Tournament of Champions - Day 2 Photos

3-Minute Rally! A Conversation with Alister Walker

Behind the scenes at this year's Tournament of Champions, I sat down with Alister Walker following his 1st round victory over Wael El Hindi. Over tea and biscuits (chocolate-chip cookies), we spoke of his recent move to New York City, the theater, and his recent comments on England Squash.

Robert White: You’re a New Yorker now!

Alister Walker: Yes! Living up in Harlem!

RW: Talk about the move – was it you wanting a change of pace, a lifestyle change, something else- something spiritual?

AW: I don’t know that I can put it all down to spiritual reasons, but it was certainly a case where I wasn’t happy. I left Botswana where I was born and lived until I was fifteen, then moved to England - my dad’s English, so I’ve always had a great affinity for England. I’m a citizen – I’m a national, but it’s never really been home to me. So I felt I need a change where I could be stimulated mentally and physically, and New York City made too much sense. I’m living with my cousin in Harlem, and Harlem has a lot to offer and suits me – there’s a huge African heritage there, and I love the cultures and being able to eat all of that delicious food! New York City made sense, but Harlem makes even better sense.

RW: Any similarities between Botswana and Harlem?

AW: Well not right now - it’s freezing cold right now! (laughter) Ask me in the summer and I might give you a totally different answer! But, just to walk down the street and hear African people and see the way they laugh and that sense of humor, yeah, there’s things about Harlem that’s quite homely.

RW: And in terms of squash, does this move to NYC represents a jumpstart or re-boot, so to speak, of your squash career?

AW: Well, it coincides with the new year nicely, and I’ve been able to put a few things that bothered me last year behind me, and being able to be some place new, with new energy – so, we’ll see! In terms of training, it’s great - there’s enough players here to get a good hit with, and there’s always top players from the Tour coming through the city quite regularly. I think people in Europe, for a long time now, though that you’d move to the States when you finish your career - you know, you sort of wind down and you ‘re looking to get into coaching – but that’s certainly not the case for me. So, I’m in a situation where I may be the first to move here with, what some would say, are my best squash years coming up.

RW: The City has a lot of distractions- how are you dealing with those?

AW: Well, I like to go out and have a god time, but I’m not the type of personality to go out partying or drinking through the night. But, truthfully, I do need to get out and spend more time away from squash circles! The music scene’s unbelievable up in Harlem! – and in all of the city, obviously. So it’ll be nice to be able to enjoy myself socially, without doing anything detrimental to the squash - listening to live music and things like that.

RW: What’s better? Broadway or the West End?

AW: (laughter and a long pause) To be honest, I love them both! But I’m not going to be diplomatic (laughter) - I am going to choose one, so I’d say the West End still for me. But to be honest, I haven’t sampled enough of the Broadway theater district, so I might have to get back to you. I think it’ll be tough to beat the London Theater with how old it is and how much history there is in those theaters.

RW: Switching gears now, you made headlines a few weeks back when you made some strong comments on squash development in the UK. It didn’t seem to me to be mean-spirited, but rather stated matter-of-factly, but it drew some attention. (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/squash/8209526/England-Squash-lacks-integrity-and-barely-deserve-world-champion-Nick-Matthew-says-US-bound-Alister-Walker.html)

AW: Well, certainly, a lot of people obviously don’t like what I said, but a lot of people do like what I said very much. And simply put, I don’t want to be a part of it, but I wish them all the best.

RW: And I’ve seen you interacting with the English players this week- you seem to have remained very close to them.

AW: Yes, all of the players - I have good relations with them still. And the coaches I get along with. So you know, not much has changed. I just don’t want to be a part of the program. I thought they handled some things poorly, and I hope they don’t make those mistakes again.

RW: You singled out Nick Matthew in your comments…

AW: I gave him some props!

RW: You guys are very close friends.

AW: Yes, Nick and I get on well. Obviously, I’ve learned some stuff from him over the years, and he’s learned an awful lot from me! (laughter)

RW: I’m sure he’ll the same! Or the exact opposite!

AW: Joking aside, he had an amazing year last year. He won the PSA player of the year in 2010 – and deservedly so - I don’t think anyone can argue with that. It was his time, and it still is his time. He’s still the player to beat. You can’t fault the guy- because he’s been working hard his whole career since he’s been a young boy in the juniors, and it’s all come together at the right time.

RW: Is it harder to play him? You guys may meet in the 2^nd round this year.

AW: Yes, it definitely is. I once read that he said it’s a bit like a marriage...which I found a strange parallel (laughter). But it’s definitely something there that is different when you play your mates. And while you respect all of your opponents, when you see somebody train day in day out, and you been part of it as we have for each other for a few years now, there’s a sort of understanding of one another which make it more difficult. But, we’re big boys, we put that aside as soon as we step on the court.

