2021 PRO SQUASH CLASSIC

 Day 1

October 19

To say that the members were excited for this event is a massive understatement. After the Inaugural 2019 tournament, our plan was to run this annually but of course like everything else in the world, Covid had other plans for that. However, we were determined to only skip one year, and the 2021 version was going to be bigger, better, and a desperate cry for normalcy. The support from the DAC has been wonderful, and we managed to raise the level of the Pro Squash Classic to a PSA Bronze Level tour event. That meant a tougher draw, stronger players… and we were not disappointed.

 All the top 8 seeded players are ranked inside the world’s top 20. Leading the pack is world number 2 Nouran Gohar from Egypt. I can’t begin to describe the thrill it is for us to have Nouran in Detroit. The rarest of opportunities to literally witness the best in the world. Joelle King is world number 8 from New Zealand and our second seeded player, she brings a wealth of experience to the field, being inside the top ten in the world for 47 consecutive months on her current streak (and counting), 84 months overall (and counting) and achieving a career high #3 just 2 and a half years ago. Yes, yes… we are amongst squash royalty this week!

 Since the top 8 players get a pass for round one, the first day belonged to the 9-24 seeds. Here is a quick rundown of some of the incredible highlights…

Tsz-Wing Tong from Hong Kong is currently ranked 56, but has been as high as 40 in the world. On paper, she copped the toughest player she could come up against – the 9^th seeded Tinne Gilis from Belgium. Tinne is currently 25 in the world, has been as high as 17, and is coming off a calf injury that she suffered in the second round of the British Open back in August. In the first game, Tong came out firing on all cylinders, clearly on a mission. On the other hand, Tinne looked tentative and somewhat lost trying to find her way into the match, maybe testing out her calf hoping to play herself in – something that Tong had no interest in helping her out with. It was quick work in the first as Tong took control for an 11-5 win.

Tinne needed the break to assess. More confident in the second, she started to hit and move a lot more assertively and suddenly we had a real match on our hands. The extra pressure and suddenly Tong – still playing well mind you – was no longer in control of all the points. Tong wavered with a few unforced errors and Tinne grabbed enough ascendancy to claim the second 11-7, and it did look like the tide had turned. But not so fast. Tong wasn’t done. Digging a bit deeper, Tong picked it up for third determined not to let this go. The level increased, as did the intensity. Tong’s effort paid off and she found herself 2-1 up, on the edge of a big upset. However, she failed to match that strength in the 4^th and Tinne once again rebounded, found the rhythm and rolled through the 4^th 11-5 to set up an epic 5^th. It was a good start to the game for the Belgian, the rallies were tough but Tinne edged herself into a 9-6 lead and it appeared she was going to weather the storm. But Tong refused to go away. Pegging back the 3 points with some terrific squash she had the momentum and created the doubt for her opponent. Nervous times for both players. Who was going to be the steadier of the two… well, Tinne would be. Earning her first match point at 10-9, a short rally was ended with a Tong unforced error, a shot she would love to have back and admitted afterwards that she didn’t understand why she tried to hit it. Heat of the moment gets to all of us! An amazing match, Tinne advances 11-9 in the 5^th.

 Lucy Beecroft from England is currently 77 in the world – and is the wildcard for this tournament. An up and comer? Well, in January this year she was ranked 347. I guess that would qualify as a decent improvement. Recently coming off a tournament win in London, Ontario at the famous Nash Cup, Lucy is full of confidence and one to watch out for this week and for the next few years no doubt as well. Her first match was against Latvian Ineta Mackevica, current world number 53 and her second trip to the DAC. We remember her well in 2019 where she almost knocked of our finalist Nele Gilis going down in a tight 4-setter, so we know just how dangerous she can be.

 The first game was a little back and forth, both players trying to feel their way into the match, some nice shots and winners, but also a spattering of errors that neither player would want to be reminded of. Lucy, however, somehow ended up winning it 11-8 just that smidge better on the back end of the game. The quality picked up for the second as one would expect, and although Ineta was able to assert more pressure in her hitting, Lucy was up to the task. Once again, she was that little more refined in the business end of the game and she earned herself a 2-0 game lead. Ineta managed to turn things around for herself in the third, grabbing a good lead and keeping Lucy and bay to run it out 11-6. Unfortunately for the Latvian, she couldn’t maintain that form for the 4^th. Hitting her stride, Lucy was more organized and disciplined and closed out the match 3-1.

First round results:

Melissa Alves (FRA) def Sana Ibrahim (EGY) 11-6, 11-6, 11-7 (27 min)

Lucy Beecroft (ENG) def Ineta Mackevica (LAT) 11-8, 11-8, 6-11, 11-6 (38 min)

Hana Moataz (EGY) def Zeina Mickway (EGY) 11-4, 12-10, 12-14, 11-5 (39 min)

Donna Lobban (AUS) def Nadia Pfister (SUI) 11-7, 11-9, 11-3 (22 min)

Tinne Gilis (BEL def Tsz-Wing Tong (HKG) 5-11; 11-7, 9-11, 11-5, 11-9 (55 min)

Sivasangari Subramanium (MAL) def Cristina Gomez (ESP) 11-9, 11-7, 11-6 (26 min)

Georgina Kennedy (ENG) def Emilia Soini (FIN) 11-2, 11-3, 11-8 (20 min)

Liu-Tsz-Ling (HKG) def Ka Yi Lee (HKG) 12-10, 12-10, 11-9 (30 min)