|
|
Peter Nicol interview with the BBC, 22-Jun-07 |
Squash and the Champions League
Petros Tzamaloukas reports from Athens
 Athens
once again hosted a spectacular event as the Champions League
final came to the Greek capital last night. The roads of the
city were full of Liverpool and Milan fans. In fact they were
full of Liverpool fans who were almost double the Italians, but
the neighbours were expected to come later in the day.
 We
also had an unexpected visit at the Athens squash and tennis
club - which is going to held once again the PSA Greek Open from
19-23 June - from Zinedine Zidane.
He walked around the club and had a TV shoot for helping the
children of Africa. Unfortunately he didn't try his luck on the
squash courts !
I met also Peter Hernberg, ex-Finnish squash player but
leaving in Stockholm, Sweden, who is working for Mastercard
Europe, sponsors of CL. Its a small world !
 It
will be interesting to know who from the squash community was
here for the final and also tell us about his Athens experience.
Hope you enjoyed it ...
Congratulations to Milan and the Italian friends but also to
Liverpool who participated in this final.
See most of you in Royan !!!
 |
Squash Ball does the trick for Gilchrist ...
Adam Gilchrist revealed the secret behind his record-breaking
innings of 149 in Australia’s Cricket World Cup final victory
against Sri Lanka – a squash ball in his glove.
Normally just a training aid suggested by his batting coach and
former Western Australia cricketer Bob Meuleman, also a noted
squash player, Gilchrist took it one stage further during the
World Cup.
"I had a squash
ball in my bottom-hand to help with my grip in training and I
decided in this World Cup to use it in a match. Bob's last words
to me when I left the training centre in Perth were that if I
was going to use it to make sure it was to score a hundred in
the World Cup final and to prove it was in there."
 |
Full story in the Daily Times |
|
Read the full article |
01-April, Philadelphia:
QUICK PLAYERS REIGN
AT US DOUBLES
Beth Rasin reports
After saving five match points in the finals of the Sotheby’s
International Realty US Open Doubles Squash Championships at the
Merion Cricket Club, American Meredeth Quick and
Englishwoman Fiona Geaves captured the Women’s Open title
by defeating the reigning World Doubles champions, Australian
Narelle Krizek and Canadian Stephanie Hewitt,
13-15,15-12,18-17,11-14,17-16.
The new US champions were behind 10-14 in the fifth and deciding
game when they hit two winners and benefited from two errors by
their opponents to tie the match at 14-all. Quick and Geaves
promptly fell behind 0-2 in the tiebreaker, but won the next two
points to give themselves a match point. Quick secured the
victory by hitting a winner from deep in the court that took all
four players by surprise.
“It’s an amazing feeling to win the US championship,” said Quick
about winning her first national Women’s Doubles championship.
It was then Quick’s brother Preston’s turn to take the
court with his partner John Russell of England for the
men’s final against Englishman Clive Leach and Aussie Scott
Butcher. This was the fifth final of the year on the
International Squash Doubles Association tour for Quick and
Russell and they finally took the home the trophy.
The duo’s first tour title was won in decisive fashion as they
took the lead from the opening point and never relinquished it,
winning 15-11,15-13,15-10.
“I figured it was time to finally win a final,” said Quick, who
earlier this year had reached the finals of both the US Men’s
Singles Championship as well as the US Mixed Doubles with his
sister.
|
Men's Final:
(4) P. Quick (MA)/J. Russell (ENG) bt (3) S. Butcher (AUS)/C.
Leach (ENG)
15-11, 15-13, 15-10
Women’s Final:
F. Geaves (ENG)/M. Quick (NY) bt (1) S. Hewett (CAN)/N.
Krizek (AUS)
13-15,15-12,18-17,11-14,17-16
 |
|
31-Mar-07:
Sotheby's US Doubles
Championships
Beth Rasin reports
Philadelphia, PA – Clive Leach of England and Scott Butcher
of Australia made it into the finals of the Men’s Open at
the Sotheby’s International Realty US Doubles Squash
Championships by a margin of one point after two hours of
play in their semifinal match at Merion Cricket Club against
Aussie Ben Gould and Irishman Willie Hosey, winning
15-11,9-15,15-4,5-15,18-17.
Gould, the top-ranked player on
the International Squash Doubles Association tour and the
45-year-old Hosey were down 5-12 in the fifth and deciding
game when Gould started blistering the ball and Hosey
interspersed some winning drop shots to take the lead at
13-12. Leach and Butcher sent the match into a five point
tiebreak when they tied the score at 13 all. This time it
was the eventual winners who had to mount a mini-comeback.
