Malaysian squash pairs could bag two titles at Asian Doubles C'ship

The Star

3 days ago

Third seed mixed doubles pair C. Ameeshenraj-Rachel Arnold stormed into the final after shocking second seed S. Velavan-Joshana Chinappa of India with an 8-11, 11-7, 11-9 win at the Sarawak Squash Centre in Petra Jaya yesterday.
PETALING JAYA: Malaysia have a good chance to bag double wins at the Asian Doubles Championships in Kuching tomorrow (June 26).
Third seed mixed doubles pair C. Ameeshenraj-Rachel Arnold stormed into the final after shocking second seed S. Velavan-Joshana Chinappa of India with an 8-11, 11-7, 11-9 win at the Sarawak Squash Centre in Petra Jaya today (June 25).
Rachel believes her partnership with Ameeshenraj can bag them the title.
"I believe it's possible (to win). It's our first time being paired up so I don't think there's much pressure on us," she said.
It could have been an all-Malaysian final but compatriots Syafiq Kamal-Noor Ainaa Amani Ampandi fell to India's Abhay Singh-Anahat Singh, who won 11-8, 10-11, 11-5 in the other semi-final match.
In the women's doubles category, top seed pair Ainaa-Yee Xin Ying took down Hong Kong's Ho Tze Lok-Fung Ching Hei 11-2, 11-5 in just 22 minutes to book their spot in the final.
The Malaysians will be meeting another Indian pair Anahat-Joshana, who defeated Hong Kong's Kirstie Wong-Toby Tse 11-7, 11-6.
National head coach Ajaz Azmat said: 'Our pairs put in a good performance to enter the finals.
"It won't be easy but we have a good chance against the players from India," he said.
It could have been a Malaysian pair in the men's doubles category, but Syafiq-Duncan Lee endured another long-winded game only to fall short against Pakistan's Noor Zaman-Nasir Iqbal.
The home duo fought for an hour and nine minutes before falling to the Pakistani pair 11-10, 9-11, 9-11.
Syafiq-Duncan had previously played for an hour and six minutes against compatriots Ameeshenraj-Sanjay Jeeva in the quarter-finals.