The first night with the McWil glass court on stage at Millenium Park’s Pritzker Pavillion in downtown Chicago, IL. WOW!
What a spectacle. High energy, awesome rallies, the worlds best squash players, top athletes coming together to benefit and celebrate METROsquash‘s five year anniversary to service Chicago’s Public School students. METROsquash offers an after school enrichment program pairing instruction in squash with academic tutoring and adult mentoring to create an unyielding focus on excellence for its students.
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Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Contributed by Phil Yarrow
The Pritzker Pavillion known to be the centerpiece of the Millenium park in Chicago, is normally used by the Grant Park Symphony Orchestra and Chorus as well as the Grant Park Music festival, featuring classical music played in the amazing backdrop of the Chicago sky line. Tonight’s orchestra however was in some ways different and in some ways similar to the other nights. Tonight the top squash players played on the stage show-casing their talent well into the late hours of the evening. The squash court itself was erected in the middle of the stage and the grand stand was constructed on a raised platform above the audience’s viewing area. The squash tempo in the matches was perhaps similar to a symphony with its climax and its lows, triumph and agony surrounding a dance of movement, strength and skill. All of this display befitted the cause associated with the US Open: Metrosquash. Metrosquash is an organization that uses squash, community service and mentoring to build confidence in urban Chicago Public School students. In addition to the amazing success of hosting the US Open in such an awe inspiring location, Metrosquash organizers experienced further gratification when Metro Squash, one of five organizations short listed for the United Airlines Chicago Impact Award, actually won the $50,000 award in a ceremony held at the United Center while the matches had just begun. