Sunday Shots from the Cheap Seats by Ted Gross October 26,
2014
Amusing:
Daily Squash Report has been posting nearly every day for three and a
half years now, for a total of 1,257 daily editions and counting, yet
if US Squash or Squash Magazine has ever made any reference to DSR,
we'd love to know about it!
Speaking of which . . .
The Top 50 selections:
The profiles were interesting and well-written, always room for debate
in these things, that's the fun of it, but we do wonder how much
some of the chosen individuals have actually done for squash. Rob
Dinerman should have been on that list - Rob has steadily chronicled
the sport for nearly 40 years in his inimitable style - his latest
project is a staggeringly thorough and engaging history of Harvard
squash, just released. And the great DaveTalbott is a no-brainer, a
first-teamer on any such roster. Very hard to see Bryan Patterson
ignored as well.
NetSuite: It
was refreshing to attend last month's $70,000 NetSuite Open in downtown
San
Francisco and speak to several of the foreign pros who told me that
(unlike US Squash) they are regular readers of DSR . . . early-round
matches at the Bay Club, a lively scene reminiscent of the old Uptown
RC, comfortable and welcoming, Kim Clearkin doing a terrific job
re-energizing California squash, along with personable pro Charlie
Johnson of the UK . . . the outdoor glass court a mile away had a bit
of an artificial feel by comparison, music blaring between games and
LED lights all over, but Nimick with a huge and enthusiastic turnout,
and the quality of play overrode everything else . . . truly the place
to be in the Bay Area those five nights . . . a party atmosphere, with
a Jimi Hendrix-inspired band kicking it all off to rave reviews . . .
if and when John Nimick offers any suggestions to US Squash, on any
subject, I'd listen carefully.
Speaking of West Coast squash:
great to see longtime pro John Lau back in action at the University
Club of SF . . . John endured a rugged medical battle, even coming away
with a new blood type, and is once again telling stories on and off the
court at California and Powell.
Eye Opener:
Singles pros Julian Illingworth and Zac Alexander quietly swept through
an SDA doubles event in Minneapolis last week without the loss of a
game . . . the doubles tournament was a sidelight for the
unseeded pair, as Illingworth reached the final of the concurrent PSA
singles event, and Alexander the semis . . . it does raise the question
of how good the full-time SDA guys really are . . . one thinks of
Wimbledon this year, where journeymen singles pros Jack Sock and Vasek
Pospisil teamed up on a lark on the eve of the tournament and won the
whole shebang, defeating the vaunted Bryan brothers in the final.
