10TH TITLE FOR WHITEY...
Gus Cook reports

The 2006 Davenport Virginia Professional Squash Championship Final was played last night at the University of Richmond in front of over 300 enthralled spectators.

The matches all week long preceding the grand finale had been incredible to watch and the excitement had noticeably increased not only in the rapidly growing Richmond squash community but also on the University's campus as the word spread about what these guys were doing in the glass box overlooking the lake.

Adrian Grant had played his heart out for three days by the time he took to the court whilst John White looked calm and collected and no doubt happy to see his wife and two of their children courtside having driven down from Philadelphia that afternoon to offer support.

The first game started at a blistering pace with White applying pressure at every opportunity but Grant hung with him point for point chasing balls down and displaying some fantastic shots himself. When it mattered most White came up with what he needed and was able to close out the first game 11-9 and in doing so gain the initiative.

The second game was not as close and Grant never really threatening but still ran hard and made sure that White knew where he was and not going anywhere soon - White won 11-6.

The last game of the last match of this Championship was worthy of the squash that has graced this court all week as both players exhibited the athleticism, racquet skills and sportsmanship that makes them without doubt two of the best players on this planet.

Grant again found himself chasing from the start and although the prospect of another come from behind win may have been in his mind this time he was up against an opponent who knows how to win the big matches at the right time.

White has completely blown the minds of everyone who has seen play this week and again all the qualities that took him to the world #1 spot just a few years ago were on display as he closed out the third and final game 11-9 in a total match time of 41 minutes.

In his acceptance speech White thanked all the sponsors for supporting the event, The Country Club of Virginia and the University of Richmond for hosting the tournament, the Virginia Squash Racquets Association for organizing and running one of the best squash events in the United States and especially to the thousands of spectators who had watched and cheered the players all week long.

Ted Price was also recognized as being the one person in Richmond who has supported and driven squash passionately and the reason why this tournament is what it is.

This was White's 10th tournament victory in his 25th final appearance,  and fittingly exactly 25 months after the first professional tournament was ever played in the state of Virginia - January 2004.

It is hoped by the organizers that this tournament will continue to grow and that in 2007 it can again be played on the McWil court at The University of Richmond with an increase in prize money.

04-Feb, Semis:
White on course for
US Double in Richmond
Gus Cook reports

The semis this evening were certainly not lacking in entertainment value. The first match of the evening took to the court @ 6pm and featured the No.1 seed, John White versus the No.3 seed, Graham Ryding.
 

White started well winning the first game 11-8 and continued in the same vain in the second to take it 11-7 before losing his focus slightly in the 3rd allowing Ryding to exhibit some of his own trademark skills and fought who then fought his way back in to contention, picking up the third game quite comfortably 11-4.

White proceeded to pick up the pace again in the fourth game and re-asserted his top-dog status, closing out the match 11-7 and in doing so assuring himself a much anticipated appearance in the final tomorrow evening.

 

The second semi-final was an excellent display of ball chasing, determination and resilience between Adrian Grant and Wael El Hindi. Numerous changes in concentration on the part of both players meant that there was no way of predicting the result at any stage. In the first game Grant started extremely slowly going 8-0 down in a matter of only a few couple minutes which El Hindi went on to quickly finish 11-2. In the second, Grant re-applied himself and seemed to get his sharpness back , taking the game 11-6. The third was a longer battle with El Hindi taking the initiative, winning 11-7.

At this point it looked like the odds were swinging in favour of the skilful Egyptian but Grant was not to be deterred and came out very strongly in the fourth, capturing the game for the loss of only one point. The scene was now set for a fantastic finale to an already exciting evening.

After some long rallies, Grant again dug deep and found strength from somewhere to bring himself back from the brink of defeat saving two match balls and taking the game into a tie-break, before closing out the match 12-10 winning 4 consecutive points, in doing so booking himself an appearance in the final tomorrow where his fighting skills will be severely tested for the 3rd day in succession against an opponent who is clearly very much in form.

