Squash duo advances to semifinals

KUALA LUMPUR – Benefitting from the luck of the draw, Jemyca Aribado and Yvone Alyssa Dalida foiled Thailand’s Suviva Kitvijarn and Tuddaw Thamronglarp, 11-4, 11-4, to advance to the women’s double semifinals of the 29th Southeast Asian Games squash tournament Monday night.

Drawing a bye in the round-of-16, Aribado and Dalida, who played with a strained right hand, used guile more than power in eliminating the Thais in the quarterfinals to seal a semis duel with the second-seeded Malaysian duo Chan Yiwen and Nazihah Haris.

Haris and Yiwen, who also drew an opening-round bye, whipped Indonesia’s Catur Yuliana and Rinduri Maulida Arnasty, 11-5, 11-7, at the National Squash Center inside the KL Sports City in Bukit Jalil.

“Puro lob na nga lang ang binigay ko. Pero di naka-adapt ang mga Thais,” said Dalida, who hurt her hitting hand while doing push-ups a week before the tournament and had requested a Phl doctor here if she could take steroids to lessen the pain and swelling.

Assuming she and Aribado prevail against the Malaysians in their 8 p.m. semis clash Tuesday night, Dalida vowed to give it her all in the finals Wednesday.