Malaysian squash players S. Sivasangari and Rachel Arnold have secured their places in the quarter-finals of the Silicon Valley Open 2026 in Redwood City, California, setting up an all-Malaysian showdown for a place in the semi-finals.
Both players advanced after recording hard-fought victories in their respective second-round matches on Wednesday, October 21, keeping Malaysia’s hopes alive in the international tournament.
Sivasangari Battles Past Fellow Malaysian Aifa Azman
World No. 4 Sivasangari faced compatriot Aifa Azman in a closely contested encounter at Squash Zone. Despite losing the opening game 6–11, Sivasangari bounced back strongly to take the second game 11–2.
Aifa regained the lead by winning the third game 11–9, but Sivasangari showed her resilience by claiming the final two games 11–3 and 11–7 to secure a 6–11, 11–2, 9–11, 11–3, 11–7 victory.
The five-game battle saw Sivasangari overcome a determined challenge from her fellow Malaysian to book her place in the quarter-finals.
Rachel Arnold Overcomes World No. 10 Amanda Sobhy
Meanwhile, Rachel Arnold recorded a significant victory over American player Amanda Sobhy, the world No. 10 and fifth seed in the competition.
Rachel fought through another five-game encounter, winning 11–9, 8–11, 13–11, 11–13, 11–8 to secure her quarter-final berth.
The victory was particularly meaningful for Rachel, as it marked her first win over Sobhy after losing to the American in their three previous meetings. The result also highlighted Rachel’s ability to challenge a higher-ranked opponent under pressure.
Malaysia Guaranteed a Semi-Finalist, But Who Will Advance?
With both players through to the quarter-finals, Malaysia is guaranteed to have at least one representative in the semi-finals of the women’s competition.
Sivasangari and Rachel are ready to face each other, in a match that will determine who progresses to the next round. While the all-Malaysian encounter guarantees a Malaysian presence in the semi-finals, it also means one player’s campaign will come to an end at the quarter-final stage.
As the tournament progresses, all eyes will be on the Malaysian quarter-final clash to see whether Sivasangari or Rachel will secure a place in the semi-finals and move one step closer to the title.
Source: Malaymail
