INTERVIEW: squash pro siddharth suchde

here's a scenario: you just graduated from an ivy league school. you played a sport that doesn't feature quite the fame or money of pro football (either the american or the european kind). do you take the $50K, 9-5 job, or do you sweat it out on the pro circuit with no guarantee of success?

if you're siddharth suchde, the answer is clear: you grind it out, because there's nothing more important than being the best. the indian harvard man has competed at top professional tournaments and helped his country to some of its best results on the international stage - and he's just a year out of college.

poop on boozer caught up with him in the midst of his country-hopping.

POB: You're Indian. You play squash. Was it as obvious as that, or did you take a circuitous route to the sport?

In India, most kids end up playing cricket at a fairly young age. Squash is still an elitist sport which most people aren't aware of. I actually played tennis in a big way but couldn't play in the outdoor courts during the monsoon season. At that time, my parents who were regular "squashies" introduced me to the game. Since then I haven't been as passionate about any other sport.

POB: Was it tempting to skip college and try to go pro right after high school? Any regrets about your decision?

I certainly don't regret going to Harvard. I always wanted to go to college and get a good education. I think the entire college experience has been an incredibly important part of my life. It also gives me a sense of security knowing that if for whatever reason I can't continue my squash career, there's always something to fall back on. However, there's a flip side to that as well. Sometimes, when things aren't going too well and you've had a couple of bad losses, it's easy to start thinking about all the other possibilities available with a Harvard degree. But overall, the positives surely outweigh the negatives.

POB: When did you know that you wanted to put aside the Harvard degree for awhile and give the professional circuit your best shot?

After my first year at college, I made up my mind. My coach was quite influential in helping me make that decision. I did quite well in a few professional tournaments over the summer as well as represented the national team in a few events. The exposure I gained made me believe that I could do well in this sport if I took it up professionally. But, most importantly, I loved each and every new experience. Since then I've been absolutely certain that this is exactly what I wanted to do.

POB: What have been your biggest challenges, on and off the court, in your first 15 months after Harvard?

On court, the biggest challenge was getting used to playing professional players. On tour, it's about earning your livelihood through the sport. The competitiveness, hunger, and determination are on a completely different scale in comparison to college athletes. Guys are willing to undergo physical and mental disintegration to win matches, and you have to be willing to do the same if you want to win.
Off court, I guess getting used to the way of life. We travel around 6-7 months of the year, living out of suitcases in various hotels or with different families. The long plane rides and constantly being away from home for such long periods eventually begins to wear you down. The best way of dealing with it is trying to find the correct balance and not going overboard playing too many tournaments all at once and spreading it out evenly through the year. Easier said than done when you have to defend ranking points, but it's a learning process.

POB: Who is the coolest celebrity you have met?

Some Bollywood actors who you'd have no clue about!

POB: Any more chances you'll take on amateur challengers if cake is on the line?

I'd do anything for cake.