The wonderful GillenMarkets London Classic in 2024 featured the top three women in the world, and the title would be expected to go to one of these, but which one?
That the 25 year old Cornell University graduate, Sivasingari Subramaniam from Malaysia, whose ranking prior to the event was 16 (and her highest ever 14), came through and won the title was one of the upsets of the 23/24 season.
The final against Hania El Hammamy was a high quality match with engrossing competition, where Subramaniam used all her attributes and won 11-9, 5-11, 13-11, 12-14, 11-8 (in 81 minutes.).
One of the most difficult things in sport is to play with both freedom and structure - something Subramaniam achieved here. You could tick off the tactics used with approval and admire the all court game.
Hammamy, the taller and stronger player, is an outstanding mover and very hard to play winners against.
How then did Subramaniam do it? Let’s look at her game and see what could be relevant to your own game.
1. VARIETY
Subramaniam’s game contained a lot of variety of shot, making it difficult for her opponent to find a rhythm and predict any pattern. Hamanamy did not know what was coming next.
2. STRAIGHT
Subramaniam took her opponent off the T and put her in the back corners (the basic tactical play in squash) but in doing this she used variety – there were hard drives, dying length drives but also high tight drives sprinkled in frequently, all with excellent variation of pace. These did the important job of neutralizing her opponent’s volleying power, one of Hammamy’s strengths.
3. CROSSCOURT LOBS
Interestingly Subramaniam played a lot of crosscourt lobs from deep on the backhand. The rallies went straight, straight, straight and crosscourt. Hammamy could not pin her opponent down on backhand rallies, although she hung into the side and attempted to intercept.
4. TIGHT
While a lot of play was all over the court, it would be easy to overlook how tight Subramaniam’s game was. The drives where angled to fade on the side wall, the drops and kills died, not in the nick, but on the side. This is not easy to do and it is not accidental.
5. FINISH
Out of the air Subramaniam was lethal. Her backhand volley drop (and kill) proved effective and kept the opponent worried about anything loose.
6. SHORT AND LONG
Subramaniam’s drops from the back left court were comfortable played easily, not overplayed but played with assurance, disguise, and covered with nimble footwork. Her opponent was continually under threat.
7. HOLDS
Subramaniam also employed an effective hold, with just a second’s delay, enough to force her opponent to stop and into uncertainty. This set-up allowed her options short or long. There were many fine stinging shots and sharp straight kills.
8. STRUCTURE AND VARIETY
Let’s go back to the first point, this was an excellent all court game with lots of variety - but also an excellent tactical balance. Nothing really was overplayed. There was a basic structure and also enough variation to provide continual surprise and unease for an opponent.
YOUR GAME
So what is relevant for your game?
It would be well worth watching this match. Try to pick out something you would like to try in your own game. Developing the skill is not easy, nor can it be implemented instantly of course, but watching would still be great to garner ideas and motivation. Strangely a little rubs off.
1. WATCHING SQUASH
Try to pick out patterns and shots that may stay in the memory. Observe the player’s decision-making and tactical decisions and consider what you would or could do in similar situations. Watch top players live if you can and also on SQUASHTV and youtube.
2. PRACTICE
Practice hard and low, high and tight to beat the volley, and throw in a few drops – off the same swing so your opponent will not know they are coming. Practice solo, in pairs, in the knock-up, and set up rallies to practice them in your practice games.
3. LOB
The lob from the backcourt is not an easy shot to master, but a very worthwhile one if you can get it into your game. Nick Matthew used it brilliantly. Practice it and use it in your matches to totally change the pace of the game. Remember the better tactical player controls the pace of the game.
4. UP AND BACK
You are unlikely to have Subramaniam’s skills, but try out new shots and use the four corners. You don’t need to get carried away. Move your opponent up and back within your capabilities and at the right time tactically. Generally one short shot is enough. If your opponent is in the back hit to the front, if you opponent is in the front hit to the back.
5. HOLD
Not every shot needs to be whacked fast nor is it advantageous to do so. Hold some shots, especially when you have alternatives. Stop and your opponent will stop, then jerk them into action again.
Good luck.
