Third time’s the charm as Aaron Liang dethrones Samuel Kang en route to national squash title

SINGAPORE – The city of Ithaca, New York, may not be renowned for metalworks, but as far as national squash player Aaron Liang is concerned, it is where iron sharpens iron.

It was where the Singaporean attained a bachelor’s degree from Cornell University and received an invaluable education on the squash courts.

Australia’s former world No. 1 David Palmer was his coach, while India’s former Asian junior champion Veer Chotrani and Malaysia’s Sivasangari Subramaniam, the current women’s world No. 8, were among his teammates.

The stint, which also saw Liang play in the inter-collegiate league, has evidently lifted his game.

After returning home upon graduating in May 2025, the 24-year-old won the men’s open in the Aug 11-16 Marigold Singapore Squash Championships.

In the Aug 16 final, he earned his maiden title with a comeback 7-11, 11-8, 12-10, 11-4 win over top seed Jerome Aw at the Kallang Squash Centre, where Au Yeong Wai Yhann clinched her eighth consecutive women’s open title by beating Ong Zhe Sim 11-8, 11-4, 12-10 in the final.

“I can’t believe this, I’ve finally done it,” said Liang, who dethroned eight-time national champion Samuel Kang 11-9, 14-12, 11-7 in the semi-finals on Aug 15.

“I feel like more than any other tournament, the national championship is something that I’ve always wanted to win, and I would say is probably one of the biggest goals in my life.

“And to finally have attained it, knowing that I very well might not have this run (again), was just a huge sense of relief and accomplishment… An item that I’ve ticked off my list.”

What made the triumph sweeter was that Liang had defeated Kang, 34, in an official tournament for the first time with his semi-final victory, after losing to the veteran in the 2021 and 2022 finals.

He missed the 2023 and 2024 editions as he was at Cornell, where he pursued a degree in hotel administration finance and financial management services.

Crediting his breakthrough to the Cornell stint, Liang said: “Training under David Palmer has definitely had a big impact in developing the discipline and mental fortitude to play the big points and matches well. I’ve felt my game improve and grow significantly under his guidance.”

National coach Gurshan Singh has also noticed Liang’s commitment since returning from the US.

He said: “When he got back here after his graduation, he’d been training full-time for the past three months.

“So I think all these things put together, he’s come a long way. He’s really progressed in his squash, being very disciplined, being very committed to training.”

Alex Wan, general manager of the Singapore Squash Rackets Association (SSRA), said Liang’s win is “significant”, not just for him but also for everyone as Kang had been dominating the men’s game here for a very long time, winning titles in 2011 and from 2018 to 2024.

He added: “In terms of mental and psychological side, to know that Samuel is beatable, it’s really a moment of realisation for everyone that nothing is impossible.

“I don’t think it’s the end of Samuel’s era, we also have to give credit to our younger players. It’s always good to see these players stepping up.”

Liang, a two-time SEA Games medallist, is eyeing another run at the regional multi-sport meet in Thailand in December, having made the Singapore National Olympic Council’s provisional list.

Wan said that the SSRA is targeting at least a bronze in both the men’s and women’s singles and a gold from either of the other two categories – the men’s and mixed jumbo doubles, which will be Under-21 events.

At the 2019 Games in the Philippines, the last time squash featured at the biennial event, the Republic won two silver medals (women’s team and mixed team) and three joint-bronzes (both singles and men’s team). Both Kang and Liang were part of the men’s and mixed teams then.

But Kang, who had also bagged gold medals in the jumbo doubles and men’s team categories at the 2017 edition, has been left out this time around. The investment professional has been out of action for nearly six months after undergoing surgery to remove a blood clot on his left leg at the start of the year.

But he hopes to be back for the 2027 and 2029 Games, adding: “For me, representing Singapore is always a huge honour.

“I’m always keeping myself in shape and as I get back to 100 per cent… hopefully I can still add value to the Singapore team.

“I’m always going to be ready, but I also understand that the association has its own priorities and plans for certain players.”