Day: May 22, 2024

KUALA LUMPUR, National squash ace S. Sivasangari has been listed as one of the five world squash women players nominated for the PSA Female Player of the Year award.

According to the Professional Squash Association (PSA), the winners of the four biggest annual awards – Female Player of the Year, Male Player of the Year, Young Female Player of the Year and Young Male Player of the Year – will be decided by votes.

‘Voting will close at 11.59 pm on Monday, May 27, with the winners announced at the PSA Awards dinner held at The Book Rotunda in Birmingham on Saturday, June 8 following the semi-finals of the British Open.

‘Voting comprises a two-part process, combining the votes made by squash fans on social media with the votes made by the PSA Awards Committee – a group consisting of selected influential former players, members of the media, tournament promoters and PSA Board representatives,’ it said.

The other nominees for the Female Player of the Year award are world number one Nour El Sherbini, Nouran Goh
ar and Hania El Hammamy of Egypt and Olivia Weaver of the United States.

Yesterday, Sivasangari broke into the top 10 of the PSA world tour ranking list after her recent achievements, including a third-round appearance in the PSA World Championship 2023-2024 on May 15 and winning the inaugural London Squash Classic title in April.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

KUALA LUMPUR, The nation’s top mixed doubles pair, Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei, deeply appreciated the unwavering support of home fans, which boosted their spirits to defeat Pakkapon Teeraratsakul-Phataimas Muenwong in the first round of the Malaysia Masters today.

The world number nine pair easily overpowered the 42nd-ranked Thai pair 21-12, 21-14 at Axiata Arena here to advance to the second round for the first time.

In their debut last year, Tang Jie- Ee Wei were eliminated in the first round by Indonesia’s Rinov Rivaldy -Pitha Haningtyas Mentari.

Speaking to reporters afterwards, Tang Jie and Ee Wei acknowledged that the presence of thousands of supporters in the 10 am match invigorated them, helping them quickly adjust after a short break since competing in the Asian Championships in Ningbo, China, from April 9-14.

“Despite the rain and the public holiday (in conjunction with Wesak Day), many showed up early to support us, which gave us extra motivation. Since it was the first match, we didn’t overthin
k it, but we’re happy to have progressed this time,” Ee Wei said.

“This is our first time qualifying for the Olympics, so we need to take every tournament seriously and aim to win as much as we can,” Ee Wei added.

The pair will next face India’s Sumeeth Reddy-Sikki Reddy, who overcame Lui Chun Wai and Fu Chi Yan from Hong Kong in 21-15, 12-21, 21-17, tomorrow.

Tang Jie said they will devise the best strategy after analysing the 53rd-ranked pair’s performance.

Former national mixed doubles pair Tan Kian Meng-Lai Pei Jing were the last Malaysians to win the title, in 2017.

Meanwhile, in the women’s singles, national shuttler K. Letshanaa bowed out 14-21, 9-21 to top seed Han Yue of China in 33 minutes.

The world number six Han Yue will next face Taiwan’s Hung Yi Ting, who ousted Belgium’s Lianne Tan with a score of 21-11, 21-13.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

KUALA LUMPUR, Following are the first round results of the 2024 Malaysia Masters Badminton Championships held at the Axiata Arena, Bukit Jalil, today:

Men’s Singles

———————

[1] Viktor Axelsen (DEN) bt Koki Watanabe (JPN) 21-14, 21-11

Wang Tzu Wei (TPE) bt [6] Loh Kean Yew (SGP) 22-20, 9-21, 21-19

[7] Chou Tien Chen (TPE) bt Rasmus Gemke (DEN) 21-14, 21-17

Koo Takahashi (JPN) bt Christo Popov (FRA) 21-13, 21-19

Women’s Singles

————————-

[1] Han Yue (CHN) bt K. Letshanaa (MAS) 21-14, 21-9

[5] PV Sindhu (IND) bt Kirsty Gilmouor (SCO) 21-17, 21-16

Hung Yi Ting (TPE) bt Lianne Tan (BEL) 21-11, 21-13

Sim Yu Jin (KOR) bt Komang Ayu Cahya Dewi (INA) 16-21, 21-11, 21-6

Men’s Doubles

———————–

Chen Bo Yang-Liu Yi (CHN) bt Bjarne Geiss-Jan Colin Voelker (GER) 21-14, 21-10

Mixed Doubles

———————

[1] Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei (MAS) bt Pakkapon Teeraratsakul-Phataimas Muenwong (THA) 21-12, 21-14

