World Masters, Final Day

     This is it.  A week of world class squash (not by us of course) comes to a close.  In our finals matches, Trevor played off for 5th place in his division and won 3-1
      Dave finished off the week on a very positive note.  Dave was playing the Canadian 50+ masters champs, Trent Haase.  However, Dave never let Trent get comfortable during the match.  Dave kept Trent on his heels and used his arrays of shots to frustrate him.  Despite Dave's 3-0 win, it was a hard-fought victory.  Dave ended up in 13th place.  Well done Dave!

Highlights from the week

Craig

1.  Meeting so many squash people from around the world
2.  Winning an international match
3.  Corrupting Jay

Al

1.  Meeting like-minded individuals from around the world
2.  Playing on Day 6 of an international tournament
3.  Realizing Cheetos were a vegetarian source of protein

Dave

1.  Catching up with old friends
2.  Reaching final 16
3.  Hanging out with WSF guys

Jay

1.  Interacting with so many friendly people
2.  Meeting former top players in the world
3.  Hanging out with WSF guys

Trevor

1.  Catching up with great players from the past
2.  Creating new friendships
3.  Doing everyone's laundry :)

Thank you Charlottesville for being a great host and putting on a first class event.  Photos of the week can be found here (well, some of them :))

World Masters, Day 6

    As we approach the final days of the tournament we have a guest blogger for today.  Yes, Mr. Boast himself can actually write......

     Today started off as it usually does with the clattering of pots and pans in the kitchen followed by the shrill of Dave Morrish’s voice through the walls of our tiny apartment as he and Trevor (our newfound room-mate and Morrish’s buddy from South Africa and former world #22) reminisce in great detail about a match they played back in 1984.  The juniors would recognize this voice which similarly echoes through the triple thick pane glass squash court walls at Windsor Squash & Fitness. Craig lays there motionless on his blowup mattress in the living room with a pillow over his head seemingly i’m assuming for the dual purpose of comfort and/or a noise barrier. Today’s bonus discussion was how Dave ordered too much food at dinner last night but that problem was easily solved as Trevor quickly woofed down his vegetarian ravioli when we met him back at the apartment last night. Trevor‘s timing was right as Jay didn’t have an opportunity to take advantage of this rare opening of uneaten food and had to settle for his normal bowl of twigs sprigs and sprouts which includes some magic potion to keep him so young looking. He must have forgotten that the corn he boiled three days ago is still sitting in the same water in the pot on the stove. Having said that some may not recognize him as the picture of health as he discovered Cheetos on this trip and Craig and i are still trying to figure out how we’ve gone through 4 bags and need to go to Kroger for reinforcement.  Yours truly is sitting in bed writing this blog as we speak and waiting for the dust to settle before Dave, Jay and Trevor head out the door to the club. Only matches today include Trevor at 12:30 PM and Al at 1 PM. I am considering going into the kitchen to make breakfast but see a motionless Craig in the fetal position out there taking advantage of the peace and quiet. I’ll give him a few more minutes of R.E.M time before making my move. Even if I did happen to wake him up we all know that Craig is a team player and not a complainer. He’ll have to get up soon and visit the “loo” soon, as Dave would say anyway.

     First up was Trevor.  As Al mentioned Trevor is a world-class squash player but today he was feeling the effects of his previous match against previous master's winner, Willie Hosey.  Trevor came out flat today against a sharp-shooting Dominic Hughes from the USA and put an end to his tournament.

     Next up, our guest blogger.  Al was playing a guy that was born in Windsor and now lives in Waterloo (now he has a game when he travels).  His opponent was deceiving in warmups and it looked like this was going to be an easy win for Al.   However, once the match started his opponent turned it on hitting winner after winner.  Al had his chances to win and was slowly tiring out his opponent.  Unfortunately, Al needed to get a game win to extend the match and probably get the win and that didn't happen.  Congratulations Al on a great tournament and exceeding your tournament expectations.   

     Today was semi-finals day and the matches were incredible.  Dave Morrish was the guest commentary on Alistair Walker's match.  You can listen to Dave here (with a big shout out to Windsor Squash) and decide if Dave has a potential second career.  

Live streaming can be found here. 
Complete draws can be found here.

