KUALA LUMPUR: National women’s squash ace, S. Sivasangari continued her fine run in the inaugural London Squash Classic as she pulled off a huge upset to oust world’s top player, Egyptian Nour El Sherbini, in the quarter-finals, Saturday.
The 2022 Asian Games champion took 24 minutes to send El Sherbini packing, 11-9, 11-9, in the last eight of the Professional Squash Association (PSA) World Tour Gold event in Alexandra Palace, London.
The world number 16 player will have another chance to stun top 10 players in the tournament as she is set to face world number four of Belgium, Nele Gilis, in the semi-finals, today.
Gilis came from behind to dispose home player, Gina Kennedy, 6-11, 11-6, 11-3.
Speaking to PSA after the quarter-finals, Sivasangari was still in disbelief over the fact that she had finally defeated El Sherbini, who is also the seven-time world champion, for the first time after three meetings.
“It’s crazy. I respect El Sherbini a lot, she’s the best on tour and is really talented. To beat a player like that, I came in with my A game today,” she said.
Not only scoring a biggest win in her career so far, the 25-year-old also became the first player outside the top 10 to beat the mighty Egyptian since Annie Au of Hong Kong during the first round of Cleveland Classic 2015 in Ohio. – Bernama
