KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia ended their campaign in 11th position at the Men’s World Team Squash Championship after defeating Australia 2-0 in the 11th and 12th-place classification match in Tauranga, New Zealand, today.
In the action at the Mercury Baypark Arena, 24-year-old Sanjay Jeeva, who is based in the United States, earned the first point for Malaysia by defeating Dylan Molinaro 11-2, 7-11, 11-5, 11-7.
Malaysia’s second-ranked player, Addeen Idrakie Bahtiar, ensured the Squash Racket Association of Malaysia’s (SRAM) goal to finish the championship in the top 12 was met after defeating Rhys Dowling 5-11, 11-6, 11-7, 11-9, to earn the winning point.
Meanwhile, SRAM director of coaching, S. Maniam, said that the team’s achievements signalled that squash can continue to shine in upcoming tournaments.
“We played well against them (Australia). What I can say is that newcomers like Sanjay Jeeva and C. Ameeshenraj also played calmly and professionally until the end of the competition.
“Many things need to be improved to elevate them to the next level. They also have a bright future. Nevertheless, finishing the competition in 11th place successfully surpassed SRAM’s previous target of the top 12,” he said in an audio recording shared with the media. – December 17, 2023