Former World No. 3 Anthony Ricketts Returns To
Competitive Action On Legends Tour
by Tim Garner
September 8, 2011 - Former world No 3 Anthony Ricketts will roar back into competitive action when he makes his debut on the Legends of Squash Tour at the 9 Telecom Legends event at St. Georges Hill Tennis Club, Surrey later this month. The Australian replaces Martin Heath who was forced to withdraw with an ankle injury.
As well as competing in Weybridge from 16-19th September, Ricketts will take part in the next leg of the tour which follows hot on its heels and takes place at the Aberdeen Squash & Racquets Club from 23-25th September.
Ricketts, who won titles at the British Open, Tournament of Champions and the Super Series Finals, is keen to get back on court after four years away from the tour. And he has plenty of unfinished business with his former opponents after injury forced him to curtail his professional career at just 28 years of age. After a fifth operation to repair cartilage in his right knee, Ricketts acknowledged in 2007 that he could no longer survive the daily rigours of training and playing matches at the highest level.
After retiring, Ricketts worked as Head Coach of the New Zealand National Squad before returning home to take up his current role as Senior Coach for the Squash Program at the Australian Institute of Sport. He now spends a good deal of his working life hitting on court with the top Australian players as was evident at last month’s Men’s World Teams in Paderborn and the fiery Aussie cannot wait to compete again.
“The 'Legends of Squash Tour' is another fantastic squash venture conceived by the Eventis team. Not only does it give the squash fans another opportunity to see the greats of the game continue to perform, but it also allows the occasion for former top players to once again compete against each other in a sport that they hold dear. I am excited, and nervous, about the challenge of again stepping onto court with the likes of Peter Nicol, Jonathon Power and John White. It is something I do not take lightly and look forward to reliving some of the battles of yesterday.”
Although coming into the event as a late replacement and therefore un-seeded Ricketts is one player that the others won’t relish playing, defending champion Peter Nicol has Ricketts first up on the Friday night and explained ‘Anthony was one of those players that you knew would give 100% every time he stepped on court and whilst it is very exciting to have him join the tour, I might not be feeling quite the same during our opening encounter at St George’s Hill!’
TOURNAMENT DRAW: 9Telecom Legends of Squash – St. Georges Hill
Group A
1. Jonathon Power
2. John White
3. David Evans
4. Nick Taylor (w/card)
Group B
1. Peter Nicol
2. Simon Parke
3. Anthony Ricketts
4. Stephen Meads (w/card)
Friday 16th September
5.00pm: Parke v Meads
5.45pm: White v Taylor
7.00pm: Power v Evans
7.45pm: Nicol v Ricketts
Saturday 17th September
4.00pm: White v Evans
4.45pm: Power v Taylor
6.00pm: Nicol v Meads
6.45pm: Parke v Ricketts
Sunday 18th September
4.00pm: Evans v Taylor
4.45pm: Ricketts v Meads
6.00pm: Power v White
6.45pm: Nicol v Parke
Monday 19th September
7.30pm 3/4th
8.15pm Grand Final
More at : www.LegendsOfSquash.com
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