World Squash Masters, Day 4 & 5

Wednesday

     Today didn't get off to a great start for Windsor.  While Al did earn his second win of the tournament by playing his best game yet as he won over a French player named Default.  It was an amazing match as Al couldn't miss and his opponent had no answer.  So Al moves on to the next round with his "victory".
     Craig, on the other hand, had a really tough match against a true frenchman from Quebec.  Oddly enough, Dave used to give him lessons when he was in Ottawa.  However, the advice Dave gave Craig was clearly the wrong advice as his opponent took him down in 3 games ending Craig's tournament.
      Next up was Windsor's golden jewel of this tournament, Dave,  and wouldn't you know it, he was playing on the show court so you can see his match here.  Dave came up against a South African player, Mike Tootill, that Dave used to play against on the Tour.  He beat him once once on tour but Tootill's game really took off in his later years and Dave knew that he would have his hands full today.  Dave prediction came true as he went down 3-0.  However, that didn't stop Dave from making highlight reel shots and keeping his opponent guessing.  Congratulations Dave for making into the round of 16, no small feat when there are 128 players in your draw.  If you want to watch his match, you can find it here.

Thursday

      Well, today got off to a rough start thanks to a US Squash sponsored party :).  First up was Al, who was playing the owner of Squash Gear.com and drinking water last night.  Al got off to a very rough start and didn't wake up until the end of Game 1 when he turned it on to squeeze out Game 1.  After that game there was no looking back and Al earned a 3-0 victory.
      Next up was Dave at 7:00, no wait, make that 1:30.  Apparently Dave is just learning how to read a draw.  Dave was feeling the effects of his previous matches and clearly didn't have it today, losing to a strong player from Ireland.  Fortunately for Dave he has a day off until his next round.

Here is a news story the local CBS ran on the tournament.

Live streaming can be found here. 
Complete draws can be found here.

World Squash Masters, Day 2 & 3

Monday 

      Everyone had a "rest" day (it is masters squash) except for Dave.  Dave was up bright and early ready for the match.  Yes, our apartment reeked of Tiger Balm.  When he hit the court there was a bounce to his step.  As the match progressed, Dave floated around the court and hit deceptive shots that kept his opponent on his heels.  Dave cruised to a 3-0 victory and gave Windsor its first win.  Everyone is back on court Tuesday.

Tuesday

     This was looking to be a long day was each one of us were scheduled to play an hour apart from one another.  First up was Jay. In game 1, Jay had some trouble adjusting to his Irish opponents shot-making and lost game one.  In game 2 Jay adjusted and began to move his opponent around the court and almost took game 2.  In the end Jay went down in 3 and moved on the Plate 2 round later in the day. 
     Next up was Al.  He drew a hard-hitting lefty from Australia.  Al struggled to find any momentum in this match.  His opponent kept him off-balance with his kills and deadly serve.  By the time Al figured out his opponents game the match was over, relegating Al to the Plate 2 also.
     Next on the schedule was Craig.  Craig drew a former professional hardball player and a member of the McArthur Squash Club(check it out).  Craig jumped out to a 2-0 lead by playing steady and keeping his opponent under pressure.  Despite a little blip in game 4, he held on for his first World Masters win and advanced to the round of 16 in the consolation draw.  More importantly, it meant he didn't have to play again that day giving him some valuable rest. 

      Dave was looking to continue his hot play from yesterday and he did just that.  He continued with that bounce in his game and once again relied on keeping his opponent on his heels with his deception.  Dave cruised to a 3-0 win to move to the round of 16.  Unfortunately Dave has now come up against the #1 seed, one of the top 50+ players in the world and an old training partner of Dave's. 
      Jay was then up with his second match of the day and was starting to feel the effects of the tournament.  Jay was up against a crafty Irishmen that could shoot from anywhere on the court but struggled to get around the court.  Jay moved him around and hit many winners but the Irishmen kept just hanging around and Jay just couldn't put him away marking the end of Jay's tournament.  One of the most amazing thing about Jay this week is that this was his first tournament ever!  Way to start big Jay!
     Al was still searching for his first win of the tournament and not rely on Craig and Dave to supply all of Windsor's wins.  Al finally got his game going with lots of boasts and good length and easily won 3-0. 

Live streaming can be found here. 
Complete draws can be found here.
   

