Sivasangari Subramaniam (Photo PSA)
Malaysia’s Sivasangari Subramaniam produced a herculean effort by recovering from 2-1 down against Satomi Watanabe to win 15-13, 5-11, 5-11, 11-7, 11-8 and lift the Grasshopper Cup.
Sivasangari, who was runner-up last year to Nouran Gohar, had to overturn a deficit just like she did in the semi finals yesterday against top seed Amina Orfi.
It’s the 17th title on the PSA Squash Tour of the Sivasangari’s career, and she will climb up to World No.5 in the PSA World Rankings on Monday – the first Asian player in eight and a half years to break into the top five since the legendary Nicol David.
Sivasangari boasted six wins over Watanabe on Tour coming into today’s meeting, but it was the Japanese No.1 who prevailed last time at the PSA Squash Tour Finals.
Watanabe looked on course to taking the first, but four game balls of hers were saved by Sivasangari, with the World No.6 being more clinical in the tiebreak to claim the first 15-13 after 18 minutes.
But Watanabe got the perfect respond to not converting the first, dominating the middle of the court and driving the ball into the corners to equalise, and she carried those tactics through to the third as well as taking the ball in short to nudge 2-1 up.
Sivasangari, who requested a new ball at the end of the third game, surged back in the fourth, producing some quickfire winners as the momentum shifted back in her favour as well as squeezing errors from Watanabe’s racket.
In a fifth which went point for point, it was Sivsangari who held her nerve at the business end to complete the comeback in style and win her second title of the season.
“Yesterday I had a long match and a big win. Satomi and I have been playing since I was nine years old, we grew up together, we’re good friends off court and it’s always tough playing each other,” she said.
“We grew up playing every category together and now in the senior events. I’m happy with how we’ve grown up together on the Tour and for me I’m just relieved and happy. I’m very tired but I’m happy to be winning this title.”
Result: [3] Sivasangari Subramaniam (MAS) bt. [2] Satomi Watanabe (JPN) 3-2: 15-13, 5-11, 5-11, 11-7, 11-8 (62m)
