ace S. Sivasangari has a golden opportunity to equal her best finish at the World Championships, although going one step further could prove a formidable hurdle in Egypt.

Fifth seed Sivasangari powered her way into the third round of the world meet after brushing aside compatriot Aira Azman 11-4, 11-9, 12-10 in just 24 minutes at the Palm Hills Sports Club in Giza.

A win in her next match would see 27-year-old Sivasangari equal her best performance at the World Championships by reaching the quarter-finals once again.

At last year’s edition in Chicago, Sivasangari became the first Malaysian to make the last eight since Datuk Nicol David in 2017, before her impressive run was halted by home favourite Olivia Weaver.

Fresh from capturing the Grasshopper Cup title in Zurich last month, Sivasangari will take on Belgium’s Tinne Gilis in the third round today.

Gilis had denied Sivasangari another all-Malaysian clash after she defeated Aifa Azman 11-7, 11-6, 11-3 to advance to the third round.

On paper, Sivasangari should see the match through with a win as she leads the head-to-head against Gilis.

The Malaysian has beaten the Belgian twice in three meetings, including a victory at last year’s Grasshopper Cup.

However, a win over Gilis would likely set up a big clash with top seed and home favourite Hania El Hammamy in the quarter-finals, and that’s where things could get tricky for Sivasangari.

Sivasangari has only beaten Hania twice in nine previous meetings, with last year’s runner-up Hania winning their last three encounters over the past two years.

If the two meet again, Sivasangari will need to produce another inspiring performance similar to the one that earned her victory over Hania in the 2024 London Squash Classic final.

Meanwhile, world No. 27 Rachel Arnold saw her campaign in Giza end in the first round after she was handed an upset by world No. 42 Nadien Elhammamy, who won 11-7, 10-12, 3-11, 11-6, 11-9.