World Squash Masters

      For the first time ever, the World Squash Masters is taking place on North American soil.  This tournament takes place every 2 years and is open to anyone who is 35 years or older.  This is the Olympics for squash players who continue to play competitively.  The draws are full of former top PSA players and even some still playing on the PSA tour.  This year's event saw over 800 players enter from 59 different nations, including 52 from Canada.
      Of those from Canada, 4 Windsor Squash players made the 10 hour drive to Charlottesville, Virginia.  Craig Guthrie(45+), Dave Morrish(50+), Jay Patel(55+) and Al Valente(55+) are all representing WSF in their respective age divisions.  Unfortunately, this was the best representation Windsor could get. 
      As you can imagine, the draws in this tournament are huge.  The 45+ draw has 101 players in it, while the 50+ had 90 and the 55+ had 119.  So for Al to win the tournament he will have to play 5 matches (not to mention beat 5 former top 20 PSA players and Canada's national champ from this year).  But it is not about winning, it is about competing and trying your best, right?
      First up in the first round matches were Jay Patel and Craig Guthrie.  Jay chose the right tournament to make his debut and he started in spectacular fashion.  At times, Jay seemed to be easily controlling this match.  However, his opponent continued to fight back and pushed Jay into game 5.  Jay had 3 match balls but was unable to close out his pesky opponent, losing 15-13. 
      Craig's first opponent was a veteran of the tournament circuit and started out hitting soft volleys and hard kills.  While Craig stayed in the rallies, he wasn't able to take a game off of his opponent.
     Next up was Al.  Al was playing a hard-hitting leftie from the British Virgin Islands.  Al got off to a slow start and had some difficulty adjusting to the pace of the court.  After going down 2 games, Al decided to turn it on (yes, boast) and ran out to a quick lead.  However, in the end he wasn't able to take advantage of his lead and lost in 3. 
     Next up, Dave Morrish tomorrow!

Live streaming can be found here. 
Complete draws can be found here.

Club Championships

Thursday

     Matches continued Thursday evening, although it was a little quieter than previously nights.  In the Junior draw semi-finals, Ryan Guthrie and Amin Khan went back an forth for a good 45 min.  Despite having 4 match balls in the fifth game, Ryan couldn't pull it out giving Amin a 12-10 victory.  On the other side of that draw, Jagroop and Aaron were battling it out.  Unfortunately, Nagy had to withdraw due to injury.  This sets up a Jagroop vs. Amin final Saturday at 3:15.
     The B semi-finals is set for Friday as Steve Allen dispatched Arthur Nagy.  One half of the 40+ semi-finals is set as Dave Guthrie defeated Mike Wilbur.  In B doubles, the team of Usman Khan and Jagroop Bhangoo took on the "experience" of Herb and Ron Funkenhauser.  Game 1 game down the the final point and an unfortunate error by Jagroop gave Funkenhauser squared the game.  Game 2 also came down to the final point.  This time is was the Funkenhauser's who made the mistake.  It was looking like this match was going to back up the doubles courts for the evening.  As the match progressed the Funkenhausers began to fade allowing Khan/Bhangoo to take the match.
     The final match of the evening was an A doubles semi-finals of Guthrie(C)/Williams vs. Guthrie(D)/Lansens.  The match consisted of many uncharacteristic errors by Guthrie/Lansens which allowed Guthrie/Williams to cruise to victory and earn a spot in the finals Saturday at 4.

Friday

     What a night for squash!  No matter what court you were watching, there was a great match being played.  Starting off the evening was a tough, gut-it-out match between Doug Fields and Anis Khan.  Rallies left both players gasping for air.  Doug hit a couple of key winners that gave him game 5, earning him a trip to the B finals.   On the other side of the draw, Hannah Guthrie had her hands full with Stevie Allen and his speed.  This match too went down to the 5th game.  Steve blew a very big lead and hit a costly tin at 9-9 that led to him losing the match.
     In the A draw, Ryan Guthrie was trying to play the role of giant slayer and take down Paul Gebrael.  The rallies were long and neither player was giving an inch.  However, Paul proved to be to strong on this day taking down Ryan 3-1.  On the other side of that draw, Jagroop Bhangoo was hoping his strong play would carry him past Amin Khan.  While he played Amin very tough, Amin had too many shots tonight for Jagroop.  A Final is set for Saturday!
     In the 40+, playing partners Al Valente and Craig Guthrie took each other one.  What do you know?  Another game 5.  Valente made a couple of crucial errors down the stretch that cost him the match, setting up brother vs. brother final on Saturday.
    In the remaining A doubles semi it was Allen/Fields taking on top seed Eugeni/Gebrael.  Eugeni/Gebrael showed why they are the top seed, dispatching Allen/Fields 3-1.

