Gaultier backs Sivasangari to cause upset in Qatar
KUALA LUMPUR: Coach Gregory Gaultier believes S. Sivasangari is fit and can create an upset in the Qatar Classic.
Gregory Gaultier, the coach of World No. 5 Hania El Hammamy, is confident that her protégé S. Sivasangari can cause an upset in the upcoming Qatar Classic. Sivasangari, a 27-year-old Malaysian tennis player, is set to face El Hammamy, the top-ranked Egyptian player, in the semi-finals of the tournament ahead of the Asian Games in Nagoya.
Gaultier, who has been training Sivasangari in Prague since last year, believes that the French coach's presence in Doha will provide a much-needed confidence boost for his player. The Malaysian tennis star has been disciplined in her training and demonstrated consistency in her performance, which has been further bolstered by her victories over higher-ranked opponents earlier this year.
Sivasangari's recent successes include winning the Australian Open and Grasshopper Cup. She qualified for the semi-finals of the Qatar Classic following a walkover by her opponent Tinnes Gilis due to a knee injury. El Hammamy, who has also received walkovers from Nouran Gohar in the quarter-finals, is no stranger to causing upsets, having won the PSA World Tour Finals in Paris earlier this year.
The last time these two players faced each other was in the PSA World Tour Finals, where El Hammamy emerged victorious. While El Hammamy has won nine out of their 11 meetings, Sivasangari is in her best form, aiming to break into the top three in the world this season.
Written by urgent.news from New Straits Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
