Malaysian squash pairs could bag two titles at Asian Doubles C'ship
Third seed mixed doubles pair C. Ameeshenraj-Rachel Arnold stormed into the final after shocking second seed S. Velavan-Joshana Chinappa of India with an 8-11, 11-7, 11-9 win at the Sarawak Squash Centre in Petra Jaya yesterday.
PETALING JAYA: Malaysia have a good chance to bag double wins at the Asian Doubles Championships in Kuching tomorrow (June 26).
Third seed mixed doubles pair C. Ameeshenraj-Rachel Arnold stormed into the final after shocking second seed S. Velavan-Joshana Chinappa of India with an 8-11, 11-7, 11-9 win at the Sarawak Squash Centre in Petra Jaya today (June 25).
Rachel believes her partnership with Ameeshenraj can bag them the title.
"I believe it's possible (to win). It's our first time being paired up so I don't think there's much pressure on us," she said.
It could have been an all-Malaysian final but compatriots Syafiq Kamal-Noor Ainaa Amani Ampandi fell to India's Abhay Singh-Anahat Singh, who won 11-8, 10-11, 11-5 in the other semi-final match.
In the women's doubles category, top seed pair Ainaa-Yee Xin Ying took down Hong Kong's Ho Tze Lok-Fung Ching Hei 11-2, 11-5 in just 22 minutes to book their spot in the final.
The Malaysians will be meeting another Indian pair Anahat-Joshana, who defeated Hong Kong's Kirstie Wong-Toby Tse 11-7, 11-6.
National head coach Ajaz Azmat said: 'Our pairs put in a good performance to enter the finals.
"It won't be easy but we have a good chance against the players from India," he said.
It could have been a Malaysian pair in the men's doubles category, but Syafiq-Duncan Lee endured another long-winded game only to fall short against Pakistan's Noor Zaman-Nasir Iqbal.
The home duo fought for an hour and nine minutes before falling to the Pakistani pair 11-10, 9-11, 9-11.
Syafiq-Duncan had previously played for an hour and six minutes against compatriots Ameeshenraj-Sanjay Jeeva in the quarter-finals.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Straits Times
4 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Top 60 players to tee off at 2025 RSGC Women's Amateur Open
KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 60 top amateur golfers are expected to compete at the 48th edition of the RSGC Women's Amateur Open Championship 2025, which will be held at the Royal Selangor Golf Club (RSGC), from August 5 to 7. The tournament is set to attract a strong international field, featuring rising talents from across Asia and Asean including Japan, India, Guam, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore and host country Malaysia. Tournament chairperson Ai-Leen Tan said the championship has earned a reputation as a launching pad for future golf stars, having produced standout names such as Mirabel Ting, the 2023 champion, and Winnie Ng, a two-time winner. "Each year, the tournament showcases players of increasingly higher calibre. "Many have since turned professional, and we're proud to provide a platform that helps them take that next step," she said at a press conference to announce the event. While the full list of Malaysian contenders has yet to be confirmed, Ai-Leen noted that players will be selected through the Malaysian Golf Association (MGA). To ensure a highly competitive field, this year's edition will require participants to have a WHS Handicap Index of 13.4 or lower. "By tightening the handicap requirement, we aim to raise the overall quality of the competition. Top players want to compete with the best, and this change reflects that ambition," she added. The tournament will feature four categories, including the Tuanku Bahiyah Cup (gross individual champion) and the Datin Azian Trophy (gross team champion). Open to female amateur golfers aged 12 and above, entries must be submitted by July 26.
