World Championship Heralds New Era For Squash by Howard Harding
photo courtesy Steve Cubbins
June 19, 2013
- The spectacular - and unique - vision of three all-glass squash
courts greeted capacity crowds as they poured into the Palais Des
Sports in the city of Mulhouse for the 24th staging of the WSF Men's
World Team Squash Championship, held in France for the first time in
its 46-year history.
31 nations from all five continents competed over the week-long
championship at two venues - the Espace Squash 3000 Centre and the
Palais Des Sports, where matches were played simultaneously on three
ASB all-glass showcourts lined up side-by-side (see image below).
"This is the best set-up I have ever seen - wow!" said Scotland's
national coach Roger Flynn, while England's world No3 James Willstrop
exclaimed: "The set-up here is almost revolutionary - I've never seen
anything like it before, with three glass courts side-by-side. It's
squash moving forward, proving that it can do things in different ways
- something other sports can't do."
The championship, described by Indian number one Saurav Ghosal as "the
toughest tournament in the world", featured international TV coverage -
while play on all three glass courts was streamed live throughout the
week.
Willstrop clinched victory for England in a tense final decider against
favourites and defending champions Egypt, giving his country the title
for the first time since 2007.
Hosts France, narrowly beaten by England in a dramatic semi-final the
previous night which finished just before 2.00 am - before a still
packed and partisan crowd - defeated former champions Australia in the
bronze medal play-off.
Event newcomers Botswana recorded an impressive 24th place finish with
a squad led by world No15 Alister Walker - but also including the
event's youngest ever competitor, 14-year-old Theo Pelonomi.
Germany beat South Africa to win the play-off for fifth place - their
highest ever finish - while India became the highest-placed Asian
country for the first time after beating Malaysia in the seventh-place
play-off.
World Squash Federation President N Ramachandran, who presented the
trophy to England after the final, said: "The value of all initiatives
and innovations introduced into squash over the past few years were
brilliantly demonstrated in the presentation of the Championship in
Mulhouse.
"The French Federation, under the inspired leadership of President
Jacques Fontaine, mounted a spectacle to be hugely proud of, clearly
much enjoyed by all players, managers, coaches, spectators and the
media, and I congratulate and thank them very much indeed for this."