RW: You mentioned coaching earlier – will you do any coaching here in the city?

AW: Not totally. I’m currently focusing on my game. There’ll come a time, obviously, when I’ll do some coaching, but it’s not going to be a primary part of my life. But there will be a little bit going on.

RW: I had a great time talking with you- all the best!

AW: Thanks, mate!

Tournament of Champions - Day 1 Photos

3-Minute Rally! A Conversation with Amr Shabana

I caught up with Amr Shabana, a two-time winner of the Tournament of Champions, as he was watching Day 1 action from this year's tournament.

Rob White: Talking to you makes me recall your watch against Alister Walker last year and of, course, that you’re a two-time winner here - what is it about New York City that brings out your best?

Amr Shabana: Well, for sure, there’s a lot of positive energy in New York City and in the Tournament as well. It’s the first big major of the year – played in Grand Central Station which is such a monumental place with so much history. And so many people come by the court every day. The American crowd loves their squash, and of course, I’ve won the tournament twice, so it’s very easy to play here.

RW: You’re a veteran of the tour - talk about the challenges of staying at the top as you’ve done.

AS: It’s all about getting your mind and body in check. I was unlucky the last couple years with injuries that put me out for most of thepast two seasons. My knees, slipped disc in my back – it’s been a terrible last two years for me. But I feel my body is coming around again and I’m able to perform now how I want to perform. So everybody has to watch out now! (laughter)

RW: I hear that! Talk some more about New York City – do you find time to enjoy yourself here?

AS: Yeah, it’s a great deal that you can “switch off” after your match and find so much to do here. I have my wife here with me this year – she came with me back in 2007 and now she’s back with me again. So we’ll shop a bit, eat well, go sightseeing – it’s a great city.

RW: And does your wife here watching you provide added pressure when you play? It does for me when my wife watches me!

AS: Well, you’re more focused for sure. Simply having her here to take care of little things for me – make sure I eat , for example, and just take care of me. It’s always a pleasure to have her watch me play!

RW: One last question – what are your thoughts on the scoring format at the World Series Final last week?

AS: I think the format works better, definitely, when you have to play matches every day. Obviously, when you have the top eight players in the world, it’s asking a lot for the crowd to sit through four best of five matches over that amount of time. Best of three makes it fast and exciting – I think it was the right format to use for the top eight and the PSA should stick with that in that 8-man format going forward.

RW: Thanks for your time, Amr!

3-Minute Rally! A Conversation with David Palmer

Fresh off the court after his straight game win over American #1, Julian Illingworth, in the 1st round of the 2011 Tournament of Champions, I caught up with David Palmer cooling down on the bike.

Rob White: Congratulations on your win, David. Julian gave you all you could handle tonight.

David Palmer: Yeah, it was a pretty solid match. It wasn’t the best I ever played - wasn’t the worst. It was a good solid match and I did enough to win. I used my experience when I needed to and sort of felt I was in control of the match, and glad I was able to close it out in 3-0.

RW: Do you find that when you play the younger guys now, you rely more on your experience. Of course, you’re in great shape and you have great athleticism, but I assume you call on that experience more now during tough situations.

DP: To a degree, yes. Of course, I’m a bit smarter at this stage of my career, though not as fast and fit as I used to be. I’m 34, nearly 35, so, I have to be a bit smarter. But it frustrates me sometimes because I love to play fast, but I know to play my game I have to be more careful these days - I have to sort of pace myself. And I thought I did that tonight. In the past, I probably would’ve pulled away in the 2^nd and won much easier, but I was just trying to pace myself tonight. And I know Julian’s a pretty fit guy, too. I saw him last week from two-love down and nearly beat Olli (Tuominen) in five, so I’m really happy to get through 3-0 and put myself in a good position going forward.

RW: You’re still in amazing shape, but how has your training regiment changed over the years?

DP Well, obviously I’m not working as hard. Body can’t take the amount of training that I used to do. (laugh) Obviously, I was one of the fittest guys for a long time. I still feel deep down I’ve got to be smart about my training, and look after the body – it’s more about trying to protect my body. It’s tougher because the game’s getting so much faster with guys like Ramy and all the young guys playing incredibly fast- it’s not easy. So, it’s about keeping my body strong and injury free, but still try to keep up with them. But I’m hanging in there.

RW: You reside in FL, but you spend quite a lot of time in New York City -

DP: Yes, I’m full time in Florida but I’m up here 4-5 times a year. I love New York City – it’s a fun place, and the tournament of Champions has always been one of my favorite tournaments.

RW: Do you find time to enjoy the city when you’re here or is it all business?

