KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysian squash legend Datuk Nicol David expressed her hope to see more national women’s players follow the exemplary trajectory set by S. Sivasangari to reach the top 15 of the Professional Squash Association (PSA) World Rankings in the near future.
The former world number one said the national squad is blessed with a robust depth within the women’s department with the likes of Rachel Arnold and sisters, Aifa and Aira Azman, who have the potential to achieve similar heights as Sivasangari.
Commending the competitive spirit within the squad, Nicol emphasised the healthy rivalry brewing among Sivasangari, Aira, Aifa, and Rachel.
“They are fighting as to who wants to be number one or two for Malaysia and that’s what competition is all about, to push the level up higher and you’ll get a strong, quality team.
“Fingers crossed we’ll get more up (in the top 15),” she said when met after receiving a personal contribution from prominent corporate figure, Tan Sri Mohamad Salim Fateh Din, to her foundation, Nicol David Organisation (NDO).
The eight-time world champion also stressed the significance of maintaining consistency among these players.
The eight-time world champion also stressed the importance of maintaining consistency among these players, emphasising the need for frequent entries into the round of 16 in tournaments and advocating for more encounters against the top 15 players to bolster their ranking.
“These tournaments are crucial for their development. If they consistently face and beat top 10 or 15 players, it will be a breakthrough moment for them,” she added.
Recently, Sivasangari, who is also the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games champion, achieved a career-high ranking of 15 in the PSA World Rankings on November 27, marking an extraordinary comeback after a career-threatening car crash last year that sidelined her for nearly eight months.
Sivasangari’s world ranking dipped to number 50 in June this year, her lowest since 2017 when she was ranked 61st.
In the current rankings, Rachel holds the 27th spot, while Aifa secured the 31st position. — December 9, 2023