Sumeeth Reddy-Sikki Reddy (IND) bt Lui Chun Wai-Fu Ch
i Yan (HKG) 21-15, 12-21, 21-17

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

KUALA LUMPUR, World number one and reigning Olympic champion, Viktor Axelsen says he has nothing to prove to anyone after having won all major crowns in badminton, except the Sudirman Cup.

Speaking to reporters after defeating Japan’s Koki Watanabe 21-14, 21-11 in the Malaysia Masters first round at the Axiata Arena here, Axelsen said he is not under any additional pressure to end his five-month title drought since winning the season-ending World Tour Finals in December.

The 30-year-old Dane said he finds a lot of peace in what he has accomplished over the years, winning gold and bronze medals at the Tokyo 2020 and Rio 2016 Olympics respectively, two World Championships gold medals (2017, 2022), 2016 Thomas Cup, and three European Championship titles (2016, 2018, 2022), among other achievements on top of 23 World Tour titles.

‘Who should I prove everything to? I don’t play for anybody else’s sake, I play for my own sake and my family, and I don’t need to prove anything. I am just as hungry as I was at 15.
I can get back and win everything, and that makes me very dangerous.

‘I am doing my best every single day. I have had a lot of issues with my body over the last few months, which I am slowly figuring out now. I am feeling physically stronger and stronger, I rely heavily on my physical abilities in many games, and I am coming back now, really excited about playing again,’ he said.

After losing to China’s Shi Yu Qi in the season-opening Malaysia Open semi-finals in January, Axelsen was eliminated in the second round of the French Open, quarter-finals of the All England and Thomas Cup, and semi-finals of the European Championships.

He had previously suffered from lower leg and left foot injuries during the Denmark Open in October, 2023.

Commenting on being considered among the red-hot favourites for the Paris 2024 Olympics gold, he said he is aware of the matter, and it is usual in sports.

‘Of course, in sports, there’s always talk about favourites, build-up, hype, and everything, which is great, but I don’
t take every part of it. I just try to be the best version of myself on and off the court.

‘Looking at how much I have won, I am so happy about everything I have accomplished. Everything I win from now is a bonus, and I am still hungry, so for me personally, that’s a great position to be in,’ he said.

Since badminton was contested as a medal sport in the Olympics starting with the 1992 Barcelona Games, no other player than China’s legend Chen Long (2008, 2012) has won the gold medal twice in the men’s singles category.

In the second round tomorrow, Axelsen will be challenged by qualifier Panitchaphon Teeraratsul of Thailand, who beat Taiwan’s Chi Yu Jen 21-16, 10-21

Meanwhile, in other men’s singles fixtures, the 2021 world champion Loh Kean Yew was eliminated 20-22, 21-9, 19-21 by Taiwan’s Wang Tzu Wei, while the latter’s compatriot Chou Tien Chen beat Rasmus Gemke of Denmark 21-14, 21-17.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency

KUALA LUMPUR, Professional men’s doubles shuttler Tan Wee Kiong has not yet decided whether to retire from the badminton arena.

Wee Kiong, 35, said that while retirement from the sport is under ‘consideration’, he is not rushing to set any timeline for this decision.

‘Not yet (thinking about retirement) if there are sponsors, it’s okay. It’s in the plan (to continue playing next year) but nothing is confirmed yet.

‘I haven’t set a timeframe (for moving on to the next chapter), but I cherish my time on the court and in training. I hope to achieve excellent results before I retire,’ he told reporters at Axiata Arena, Bukit Jalil yesterday.

Wee Kiong and his partner, Nur Mohd Azriyn Ayub, were shown the exit by compatriots Choong Hon Jian and Muhammad Haikal Nazri in straight sets, 20-22 and 19-21, in the first round of the Malaysia Masters 2024.

However, he did not rule out the possibility that the Malaysia Masters 2024 might be his last tournament on home soil but remains determined to break into the wor
ld’s top 32 this year.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency