Sanjay and Ainaa bag SEA Cup titles in Manila
PETALING JAYA: Sanjay Jeeva capped off a fulfilling 2023-2024 season by winning the squash individual gold at the SEA Cup in Manila on Wednesday.

Top seeded Sanjay defeated compatriot Ong Sai Hung 11-4, 5-11, 11-6, 11-6 in 39 minutes to clinch his first title in the tournament.

It was a double joy as expected for Malaysia as Noor Ainaa Amani Ampandi defeated teammate Chan Yiwen 11-2, 11-2, 8-11, 11-6 in the women's final.

The SEA Cup was United States-based Sanjay’s second title of the season after winning the 12k Bermuda Open in April.

Sanjay ended his wait for a maiden Professional Squash Association (PSA) Challenger title after finishing runner-up in the Costa Rica Open in San Jose in November last year.

The 2023-2024 season started modestly in August last year where he was only ranked world No. 183 but a concentrated effort and training under former Australian world champion Rodney Martin in Connecticut had paid dividends.

Sanjay, who is currently ranked world No. 74, is expected to close the season at No. 70. The match was also sweet revenge for Sanjay, 25, who lost to Sai Hung, also 25, in the semi-finals of the Malaysia Games (Sukma) in Kuala Lumpur in 2022 where the latter went on to win gold.

The women's final was between two players who missed out on a place in the Asian Team Championships in Dalian from May 12-16. World No. 10 S. Sivasangari, Rachel Arnold (No. 25), Aira Azman (No. 36) and Aifa Azman (No. 37) were the obvious choices while Ainaa (No. 64) and Yiwen (No. 76) were selected for the SEA Cup.

The close friends were part of the KL team during the 2022 Sukma where Yiwen secured the women’s individual gold and it was Ainaa’s turn to taste victory.

Yiwen, the 2017 individual winner, had come into the tournament after winning the World Championships Asian Qualifier, a PSA event, in Jalan Duta last month.

However, Ainaa was the better performer in Manila where the SEA Cup marked her first title of the season.

RESULTS

FINALS (Malaysians unless stated)

Men: Sanjay Jeeva bt Ong Sai Hung 11-4, 5-11, 11-6, 11-6. Women: Noor Ainaa Amani Ampandi bt Chan Yiwen 11-2, 11-2, 8-11, 11-6.
PETALING JAYA: Sanjay Jeeva capped off a fulfilling 2023-2024 season by winning the squash individual gold at the SEA Cup in Manila on Wednesday.