Japan's Nagoya pins hopes on Asian Games boosting city's competitiveness

KUALA LUMPUR: Eain Yow and S. Sivasangari are under pressure to defend their Asian Games squash titles and potentially secure spots in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Both 28-year-old Eain Yow and 27-year-old Sivasangari, who will compete in the individual events starting September 23, are favored to win gold medals. The Squash Racquets Association of Malaysia has set a target of three gold medals.

Eain Yow, ranked 18th in the world, faces a tough challenge due to inconsistent performance in recent tournaments. He is expected to meet Ryu Jeong Min of South Korea in the quarter-finals and then Noor Zaman of Pakistan in the semi-finals, before potentially facing India's Abhay Singh in the final. Sivasangari, the top seed, is favored to retain her title and is expected to face a challenge from Satomi Wanatabe of Japan in the semi-finals.

The Malaysian duo of Syafiq Kamal and Aifa Azman are also expected to advance to the mixed doubles final, where they face a strong challenge from Velavan and Joshna Chinappa. Malaysia is favored to retain the women's team gold medal.