KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian No. 2 Rachel Arnold continued her rousing run in the US$75,000 (RM328,707) China Open on Saturday and qualified for the squash final in Shanghai.
But second seed S. Sivasangari suffered a left eye injury in the fifth set of the semi-finals before losing 11-6, 11-4, 10-12, 8-11, 9-11 to Egypt's world No. 15 Farida Mohamed in a gruelling 64 minutes match.
The score was 9-9 in the fifth set when the ball hit Sivasangari's eye. After receiving treatment, the Asian champion resumed the match but lost her focus.
National chief coach Ajaz Azmat said: "She was bleeding and received treatment for 20 minutes before the match resumed. But the injury affected her vision and focus."
Incidentally, Sivasangari suffered a foot injury during the Silicon Valley semi-final match against Olivia Weaver of America last month.
The sixth seeded Rachel will face third seed Farida in the final on Saturday.
It has been a great week for world No. 30 Rachel. She stunned Egypt's world No. 8 and top seed Rowan Elaraby in the quarter-finals on Friday. In the last four, Rachel defeated two-time national champion Aira Azman 11-7, 11-9, 11-7.
Rachel, who finished second to Egypt's Nour El Tayeb in the Bronze-level Malaysia Cup last November, said: "This is my biggest final in a Silver-level PSA tournament,"
When asked about her chances against Farida, Rachel said she beat the Egyptian in the quarter-finals of the Malaysia Cup last year in Seremban.
"The final will be tough but there's definitely a good chance to win tomorrow," said Rachel.
World No. 15 and third seed Ng Eain Yow failed to qualify for the men's final after he fell 11-7, 11-8, 6-11, 11-6
to world No. 50 Mohamed Abouelghar of Egypt.
The unseeded Abouelghar will face world No. 9 and top seed Mohamed El Shorbagy of England in the final.