Squash: Sivasangari cherishes those who stood by her through every high and low

PETALING JAYA: Like many children, S. Sivasangari had her moments of disobedience, testing her parents' patience along the way.

Today, she has nothing but gratitude for the two people who have stood by her through thick and thin.

"When I was young, maybe I wouldn’t listen much, but looking back, they’re my No. 1 supporters," said Sivasangari, in an interview with the Professional Squash Association (PSA)

"They’ve been there for me when I was down and now, at the highest moment, they’re here as well."

Through all the ups and downs, national squash player S. Sivasangari’s parents – Subramaniam Kaniappan and Valli Nagappan – have been by her side, and she knows she would not have gone far without them.

The 27-year-old etched her name in Malaysian history books by becoming the first women’s squash player to qualify for the Olympic Games after defending her Asian Games gold medal in Japan last month.

From surviving a career-threatening car crash to booking her spot at the Los Angeles Olympics, Sivasangari was glad to be able to repay her parents’ sacrifice to see her excel on the world stage.

"Thankfully I had my parents with me. I’m happy to also be giving something back to them,".

"It was very emotional. They’ve gone through a lot as well with me, obviously with the accident and other stuff.

"They’ve seen a lot of things that I’ve gone through, and I think they know what I really want in life.

"They've guided me to be the person I am today. My education and graduation from Cornell was all their guidance.

Just over four years ago, Sivasangari was on the cusp of leading Malaysia out as a flag bearer at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games when a serious car crash left her hospitalised with a fractured neck and spinal injuries.

"From that accident to making it to the Olympics feels unreal," the 27-year-old admitted.

"It sometimes comes up in my head. It was hard for me. I still remember those two weeks in hospital. I thought I would never play squash again because of my injuries.

"But I believe a lot in hard work. I think that habit has helped me get to where I am today."

Besides her parents, Sivasangari is also grateful to her teammates and coaches, who have stood by her throughout her journey.

The first person she spoke to outside her immediate team after the victory was her partner and fellow PSA player Baptiste Masotti, followed by her coach and former world No. 1 Gregory Gaultier.

"Obviously, my partner, Baptiste, was the first person I spoke to. He wasn’t there with me but he’s helped me out a lot, allowing me to be less stressed about the week. He’s played a huge role in me winning the tournament," said Sivasangari.

"My coach Gregory as well. He’s worked so hard with me during the summer.

"I’ve been with him for a year and a half now, and he’s improved my game so much," she said.

Sivasangari’s next outing will be at the diamond-level Egyptian Open starting on Saturday (Oct 10).