Vivian Rhamanan (left) in action here during an earlier round. He went on to win his fifth successive Men’s Open title when he beat Anders Yeo 3–0 in the final. (Photo courtesy of Rhonda Koh)
Kallang Squash Centre, Saturday, January 18, 2014 — Vivian Rhamanan, 27, beat Anders Yeo 3-0 (11-5 11-8, 17-15) to win his fifth successive Men’s Open title at the 2014 Masonry Singapore Closed Squash Championship.
Vivian said, “Winning the title in the first and second years was a boost to my morale, a testament to how hard work pays off. But, after the initial two years, therein lies a ‘happy problem’ of having to train even harder to retain the title for the ensuing years.
“No doubt there is pressure to keep securing the title, but with all sports, hard work and mental preparedness and a good support system can pay dividends. I will rest and celebrate tonight, but, before long, it is back to the drawing board for the Masonry Singapore Closed Squash Championship 2015. Five straight years is both a feat and an honour, but I have every plan to further evolve history, pushing my goal post, to make it six consecutive years of retaining the title.”
Returning Women’s Open Champion Nur Adawiyah, 32, beat 16-year-old Michelle Tay 3-0 (11-2, 11-7, 11-6) to retain the Women’s Open title for the second consecutive years.
Less than an hour before that, Michelle had finished second in the Girls Under-17 final.
Returning Girls Under-17 champion, Alethea Sim, 17, competed and won the Girls Under-19 this year when she beat Low Yen Ling 3-0 (11-4, 11-6, 11-2).
Vivian Rhamanan, took to squash at the age of 11. Under the guidance of his father, he joined the National Junior Team in 1998, just one year after his initiation into the sport. In the same year, he won the Under-12 Singapore National Junior Championship. He has won all age-group titles from under-12 to under-19.
On the international stage, his wins include the SportExcel Junior Circuit Under-17 in Malaysia, Singapore Junior Open Under-19, and a runner-up position in the Japan Junior Open Under-17.
Vivian is currently the National Assistant Coach.
Happy that Vivian still pushing squash to its height. Squash is an intelligent and physical demand game. Also can play in all weather. So hopefully people in Singapore will pick up this game and keep fit at the same time enjoy the game of squash.