               Draw & Results

The first match today in the quarter finals was between Graham Ryding and Dan Jenson which began at 5.40pm just after it had become dark outside and the ball could then be seen clearly by the players on the all glass court.

Ryding took a commanding two games to love lead although both games were hard fought but at 10-9 in the third it looked like lights out for Jenson who obviously had other ideas. He captured the third in a tie-break and then dominated the fourth along with taking a good lead in the fifth and final game but Ryding was not be outdone quite yet and managed to turn things around one last time winning 11-9 in 83 minutes of scintillating squash which the packed gallery of over 150 spectators very much appreciated.

John White's match on next against Mark Heather did not last half as long in time as the one before but the squash was still very entertaining with White smacking home some trademark winners from every part of the court emerging victorious in four games.

The third match of the evening was much like a boxing match (or wrestling depending on your viewpoint) with Wael El Hindi and Cameron Pilley going toe to toe for well over an hour before the talented Egyptian broke ahead from the fast improving lanky Australian mid-way through the fifth game and in the end winning decisively.

Last but by no means least another skilful Egyptian player, Mohammed Abbas, took to the court at well after 10.00pm this evening with the left handed Englishman Adrian Grant. The match contained a number of difficult decisions for the referee as the pace was fast and both players were hitting and moving very well. Abbas took the first and very narrowly the second also and looked at that point to be in control of the situation. Grant had other ideas and turned things around winning the third game for the loss of only two points with Abbas looking a little out of order and then the fourth too in doing so forcing yet another match to go the full distance. In the last game of the night Grant opened up a deciding lead which he never relinquished, in the end closing out the match 11-8 and in doing so extending his month long overseas trip for at least one more day.

The final score - Grant beat Abbas 3-2, 4-11, 9-11, 11-2, 11-7, 11-8 in 76 mins.

Draw & Results

The first round of the main draw was played today with matches being split between The Country Club of Virginia and the McWil glass court at the University of Richmond.

The first match ever to be played on a glass court in the State of Virginia featured Liam Kenny and Mohammed Abbas which was very hard fought with some fantastic rallies.

Abbas took the first before Kenny pushed hard to narrowly take the second but then slowed a little allowing Abbas to close out the next two games without too much of a threat.

Two English players both named Mark took to the court first this afternoon at The CCV with Mark Heather emerging the winner over PSA President Mark Chaloner. Unfortunately after a very competitive first game which went to a tie breaker with Chaloner winning 12-10, the next two games were not as close and he had to retire injured at the end of the third due to a knee problem.

John White, the number one seed, created a lot of excitement next in the packed gallery of over 100 people when he started playing his power and skill game against Lee Drew who seemed to be taken aback at first by the ferocity of Whites pace and angles. The whole match was very entertaining but after just shy of half an hour White emerged victorious in 3 games.

World number 19 Graham Ryding then went on court with a player ranked 181 places below him, Ryan Donegan, the only American player left in the draw. The first two games were not so easy for the Canadian with Donegan showing signs of what might be to come over the next few years. In the end Ryding superior skill and experience took its toll and by the third Donegan was a spent force with Ryding closing it out very quickly.

Over at The CCV Dan Jenson turned up the heat and took out Dylan Bennett in very short order dropping only 5 points total in the whole match.

Following on from this again at The CCV two other tall men from Down Under squared up with Cameron Pilley taking on Raj Nanda, the taller of the two winning comfortably in 3.

Back at the U of R Wael El Hindi and Miguel Rodriquez started at a very fast pace but the Colombian player started to exhibit signs of fatigue after nearly a solid month of travelling and playing allowing El Hindi to push ahead and gain control of the match winning in 3 games.

The last match of the day going on at 9.00pm in front of a still large and very appreciative crowd pitted Adrian Grant up against the tenacious and impressive Frenchman Laurent Elriani.

All the games were very close with 3 going to tie-breakers but in the end the added experience of competition played at this level coupled with a cooler approach from Grant seemed to make the difference when it mattered most and he emerged the vainquer in just over one hour of play making it the longest of this first round.

Draw & Results

The qualifiers assembled
at the Country Club