DP: Obviously, I’m a bit more relaxed than I used to be, so I do enjoy myself when I’m here. I have plenty of friends around that I see when I’m here, and I’ve got my two families that I coach up here this weekend – their kids who I coach are playing in the junior event, so we’ll be watching them obviously. I try to pick and choose my times to relax, but I try to socialize a bit more than I used to, but stilly try to make the most of what I have now in the tournament. And I’ll see how it goes on Sunday!

RW: Well, thanks for your time, David, and best of luck going forward.

DP: Thanks, been my pleasure.

Run to the Roar

Few books I have read in my life have stirred such a strong emotional response in me. In part because of my love for the game, in part because I know many of the key characters, and in large part because I can relate to the human drama that is woven into the book from start to finish.

It can be very hard to do the right thing when it comes to those you love. And it can be hard to follow your dreams, especially when those dreams take you to the other side of the world, far from the comforts and protections of everything and everyone you know so well. Both of these themes are familiar to me and are addressed again and again in the book.

'Run to the Roar' is a book by Paul Assaiante, Trinity head squash coach, and James Zug, acclaimed squash writer. It is a wonderful roller-coaster of joy and despair, triumph and tragedy. It neatly summarizes the events of one day in February 2009 when Trinity played Princeton in a College Squash Association finals in Princeton, New Jersey. Assaiante dedicates a chapter to each player.

In addition to the outcome of each match is a back story about the Trinity student, his character, his relationship with Paul and how he came to be there on that day. The tension escalates throughout the book and culminates in the final match played by Trinity number one, Baset Chaudhry. The epilogue mentions an even more infamous match played by Chaudhry against Yale's Ken Chan which ended on every sports channel on TV - the infamous outburst at the end of the match. But this particular moment is a non-event in the book. It is first mentioned on the last page. So if you are looking for gore, look elsewhere.

This is a story of pressure, passion, courage and victory. This is a human story and is less about squash and more about what it takes to successfully lead a bunch of young men to overcome their fears and achieve greatness in sport.

You may be interested to know that I sat next to Chaudhry recently at a tournament dinner and I can tell you with certainty that his outburst was completely out of character and he should never by judged by it. He was nothing but polite and respectful and humble. In fact, I would go as far as to say that he has a very sweet and charming way about him. But you also get the distinct feeling that he is a very determined and serious young man. The book will tell you more.

I encourage you to buy 'Run to the Roar' (get it at Amazon.com) and I sincerely hope you enjoy reading the book and that it moves you the way it did me. And after you finish it you will feel like you know Paul Assaiante and the players on his team of 2009 very well, and you will like all these characters very much. Furthermore, no matter your college affiliation, you will inevitably come to respect Coach Paul for what he has achieved. It is a special story that will be told for generations to come.

Read more from Brett at www.brettssquashblog.com

Flip Flop Squash

by Tracy Gates

I lift a flip flopped foot over the seat and hop on the back of the scooter. I am wearing cut-offs, an MSRA tank top, and a Wilson backpack that has two Prince Tour handles sticking out. My 'chauffeur' revs the engine and we rumble down the drive, make a right turn at the large palm tree , and zoom up the road past lush green flora, coral and baby blue cottages, and red bougainvillea. I breath in the loamy, sea-salty air and can’t believe I’m here. On the island of Bermuda, on my way to play squash, having one of the best weekends of my life.

home base for NY, NE teams

Ironically, the weekend before had racked up with one of the worst (on a purely hedonistic level, of course). I found out that my squash club’s days were numbered and the sailing trip I’d been looking forward to for months was postponed due to a little tropical storm named Tomas. I could wait and go a week later when the weather cleared, but I’d miss the whole point of going to Bermuda in the first place—the third annual Bermuda-New England-New York tourney which I’d been invited to attend a few months earlier. For about twenty-four hours I tossed around what I wanted to do more—freeze my butt off on a boat for four days in the middle of November or lie on the beach in the sun in between matches. It may seem like a no-brainer to you, but I’m oddly tempted by potentially uncomfortable adventures; however, I couldn't see letting my teammates down so late in the game. Guilt is a powerful incentive. It pressed my finger to the ‘buy ticket now’ button for the airfare to Bermuda.

Sometimes guilt is a good thing. When I hopped off the scooter in front of the low slung home of the Bermuda Squash Racquets Association, the sun was shining, the birds were chirping, and the burgers on the outdoor grill were already sizzling. This is a club that knows how to treat its visitors right. It’s also a club I would’ve loved to have brought home with me—especially now that I’m about to lose mine. The BSRA is not fancy; it is homey. After greeting Dave the burger flipper and club manager, you walk down a few steps into what could pass for your friendly neighborhood pub, complete with tables where you can pull up a chair, a drink, and a few friends. Instead of dartboards, though, plexiglass lines the walls and the melodic thwak of the squash ball echoes in stereo. Two courts on one side, two on the other—one of which is an exhibition court with stadium seating.