Down two match balls at 2-4 in the tiebreak, Leach and
Butcher ran off the next three points to reach the final.
They will play the fourth-seeded team of American Preston
Quick and Englishman John Russell, who eliminated Canadians
Tyler Millard and Michael Pirnak in four games, 15-12, 9-15,
17-15, 15-7.
Quick’s sister Meredeth will be
in the women’s finals with partner Fiona Geaves of England
and for the first time in 12 years, Alicia McConnell’s name
will not be engraved on the US Doubles Squash Championships
trophy. In the opening game of their semifinal, 43-year-old
McConnell and partner Jessica DiMauro of Canada found
themselves in the midst of what was shaping up to be an epic
squash match against Geaves and Quick. Down 12-13,
McConnell, who had won 11 successive national doubles titles
as well as five world doubles championship titles, pushed
off to reach a ball in the front court and ruptured her
Achilles tendon.
“It was exciting to be in the midst of such a great match,
particularly with Alicia, who has been an inspiration to me
and my generation of squash players,” the 27-year-old Quick
said afterwards. “It was disappointing to have it end that
way.”
Quick, a finalist at last
year’s championships, and Geaves, will face top seeds
Narelle Krizek of Australia and Stephanie Hewitt of Canada
in the finals. Krizek and Hewitt, the reigning women’s world
doubles champions, defeated twin sisters Berkeley Revenaugh
and Mary McKee,15-12, 15-7, 15-12, in the other semifinal.
Men’s Open –
(4) P. Quick (MA)/J. Russell (ENG) bt
T. Millard (CAN)/M. Pirnak (CAN)
15-12, 9-15, 17-15, 15-7
(3) S. Butcher (AUS)/C. Leach (ENG) bt
(2) B. Gould (AUS)/W. Hosey (IRL)
15-11, 9-15,15-4,5-15,18-17
Women’s Open –
(1) S. Hewett (CAN)/N. Krizek (AUS) bt
B. Revenaugh (CA)/M. McKee (MA) 15-12,
15-7,15-12
F. Geaves (ENG)/M. Quick (NY) bt
(2) A. McConnell (COL)/J. DiMauro (CAN)
13-12 (ret.) |
31-Mar-07:
NZ Junior titles
for King & Thom
Gary Denvir reports
Waikato's Joelle King and Auckland's Josh Thom
have taken the titles at the New Zealand Junior Open, after a
thrilling final day at the North Shore Squash Club in Auckland.
 Joelle
King confirmed her top seeding with a hard fought straight games
victory over third seeded Aucklander Lana Harrison in the girl's
final, the pair producing some superb squash before king
prevailed 9/2 9/7 9/6. 15-year-old Harrison had earlier won
through to the final with a stunning 4/9 9/3 9/3 9/6 upset
victory over second seeded fellow Aucklander, and defending
champion Kerry Wickett.
Second seeded Thom also produced an upset in the boy's draw,
preventing top seed Evan Williams from winning back to back
titles, with a 9/6 7/9 10/8 7/9 9/2 victory in the title
decider. It is Thom's second title at the event, after also
winning in 2005.
Girls Semifinals
[1] Joelle King bt Aliesha Watene 9/1 9/1 9/1
[3] Lana Harrison bt [2] Kerry Wickett 4/9 9/3 9/3 9/6
Final
King bt Harrison 9/2 9/7 9/6
3rd place playoff
Wicket bt Watene 9/3 9/0 9/2
Boys Semifinals:
[1] Evan Williams bt [4] Cameron Jamieson 9/2 9/2 9/2
[2] Josh Thom bt [3] Keegan Burkhart 9/1 9/2 9/6
Final
Thom bt Williams 9/6 7/9 10/8 7/9 9/2
3rd place playoff
Jamieson bt Burkhart 5/9 9/6 9/4 9/3 |
25-Mar-07:
Rodney Martin joins
Aussie Hall of Fame
Andrew Dexter reports
Former world champion Rodney Martin was inducted into the
Squash Australia Hall of Fame at the organisation’s annual
awards dinner in Brisbane on Saturday night.
Martin won the World Open title in 1991, creating a unique piece
of history by becoming the only person ever to defeat legendary
Pakistani duo Jahangir Khan and Jansher Khan in the same
tournament.
 He
became the first Australian in a decade to win the coveted world
crown when he came back from a game down to defeat Jahangir in a
classic final 14-17 15-9 15-4 15-13.
Martin also played a key role in helping Australia to the world
teams’ championships in 1989 and 1991.
