Sivasangari, Eain Yow power into third round at Worlds
KUALA LUMPUR: S. Sivasangari and Ng Eain Yow stayed on course at the World Squash Championships in Chicago by cruising into the third round on Sunday.
But it was the end of the road for compatriots Rachel Arnold and Aira Azman, who crashed out in the second round.
World No. 9 Sivasangari, a third-round casualty in Cairo last year, overcame Egypt's world No. 17 Sana Ibrahim 11-4, 11-6, 5-11, 11-5 in 41 minutes.
Eain Yow, the world No. 10, needed just 32 minutes to dispatch Pakistan's world No. 54 Asim Khan 11-4, 11-2, 11-4.
Sivasangari, the reigning Asian champion, will next face world No. 8 Amanda Sobhy of the United States on Tuesday for a spot in the quarter-finals.
The 26-year-old, who has never progressed beyond the third round at the Worlds, holds a 2-2 record against Sobhy.
She won their last meeting in the Cincinnati Cup final in February.
Eain Yow, meanwhile, faces a tough task against world No. 1 and title favourite Mostafa Asal of Egypt.
Asal, the runner-up in Cairo last year, stormed past Germany's Raphael Kandra 11-3, 11-5, 11-2 to set up the third-round clash.
The Egyptian leads their head-to-head 2-1.
World No. 19 Rachel fell to world No. 4 Olivia Weaver of the United States 11-5, 11-2, 11-13, 11-5, while world No. 26 Aira was beaten 11-6, 12-10, 11-4 by Egypt's world No. 12 Salma Hany in 29 minutes.
National coach Ajaz Azmat said Sivasangari and Eain Yow had little trouble in their second-round ties but must now prepare for much tougher tests
"The real battle starts in the third round for both of them," said Ajaz.
"I hope Sivasangari can raise her game and beat Sobhy again.
"She's fired up and knows how to handle the pressure."
Ajaz added: "Eain Yow is up against a red-hot Asal, but I know he'll give it everything to cause an upset."
Despite their exits, Ajaz said he was pleased with Rachel and Aira's performances.
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