Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
India’s Anahat Singh’s impressive run at the London Squash Classic came to an end in the quarterfinals on Friday after the 18-year-old went down 4-11, 4-11 to Malaysian world No. 5 Sivasangari Subramaniam in the PSA Gold event.
The Indian teenager, ranked 20th in the world and the reigning world junior champion, struggled to find her rhythm against the third-seeded Sivasangari, who controlled the match from the opening rally and completed a comfortable straight-games victory in just 17 minutes.
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Sivasangari consistently applied pressure by hitting with greater intensity into the back corners, forcing Anahat to spend long periods deep in the court. The Malaysian’s approach left the Indian with little time to dictate rallies or make the most of her attacking game.
The defeat brought an end to a promising campaign for Anahat, who had reached the quarterfinals after producing one of the notable results of the tournament by overcoming eighth seed Nele Gilis of Belgium in a three-game thriller.
Anahat had entered the London Squash Classic looking to continue her rise on the PSA Tour, but found herself up against a player ranked 15 places above her and one who is among the leading contenders ahead of the Asian Games.
Sivasangari, the former champion and third seed, was in control throughout the quarterfinal, taking the first game 11-4 before repeating the scoreline in the second to seal her place in the last four.
The Malaysian said she was pleased with the way she handled the pressure of the best-of-three format and praised Anahat for the challenge she has provided to leading players.
“I’m happy with how I played today; Anahat is a very talented player. She’s beaten some of the top players and challenged the majority of them,” Sivasangari told SquashTV.
Explaining her tactics, the 27-year-old said she was determined not to give Anahat the time she needed to build pressure.
“I put extra intensity in my hitting towards the back corners. Anahat is very dangerous when she has time, so I tried to take that away from her. Obviously, there are a lot of nerves coming into these matches with the best of three format, so I had to get my confidence and happy with how I dealt with things today.”
Sivasangari will now face second-seeded Egyptian Amina Orfi in the semifinals. Orfi is the reigning world champion, setting up another demanding test for the Malaysian as she looks to continue her campaign.
For Anahat, the focus will now shift towards the final stages of her preparation for the Asian Games in Japan, which begin on September 19.
The Indian teenager is scheduled to compete at the Qatar Classic from September 12 before turning her full attention to the continental showpiece.
The Asian Games will carry added significance for both Anahat and Sivasangari. Sivasangari is currently the top-ranked Asian player, while Anahat will be looking to close the gap on the Malaysian and make her mark on the continental stage.
There will also be a major prize at stake in Japan, with the singles gold medallist earning qualification for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, where squash will make its long-awaited Olympic debut.
– Ends
SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