Martin, who reached a career high world ranking of two, won five
Australian Open titles – in 1986, ‘87, ‘90, ‘92 and ’93 – and
two prestigious Hong Kong Open crowns, in 1986 and 1992, and he
also won US Open titles, in 1989 and 1991.
Although he never won a British Open, he finished runner-up on
three consecutive occasions, from 1988-90.
Martin was forced to retire from the World Tour in December 1994
because of a hip injury and has been employed since 1997 as a
coach at the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) squash unit.
Fellow World Open winner David Palmer, who won his second
title in 2006, was named Senior Athlete of the Year.
Along with the World Open title, Palmer also won the Windy City
Open in Chicago and the Village Open in New York.
He also briefly regained his world number one ranking in
February, spending the rest of the year at number two.
Peta Hughes and Ryan Cuskelly were named as Joint
Junior Athletes of the Year.
 Hughes,
from Rockhampton in Queensland, won the Australian junior title
in dominant fashion, winning all matches in three games in both
the individual and team championships.
Cuskelly, from northern New South Wales, is the 2006 Australian
junior champion after beating the top seed to take out the
championship.
He also played for NSW in the team’s event and was undefeated.
|
Squash Australia Hall of Fame
 |
 |
|
21-Mar-07:
Super Series Finals
Ends Broadgate Run
The annual Super Series Finals Squash Championship has
ended its long run at the Broadgate Arena in
London following the unsuccessful conclusion of 'exhaustive
efforts' by its promoters to secure a new sponsor for the
event.
 The
Super Series Finals brought together the top eight qualifiers
from the annual PSA Super Series Tour to compete in a week-long,
grand final. First staged in Switzerland in 1992, the event
moved to the unique location of Broadgate Arena in the heart of
London's Square Mile in 1999 under the direction of promoter
Satinder Bajwa.
The championship attracted financial support from British
Land plc, owners of the Broadgate Arena - and, when
Equitable Life bowed out in 2002, Brit Insurance
stepped in to take on the title sponsorship.
The US-based promoter, through his company Complete Sports
Solutions (CSS), concluded a new agreement with the PSA last
year to retain exclusive rights to the Super Series Finals for a
further five years. The 2007 event was due to take place at
Broadgate Arena, for the ninth successive year, in May.
 "Today's
news from Satinder Bajwa is very disappointing.
We are grateful for his sterling efforts over
the past 11 years in building up one of the most prestigious
events on the PSA World Tour.
"Whilst the likelihood of staging the 2007 event now is very
slim, we will now do everything in our power to find a new
promoter for the event in the nearest future."
PSA Chief Executive |
Super Series Finals 2006 |
15-Mar, Spain:
Madrid To Host 2007
Women's World Open
Elite women's international squash will be staged in Madrid later
this year when the Spanish capital hosts the 2007 Women's World
Open.
 The
historic agreement to stage the biggest-ever event in women's squash
- boasting a cash prize-fund of more than $100,000 - has been
reached between the World Squash Federation and Madrid City Council.
"This is excellent news for women's squash," said WSF President
Jahangir Khan. "The Madrid City Council, and its various
partners, clearly plan to deliver the most spectacular Women's World
Open of all time.
"Madrid is renowned for hosting top world class sporting events. I
am delighted that we will now be able to stage one of the biggest
championships on our international calendar in this vibrant European
city."
The 2007 Women's World Open will be staged in partnership between
Madrid City Council; the Spanish Squash Federation; the WSF; and
WISPA. Madrid 16, the organisation lobbying to host the 2016 Olympic
Games, is also supporting the event.
 Miguel
de la Villa Polo, Sports Director Madrid City Council, said:
"The city of Madrid receives the WSF with its arms wide open and
offers all its support and assistance. We are very pleased to be
hosting the Women's World Open and look forward to working closely
with the WSF and its partners to make it the biggest and best event
ever."
For many years in the 1990s, Madrid hosted the men's and women's
Spanish Open - the most recent women's event being in March 1992.
The last time a World Squash Championship was held in Spain was in
September 1994 when the Men's World Open was staged in Barcelona.
Further details - including dates, venue and prize-fund, etc. - will
be released shortly.
WWO up for grabs - Issue 21
|
15-Mar, Pakistan:
Pakistan Nationals
 ISLAMABAD,
Mar 14 (APP): Maria Toor Pakay and her fellow Wapda player
Muqaddas Ashraf Wednesday advanced to the final of National
Women Squash Championship.
