KUALA LUMPUR: In a shocking turn of events, women's national No 1 squash player S. Sivasangari is out of the Commonwealth Games.
It is understood that the world No 19 was involved in a car accident on Sunday and sustained serious injuries. The 23-year-old was the passenger of a car that rear-ended into a lorry along the Maju Expressway.
According to a report by China Press, she was rescued from the car before it caught fire but sustained severe injuries to her head and was rushed to the Putrajaya Hospital for treatment.
It is unclear the extent of Sivasangari's injuries but it is understood she had to undergo immediate surgery on Sunday but is now already awake.
It is the second time in a matter of years that a major accident has occurred on the same highway, involving a high profile athlete.
In 2020, Japan badminton ace Kento Momota was involved in a near career-ending accident that saw a van driver killed.
Momota suffered severe injuries and has never quite been the same dominant player that he was prior to the injury.
Squash Racquets Association of Malaysia (SRAM) director Major (Rtd) S. Maniam confirmed that Sivasangari did get involved in the accident when contacted by Timesport today.
"It is indeed a shocking turn of events," said Maniam.
"I still don't know to what extent the injury is, but I believe it could be serious enough to rule her out of the Commonwealth Games."
The Commonwealth Games is due to be held in Birmingham from July 28-Aug 8.
Sivasangari is a medal contender in the women's individual and doubles events.
In fact, the Kedahan who also won her second National Championship title this month, was named as the Malaysian contingent's flagbearer alongside Paralympian Bonnie Bunyau Gustin.
What's more concerning is whether Sivasangari can recover from her injuries.
This is especially since she is entering the prime of her career and has been starting to challenge for titles at the elite level.