The Star
6 hours ago
- The Star
Malaysian squash pairs could bag two titles at Asian Doubles C'ship
Third seed mixed doubles pair C. Ameeshenraj-Rachel Arnold stormed into the final after shocking second seed S. Velavan-Joshana Chinappa of India with an 8-11, 11-7, 11-9 win at the Sarawak Squash Centre in Petra Jaya yesterday. PETALING JAYA: Malaysia have a good chance to bag double wins at the Asian Doubles Championships in Kuching tomorrow (June 26). Third seed mixed doubles pair C. Ameeshenraj-Rachel Arnold stormed into the final after shocking second seed S. Velavan-Joshana Chinappa of India with an 8-11, 11-7, 11-9 win at the Sarawak Squash Centre in Petra Jaya today (June 25). Rachel believes her partnership with Ameeshenraj can bag them the title. "I believe it's possible (to win). It's our first time being paired up so I don't think there's much pressure on us," she said. It could have been an all-Malaysian final but compatriots Syafiq Kamal-Noor Ainaa Amani Ampandi fell to India's Abhay Singh-Anahat Singh, who won 11-8, 10-11, 11-5 in the other semi-final match. In the women's doubles category, top seed pair Ainaa-Yee Xin Ying took down Hong Kong's Ho Tze Lok-Fung Ching Hei 11-2, 11-5 in just 22 minutes to book their spot in the final. The Malaysians will be meeting another Indian pair Anahat-Joshana, who defeated Hong Kong's Kirstie Wong-Toby Tse 11-7, 11-6. National head coach Ajaz Azmat said: 'Our pairs put in a good performance to enter the finals. "It won't be easy but we have a good chance against the players from India," he said. It could have been a Malaysian pair in the men's doubles category, but Syafiq-Duncan Lee endured another long-winded game only to fall short against Pakistan's Noor Zaman-Nasir Iqbal. The home duo fought for an hour and nine minutes before falling to the Pakistani pair 11-10, 9-11, 9-11. Syafiq-Duncan had previously played for an hour and six minutes against compatriots Ameeshenraj-Sanjay Jeeva in the quarter-finals.
The Star
7 hours ago
- The Star
Cricket-IPL's Royals owner accuses former co-owner of blackmail in UK court
LONDON (Reuters) -Indian Premier League cricket franchise Rajasthan Royals' majority owner on Wednesday accused his former co-owner of trying to blackmail him by alleging he was defrauded out of his minority stake in the club. London-based venture capitalist Manoj Badale and his company Emerging Media Ventures are suing businessman Raj Kundra at London's High Court for allegedly breaching a 2019 confidential settlement agreement. The case centres on Kundra's former shares in Rajasthan Royals, winner of 2008's inaugural IPL which is now cricket's richest tournament with a brand value of $12 billion. Badale's lawyer Adam Speker said Kundra, who is married to Bollywood star Shilpa Shetty, had threatened to report serious allegations to Indian authorities in a "blackmail attempt". Kundra, however, says he has been told information about the claimants and his lawyer William McCormick that, if that is not true, "in due course it will be exposed". Kundra had to forfeit his 11.7% stake after being found guilty in 2015 of betting on IPL games in a scandal which led to the Rajasthan Royals being suspended for two years, Speker said. He added in court filings that Kundra emailed Badale "out of the blue" last month, alleging he had been "misled and defrauded of the rightful value of my 11.7% stake". The email to Badale said Kundra had filed a complaint with Indian authorities and threatened to make a report to India's Cricket Board (BCCI). Kundra added, however, that he was willing to discuss a deal involving "the restoration of my original equity or compensation reflecting the true and current valuation of the Rajasthan Royals franchise". Speker said Kundra also messaged disgraced IPL founder Lalit Modi this month, saying Badale "did not realise cheating me of the true value would cost him dearly". Badale and his Emerging Media Ventures, which holds a 65% stake in Rajasthan Royals, obtained an interim injunction against Kundra on May 30, preventing Kundra from breaching the settlement agreement by making disparaging statements. Kundra's lawyer McCormick said Kundra accepted the injunction should continue until a full trial of the lawsuit. "It is not an admission that anything improper has been done or is being threatened," McCormick said. (Reporting by Sam Tobin, editing by Ed Osmond)
