Nagoya:The national women's squash team progressed to the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games final after defeating host nation Japan 2-0 in the semi-finals at Nagoya Kinjo Futo Arena.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the Malaysian team, comprising S. Sivasangari, Aira Azman, Aifa Azman, and Rachel Arnold, secured their final spot with victories in just two matches.

Sivasangari initiated the success by overcoming world number six Satomi Watanabe in a challenging match, winning 5-11, 11-7, 5-11, 11-6, 11-3. Aira followed with a straight-sets triumph over Akari Midorikawa, finishing 11-8, 11-5, 11-3.

After the match, Sivasangari expressed satisfaction with the team's performance, particularly highlighting the difficulty of the opening match against a strong opponent like Satomi. She emphasized the importance of securing the first point for the team.

The final will see Malaysia face Hong Kong after the latter defeated India 2-1 in the other semi-final. This upcoming match is a repeat of the 2022 Hangzhou edition final, where Malaysia claimed the championship and Hong Kong finished second. Sivasangari mentioned the team's objective is to defend their title while managing pressure and maintaining focus.

Aira expressed contentment with her performance against Midorikawa and aims to stay fresh for the final. She noted her confidence in Sivasangari's ability to close matches and her own intent to conclude her match in straight sets to conserve energy.