To get to the courts, you take the stairs by the bar — oh, right, the bar . . . they call it the 5th court. There’s only one beer on tap—Carlsberg, but many bottles & cans in the fridge, including the cheerful yellow-canned Boddington’s which I believe all respectable squash clubs should serve, along with a 5th court to be served at. — So, back to the stairs. As soon as I began descending, I felt as though I was going back in time; the humid, slightly sweet smell of sweat permeates the narrow hallways outside the courts’ entrances and it was exactly the quality of air that my dad’s equally cozy club, North Shore Tennis, had back when I was a wee thing—well, a teenage wee thing. If you’re not into sense memories, however; a quick trip down the carpeted hall leads you to the air-conditioned locker and weight rooms. The courts, themselves, run a little warm, but, hey, this is Bermuda.

You’d be better-advised to hang out in the in the pub—I mean the viewing area, in between your matches. This area is ideal for socializing and watching your mates' games. If you pull your chair up right, you can watch two matches and order another pint all at the same time. Swivel around and you can watch two more. This place has it 'made in the shade'—which was part of my concern before getting there. Why go to as beautiful a place as Bermuda only to play squash inside? I need not have worried. While we did spend a few hours each day (Thur-Sat) at the courts, it was both a highlight of the trip, as well as only part of three very packed days. I’m not sure if it’s squash players in general, Bermudians in general, or the captains’ good taste in teammates, but if I had to hang out with this crowd every weekend, I wouldn’t be unhappy. Squash is an excellent common denominator.

With four teams (two Bermuda, one NY, one NE), each team played each other once over the weekend. Guys vs. guys. Girls vs. girls. (I’m not opposed to this, but I’m voting for mixing it up next year, and play according to ability, not gender.) While many matches seemed more congenial than cut-throat, there were some amazing ones to be witnessed. It’s particularly gratifying to see a guy with gray hair, say, out maneuver one half his age. And now we know that “you’ve got an easy one” are fightin’ words when our number one man from New York made his Bermudian opponent jump all over the court in order to capture (by one match) the tournament crown for Bermuda.

Swimming at Horseshoe Bay

It was sad to see such a fun and friendly tournament end, but the New York and New England teams still had breathtaking beaches to see, winding roads to ride, and around every corner another rainbow to gawp at. Throw in an evening of fine dining compliments of the Bermuda Department of Tourism, the finals of the World Rugby Classic, a few pitchers of “Dark & Stormys”, some dubious dancing, and very little sleep and I’d say I got more than my money’s worth.

By weekend’s end I was just getting into the Bermudian groove. But before I knew it I was on the plane, back to the almost winter winds of NYC, and now that heavenly squash weekend feels like a distant memory. Part of me wonders, how could next year’s tournament possibly equal this one? But that’s the beauty of it; like every great match, it’ll be different. Same place, same time of year, but a whole new adventure. Maybe I’ll see you there . . . I’ll be the one in flip flops.

For  photos of the teams, Bermuda, etc., visit my blogsite, www.squeakyfeet.wordpress.com

Master and Professor

by Tracy Gates

The guy hops around the court like a jujube on caffeine. Bearing a passing resemblance to Tintin (le coiffeur, anyway), he windmills his arms, darts his eyes from left to right, and talks a mile a microsecond. But I hang on every word, every wild gesture, because these fifteen minutes every Thursday have become the most valuable of my week.

Get Your Game Face On

by Tracy Gates

The guy barely looks at me. When I say something to him, he hardly responds. Occasionally, I hear him swear under his breath. He grimaces and drips sweat. If I was anywhere else I would run the other way. Instead, I run toward the ball. The guy is a friend and this is a challenge match.

Searching for Squash in Mongolia....

By Tracy Gates

My legs hurt. My butt hurt. And other parts of me were so sore, I winced whenever I sat down. Too many hours of squash? It felt like it. . . . but, no, it was too many hours of my big American butt in a small Mongolian saddle. I had ridden for hours to see the thousands of years old ‘deer stones’—Mongolia’s version of Stonehenge—and now I was paying for it.

As some of you know, I recently traveled to Mongolia to pick up my mother who has been serving in the Peace Corps for two years. In fact, I started typing this from the Peace Corps office in Ulaanbaatar or UB, the capital of Mongolia. But what does a country almost half-way around the world from New York have to do with squash? Well, besides squash butt and horse riding butt feeling uncomfortably similar, more than one would think.