Saturday

     Finals day!  First match of the day was the UK racquetball final between Paul Gebrael and Chris Greig.  On a hot day with an already bouncy ball, the rallies were long.  However, Paul had too many shots for Chris and took the title 3-0.
     Onto the mixed doubles draw.  Usually a high competitive draw, this year it saw only two teams entered.  The experienced team of Doug Fields and Janice Funkenhauser versus the inexperienced team of Hannah Guthrie and Kabir Bhangoo.  In the first 2 games, Fields/Funkenhauser moved Guthrie/Bhangoo all around the court, forcing them into many, many, many errors.  However, the tables were turned in the next two games as Guthrie/Bhangoo started hitting tighter shots.  In game 5 Guthrie/Bhangoo continued this strong play and defeated Fields/Funkenhauser.
     In the other doubles matches of the day, upstarts Jagroop Bhangoo and Usman Khan took on Carlyle D'Souza and fill-in Jay Patel.  Bhangoo/Khan were looking like doubles veterans as they worked D'Souza/Patel all around the court as they cruised to victory.  In the A doubles, two players that were partnerless a week ago (Guthrie/Williams) took on the favourites of Eugeni/Gebrael.  Eugeni/Gebrael chased down the best shots Guthrie/Williams could throw at them and threw in a few good shots of their own.  Stymied at every turn, Guthrie/Williams lost 3-1, giving Paul his second title of the day.
     In the 40+ draw the Guthrie brothers took each other on.  I think next year you will have to submit government-issued ID to confirm your age in this draw.  Neither player looked anywhere near their true ages.  As was every match in this event, it was a tough one.  Players alternated games and then in game 5, points.  In the end, the older brother (Dave) took the 40+ title.
     Straight off the doubles court and onto the singles it was for Dougie Fields and Hannah Guthrie.  Doug was looking to exact revenge for his doubles loss.  Their styles couldn't have been more opposite with Hannah relying on her speed and court coverage to overcome Doug's hard drives and reverse winners.  Despite being exhausted, Doug did not relent, consistently hitting winners at every opportunity and winning the B draw.
     And for the match that the crowd showed up for, Amin vs Paul in the A final.  Could Paul go 3 for 3 on Saturday?  Or was Amin going to add to his just-won junior title?  It looked that way early as Amin played mistake-free squash with a lot of winners.  However, a slight let-up in game 3 opened the door for Paul and he took advantage, stealing games 3 and 4.  And why wouldn't the last match of the tournament be a tough game 5?  Both players badly wanted to win but it was youth that prevailed and Amin won both the junior title and the A title.  Well done Amin!

      Those of you that came out Saturday afternoon/evening not only got to see some great squash but got to experience the BBQing skills of Dave and Graeme as they fed the crowd hot dogs, sausages and burgers.  A couple things to note about this week.  People seemed to like this format very much.  The club was busy every night with a lot of matches going on.  For next year, we will stick with the same format, the Tuesday after Victoria Day.  Also, it was much talked about the quality of matches.  Everyone was going that extra mile and not willing to give an inch, which at times led to some testy exchanges.  In the end, the quality of squash was much higher than a typical league night as can be attested by the number of matches that went 5 games.
     Complete draws can be found here.

Club Championships- Early Rounds

      It is that time of year when we determine who the Club Champions will be.  This year the Club Championships are running over the course of this week.  Matches started on Tuesday and continue through to the finals on Saturday, which wraps up with a BBQ.   This year there were a lot of divisions to be decided and many juniors were scattered throughout the divisions, forcing the "old-timers" to step up their game.

Tuesday

     A busy night as most people that entered were playing.  In the A draw, Jagroop Bhangoo made a statement by defeating Brian Porter in the first round 3-0.  In the B draw, all the seeds moved on but the highlight match of the night was Jay Patel vs. Steve Allen.  Jay hyped the match early by declaring Steve would have a tough match ahead of him.  By end of the evening however, all seeded players prevailed and Steve Allen survived to play another day.
     In the 40+, the big match of the night was Wilbur v. Lansens.  A match that could go either way.  On this night, Wilbur brought his A game and defeated Lansens in a tight match.  Other than that, all the seeds moved on.
     Moving on to doubles, which featured many entertaining matches on this night.  In B doubles the team of D'Souza/Charles rode Charles' frame winners to victory over DeMarco/Brousseau.  In A doubles, up and coming team of Khan/Guthrie (Amin/Ryan) took on veterans Guthrie/Lansens.  At first glance it appeared that the veteran experience was more valuable than youth energy.  However, as the match went on and headed into game 5, it was anyone's match.  Veteran experience eventually won out in a tight game 5.

Wednesday

     Matches on this night proved to be much closer than the previous night.  The A draw saw a great match between #1 seed Paul Gebreal and upstart Jagroop Bhangoo.  Bhangoo took Paul to a fifth game but couldn't defeat Paul in the end.  Paul is the lone adult in the A semi finals.  Jagroop, however,  was not done this night.  He continued his strong play and took down Usman Khan to earn a spot in the junior semi-final draw.
      In the 40+ draw all the seeds moved on leading to some great Friday night matches.  Without a doubt though was the match of the night.  Young vs. Old(er) (sorry Anis but as you put it "40 years of experience needs to get going").  And get going it did.  Anis was down 2-0 to Aparna but somehow found the fountain of youth and made an incredible comeback to win in an amazing game 5.   Chalk one up for the older guys.

     Matches continue every evening right through until Saturday at 4 when Graeme and Dave will be BBQing some food for everyone.