Sivasangari advances to US Open quarter-final against Orfi
The Malaysian world No. 4 beat Egypt’s Kenzy Ayman in 21 minutes, while Ng Eain Yow exited the men’s competition.
Malaysia’s S. Sivasangari will face Egyptian world champion Amina Orfi in the US Open quarter-finals in Philadelphia after defeating Kenzy Ayman 11-3, 11-7, 11-3.
The Asian champion, ranked No. 4, needed 21 minutes to complete her second-round victory over the world No. 25. Top-ranked Orfi progressed by beating fellow Egyptian Hana Moataz, ranked No. 27, 11-4, 11-0, 11-9.
Orfi leads their head-to-head record 8-3. Their two most recent meetings produced one win apiece: Sivasangari won a four-game semi-final at June’s PSA World Tour Finals in Paris, before Orfi took their London Classic semi-final in straight games in August.
The 19-year-old Egyptian has won three tournaments in succession: the London Classic, Qatar Classic and Egyptian Open. Sivasangari, 27, won the Silicon Valley Open and has trained in Prague with coach Gregory Gaultier since last year.
Andrew Cross, coaching director at the Squash Racquets Association of Malaysia, said Sivasangari’s recent tournament performances had been good and that he expected her to approach the quarter-final confidently.
In the men’s draw, Malaysia’s world No. 17 Ng Eain Yow lost to Peru’s third-ranked Diego Elias after 67 minutes in round two. It was his third defeat against Elias.
