Chichester Centurions have signed World No.5 Olivia Weaver and World No.7 Sivasangari Subramaniam to aid their title push after finishing agonisingly short of the title in the inaugural season of the Optasia Squash Super League.
Last year, the Centurions lost out to Leamington Royals in an epic Grand Final, with the team holding a Championship Ball on their racket in the deciding rubber, before eventually being edged out in dramatic style.
Twelve months on, and the Centurions are back stronger than ever before, with a number of key acquisitions setting them up for another charge for the title.
Speaking ahead of the new season, Chichester Club Captain Tim Vail said:
“We managed to retain Jonah Bryant which is great ahead of the new season. We’re really excited to bring Sivasangari Subramaniam to the club as one of our female players. Dylan Roberts and Isabel McCullough are two new U25 players who I have worked with before in junior national squads.
“The pro clinics before matches have proven very popular. The kids get really excited to go on court with the pros. Sell out crowds every home night was also amazing last year.
“Last season was great but to lose out in the final twice by one point in two matches was a hard pill to swallow. We’re hoping to go one better this season and lift the title.”
Squad: The Breakdown
The Centurions have bolstered their ranks by snapping up top-ten duo Olivia Weaver and Sivasangari Subramaniam, both of whom have proven capable of defeating any player in the world on their day.
U.S. No.1 Olivia Weaver has been a consistent force at the pinnacle of the women’s game of late, consistently reaching the latter stages of Platinum events and winning big titles such as the Australian Open and Silicon Valley Open.
Meanwhile, Malaysian No.1 Sivasangari is one of the sport’s finest shot-makers and could prove a major threat in the league’s fast best-of-three format. Her London Classic title win around 18 months ago – featuring victories over Nour El Sherbini and Hania El Hammamy – showcased her world-class talent and ability to trouble the very best. The pair will join previous Centurions player Katie Malliff as their trio of women’s options.
Elsewhere, the Centurions have retained the services of up-and-coming English star Jonah Bryant, who proved a major coup in the inaugural season. Currently ranked at a career-high World No.13, the 20-year-old is widely regarded as a potential future World No.1 of the sport. Bryant will be joined by France’s World No.20 Gregoire Marche, otherwise known as ‘The Acrobat’.
The team have made a pair of exciting acquisitions in their U25s ranks with recent British Junior Championship winner Dylan Roberts and fellow rising star Isabel McCullough joining the Centurions’ ranks.
The English duo will be joined by Noah Meredith, who featured heavily and successfully for the team last year, George Griffiths, and Harriet Broadbridge.
Club captain Tim Vail, meanwhile, will lead from the front as the team’s Club Hero for the upcoming season, bringing a wealth of experience to the squad.
The Centurions will get their campaign underway on Friday 19th December against Crawley Magic, with every second available to watch live and for free on SQUASHTV.
For more information about Chichester Centurions, visit their website. You can also stay updated on their progress by following them on Instagram, X, and Facebook.
Chichester Centurions Squad:
Men’s Pros:
- Jonah Bryant
- Gregoire Marche
Women’s Pros:
- Olivia Weaver
- Sivasangari Subramaniam
- Katie Malliff
Club Hero:
- Noah Meredith
- Tim Vail
- George Griffiths
Men’s U25s:
- Noah Meredith
- Dylan Roberts
- George Griffiths
Women’s U25s:
- Isabel McCullough
- Harriet Broadbridge
Fixtures:
Friday 19th December: Chichester Centurions v Crawley Magic
Friday 17th February: St George’s Hill Knights v Chichester Centurions
Friday 20th March: Chichester Centurions v Leamington Royals
Friday 17th April: Bristol Buccaneers v Chichester Centurions
