Malaysian squash star S. Sivasangari has secured her place in the quarter-finals of the 2026 US Open Squash Championships in Philadelphia, setting up an exciting clash against Egypt’s world No. 1 and reigning world champion Amina Orfi.
The world No. 4 delivered an impressive performance in the second round, defeating Egypt’s Kenzy Ayman in straight games with an 11-3, 11-7, 11-3 victory. The match took place at the Arlen Specter US Squash Center, where the fifth-seeded Malaysian displayed excellent control and consistency throughout the encounter.
The victory also extended Sivasangari’s unbeaten record against Ayman to five matches, having won all their previous encounters.
A Tough Challenge Awaits Against World No. 1
Sivasangari will now face a much tougher challenge against top seed Amina Orfi, who secured her quarter-final spot after defeating compatriot Hana Moataz 11-4, 11-0, 11-9.
The upcoming encounter promises to be an exciting contest, with both players having enjoyed victories against each other this year. They have split their four meetings in 2026, although Orfi came out on top in their most recent encounter at the London Classic in September.
However, Sivasangari has previously demonstrated that she can overcome the Egyptian champion, having defeated her in the semi-finals of the PSA Squash Tour Finals in June.
Sivasangari Becomes Malaysia’s Last Hope
With her quarter-final qualification, Sivasangari is now the only Malaysian representative remaining in the 2026 US Open.
Meanwhile, national men’s squash player Ng Eain Yow saw his campaign come to an end after losing to Peru’s world No. 3 Diego Elias in the second round. Despite winning the opening game 12-10, Eain Yow eventually went down 8-11, 9-11, 2-11.
With a place in the semi-finals at stake, all eyes will now be on Sivasangari as she prepares to take on one of the world’s strongest players in her pursuit of another major achievement for Malaysian squash.
Source: NST
