Christchurch: Malaysia’s Sanjay Jeeva pulled off the biggest victory of his career when he stunned world number 22 Abdulla Al-Tamimi of Qatar to reach the men’s quarter-finals of the 2025 New Zealand Squash Open today. World number 65 Sanjay played the game of his life to stun the eighth-seeded Qatari 10-12, 11-9, 11-6, 5-11, 11-6 in a 54-minute second-round clash at the Isaac Theatre Royal in Christchurch.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Sanjay’s reward for making his first-ever silver-level quarter-final in the Professional Squash Association (PSA) Tour is a date with compatriot and third seed Ng Eain Yow, who brushed aside New Zealand’s Oliver Dunbar 11-4, 11-1, 11-3 in just 32 minutes. Sanjay expressed his excitement at defeating a top-ranked player, stating that he had never faced Abdulla before, and that the Qatari is the highest-ranked player he has defeated so far. Sanjay noted that both he and Abdulla favor playing at the front, and he had to keep his play straightforward to avoid errors due to nerves.

Meanwhile, in the all-Malaysian women’s second-round clash, world number seven S. Sivasangari had to toil for five sets before prevailing 11-5, 8-11, 9-11, 11-8, 11-7 over Aira Azman. National number one Sivasangari’s quarter-final opponent will be Egyptian Rowan Elaraby, who ousted American Marina Stefanoni 11-6, 11-6, 11-8 in the second round. Their head-to-head record favors the Egyptian, who leads 4-3.

Malaysia’s other woman representative, Rachel Arnold, cruised into the quarter-finals after eliminating Hong Kong’s Lee Ka Yi 11-4, 11-6, 9-11, 11-9 in a 32-minute battle. World number 19 Rachel, who is gunning for her second PSA Silver title of the 2024-25 season after lifting the China Open crown in October, faces an acid test in the last eight as she will be up against Egypt’s world number eight Amina Orfi, who is also the second seed.