Sivasangari Stuns Top Seed Weaver To Reach Gaynor Cup Final

Malaysia's Sivasangari Subramaniam shocked US No.1 and 2024 champion Olivia Weaver to reach the 2025 Cincinnati Gaynor Cup final, where she faces Amanda Sobhy after the second seed's victory over England's Jasmine Hutton.

With a packed Cincinnati Country Club rooting for home favourite Weaver, Sivasangari played solid squash from the first point of the semi-final, quickly claiming a 6-2 lead in the first game, before converting the advantage to take a lead against the top seed.

Sivasangari had previously never won a match against her opponent on the PSA Tour, but after edging the second game 11-9, the upset looked on the cards for the 2024 London Classic champion.

Weaver and Sivasangari traded points to 9-9 in game three, and the American scored two quick-fire points to put herself back into the match.

The Malaysian stormed to a 9-4 lead in the fourth game, with Weaver unable to adjust her game to compete with the No.3 seed. Sivasangari comfortably converted the advantage, taking the fourth game 11-5 with a huge celebration on match ball as she earned her place in the final.

Speaking after the match, Sivasangari said: "Happy to be winning. Olivia has been playing really really well these last couple of months. She broke into the top four, she's challenging the top three girls.

"I'd lost to her five times in a row... but today I just tried to enjoy myself out there, take it point-by-point. Even when I was 2/0 up, last time I was 2/0 in World Champs and I lost to her, so this time even though I lost the third, I knew it was close.

"In the fourth I was taking it step-by-step and I'm happy to be just winning.

"I just tried to stay as patient as I can. Sometimes I'm just very inconsistent with my game. One rally I'm playing the best then next one I'm hitting the tin unnecessarily so today I tried to stay more consistent, I tried to find my length, my corners, take her off the T because she loves to control the T area.

"The first match [of the tournament] was a bit tough. I didn't start off too well, but I think that was good for me so that I could understand the court a bit more, try and get used to the court and then yesterday was a good confidence boost for me, and today I was on it, I got very used to the court conditions and I'm very happy with the way I'm playing."

US No.2 Sobhy overcame an in-form Hutton to take her place in the final. The No.2 seed started strong in the first game narrowly leading the way throughout to win the first game 11-9.

The second game was equally well-contested, with the two players inseparable to 8-8, but the 2022 British National champion was composed to clinically finish the game 11-8 and restore parity in the match.

Hutton carried the momentum into the third game, taking an 8-6 lead, but Sobhy rallied, winning the game 11-9, before scoring an emphatic 11-4 win to claim victory in the match, and set up the surprise final against Sivasangari.