In the semi-finals of the championship, being played at DHA Asif
Nawaz Squash Complex, Karachi, Muqaddas Ashraf beat Saima Shaukat
from Punjab 9/7,9/2, 7/9, 9/1 in 27 minutes while Maria Toor beat
Aliya Sarfraz of Pakistan Army 9/0,9/2,9/6 in just 17 minutes.
The Final will be played at 3.30 p.m. on Thursday. |
15-Mar,
Ireland:
First PSA event
for Galway
The West of Ireland's first PSA world tour event will be held in
Galway Lawn Tennis Club, over the Easter weekend from April 5th to
8th.
Players will be bidding to get their hands on the coveted "Paddy
Whack Walsh" Trophy.
Garavan's Bar in Shop Street, Galway, has agreed to continue their
sponsorship, and have enabled the event to become such a huge
occasion.
A host of highly ranked professional players will come to the
Salthill venue for what promises to be a weekend of world class
squash.
So far there are confirmed entries from players of countries
including South Africa, Egypt, Pakistan, Spain, France, USA, England
and of course Ireland.
 There
will be a significant local interest with Salthill native John
Rooney, the current Irish number two will attempt to continue
his winning run in front his home crowd fresh from his first tour
win in Austria.
Admission to the event over the Easter weekend will be free of
charge. |
14-Mar:
 Shabana
Heads Super Series Standings
Victory in two of the first three events of the year has taken
world number one Amr Shabana to the top of the latest PSA Super
Series standings.
 The
27-year-old Egyptian, who completed a full year at the top of the
Dunlop PSA World Rankings this month, dropped just three games in
ten matches as he claimed the Infor Windy City Open in Chicago in
January, then the Bear Stearns Tournament of Champions in New York
at the beginning of this month.
The eight players with the most points gained in all of this
year's Super Series events will qualify to compete in next year's
Super Series Finals.
Shabana's fellow countryman Ramy Ashour comes in at second place
in the list: The 19-year-old won his first Super Series event at
the PACE Canadian Classic in Toronto in January, and reached the
last four both in Chicago and New York.
Anthony Ricketts, the Australian who is the reigning Super Series
Finals champion, is in third place after finishing as runner-up to
Shabana in both Chicago and New York. His compatriot David Palmer,
also a former Super Series Finals champion, is fourth - ahead of
Australian-born Scot John White, in fifth place.
Egypt's Wael El Hindi, who achieved his career-best world ranking
in February, is sixth in the new list for the first time - boosted
by a semi-final appearance in Toronto. Quarter-final berths in the
Tournament of Champions and Windy City Open make James Willstrop
England's highest entrant at No7, while Finland's Olli Tuominen -
who achieved a career-best Super Series result by reaching the
semi-finals in New York - make his standings debut at No8.
Standings: 1 Amr Shabana (EGY) 2812, 2 Ramy Ashour (EGY)
2362, 3 Anthony Ricketts (AUS) 2250, 4 David Palmer (AUS) 1500, 5
John White (SCO) 1031, 6 Wael El Hindi (EGY) 900, 7 James
Willstrop (ENG) 825, 8 Olli Tuominen (FIN) 712, 9= Thierry Lincou
(FRA), Gregory Gaultier (FRA) 637, 11 Stewart Boswell (AUS) 506,
12 Hisham Ashour (EGY) 468, 13= Alex Gough (WAL), Liam Kenny (IRL),
Julian Illingworth (USA), Graham Ryding (CAN), Ong Beng Hee (MAS),
Lee Beachill (ENG) 375, Mohammed Abbas (EGY) 375. |
14-Mar:
WISPA Celebrates Spring Gold Rush
 This
week sees the beginning of a 'WISPA Gold Rush' as the a quartet of
Gold events take place over six weeks.
Malaysian sports star Nicol David, the world number one, heads the
star-studded field in her home country's capital as the CIMB Kuala
Lumpur Open gets underway in Kuala Lumpur leading to the final on
Saturday.
Next month the sport's top women will compete in the next WISPA
Gold 35 event, the Sheikha Al Saad Kuwait Open from 8-11
April.
The Qatar Classic - a WISPA Gold 50 championship -
immediately follows the Kuwait Open, in Doha, from 13-17 April.
The newest event on the WISPA Gold calendar is the Seoul City
Open, an exciting major new squash event to be staged in South
Korea, from 25-28 April.
 "From
a top tier player and TV point of view, to have four WISPA Golds
on the roll is great - but the fact that they are more than
matched by other events taking place as well during the period
indicates the real health of women's international squash.
"Thanks to our superb promoters, it is a great time for players to
harvest prize money and ranking points!"
WISPA Executive Director
|
|
