St Louis To Host 2017 World Hardball Doubles Championships by Howard Harding
photo WSF
30 January 2017
- The 2017 World Hardball Doubles Squash Championships will be staged
in St Louis, in the US state of Missouri, from 21-24 September.
The 12th edition of the championships, featuring Men's, Women's and
Mixed events and organised by the Squash Doubles Association (SDA) and
Women's Squash Doubles Association (WSDA) Pro Tours under the auspices
of the World Squash Federation, will take place at the Racquet Club of
St Louis and Missouri Athletic Club.
England's John Russell & Clive Leach are expected to defend the
Men's title they won in 2015. It was also an English pair, Suzie
Pierrepont & Carrie Hastings, who claimed the Women's title in the
same championships, while Canadians Viktor Berg & Stephanie Hewitt
are the defending Mixed champions.
"The SDA is very excited to be working with the World Squash
Federation, the Racquet Club of St. Louis, the Missouri Athletic Club
and the WSDA to bring the World Hardball Doubles Squash Championship to
the United States in September of this year," said SDA Board Chair
Kevin Luzak.
"The event will be the highlight of the 2017-18 calendar with the
largest draws and one of the largest purses of the season for both the
SDA and WSDA tours. The St. Louis team is already gearing up for what
will undoubtedly be a blockbuster event at a fantastic venue."
Michael Puertas, Head Squash Professional of the Racquet Club of St.
Louis, commented: "St. Louis has a rich history of promoting squash in
the US, having hosted the US National Championships in 1950, 1960,
1968, 1977, 1985, 1992, 2000, 2006 and 2013. We are well prepared and
proud to play host to the 2017 World Doubles Squash Championship."
Adam Bews, Head Squash Professional at Missouri Athletic Club, added:
"We are delighted to welcome the World Championship Doubles to St
Louis. The Missouri Athletic Club and Racquet Club of St. Louis members
have been hugely supportive of squash and doubles every year and we are
so happy to be able to host this for them at their home clubs. St Louis
has become one of the most popular destinations for the Doubles tour
and we cannot wait to have all of the Pro's back in September."
The prize fund is more than $70,000 - with parity offered in the men's and women's draws.
The matches will be streamed live on the tournament website worlddoubles.com
