Ball, White, Marks Slated To Join David Palmer In PST Tour Final
from PST Media
April 16, 2012 - PST Commissioner Joe McManus announced today that three more players have received their invitations to the PST World Championships in Detroit this coming May 4-6.
"Bradley Ball, John White, and Ned Marks are all mathematically certain to qualify," said McManus. "I sent them each a note this morning informing them."
Earlier this month PST announced that David Palmer, Mohamed El Sherbini, and Adrian Leanza had earned invitations. The final two spots will be decided later this month at the American Open in Tuxedo Park, NY.
John White (Scotland / Australia)
John White is PST's most charismatic and popular player. He is a global icon who donates considerable time and energy in support of projects to grow participation and visibilty for the game of squash. John's warm smile and quick wit have made him a beloved figure world wide. And his gentle nature makes him one of the most sought after clinicians for kids of all ages.
John has a Scottish National Championship and a World #1 ranking to his credit. He left the PSA World Tour a few years back and accepted the Head Coaching position at Franklin & Marshall College. Many initially wondered whether the former World #1 would be able to adapt his unique style to an American college campus.
Not only did he, he was immediately successful. In a few short years, the F&M program reached college squash's elite 8 and White's reputation as one of the best coaches in college squash was cemented.
Last season he moved to Drexel University to build their new squash program. Insiders say it is only a matter of time before Drexel will contend regularly for national championships.
White still holds the world record for hitting the fastest squash in match play. His backhand was recorded at 172 mph and his forehand at 171 mph.
Bradley Ball (England)
Bradley Ball gets less respect than he deserves in the world of squash. For several years, he hovered around the PSA top 20 before back issues caused him to step away from the game in 2008.
He puts so much pressure and torque on his body with his attacking style, it's easy to see why he was dealing with those issues.
These days Bradley, who is a teaching pro at Manhattan's Union Club, spends a great deal of time training and maintaining his body to play at an elite level.
And the PST schedule suits Ball well. In contrast with the PSA, which has tournaments lasting as long as 10 days, most of PST's tournaments feature smaller draws, which place less strain on a player's body throughout the course of the event. This has allowed Ball to flourish on Pro Squash Tour.
Last season Ball was crowned the 2011 PST World Champion. With tournament victories in Albany and Tuxedo Park this season, Bradley looks to be in good form again this year.
Ned Marks (United States)
Ned grew up in Greenwich, CT. He played squash at Brunswick before attending Denison University where he played at the #1 spot for the squash team.
Ned is called "wheels" by his peers on tour because of his quickness and relentless pursuit of the ball. Though he splits his time between the PST and ISDA tours, he has been a regular face at PST tournaments since its beginning.
A former PSA player, Ned holds the distinction of being the first player to be punished by the PSA for competing in PST tournaments. Ned's name was removed from the 2011 PSA Tournament of Champions draw after he competed in PST's 2010 Connecticut Open. This was a result of an October 2010 ban instituted by the UK-based PSA preventing its members from competing on both tours.
Marks has yet to win a PST tournament title. His best result was reaching the finals of the Connecticut Open in 2011. However, his consistent and regular performance have allowed him to accumulate a significant number of points and earn a spot in the 2012 PST World Championships this coming May.
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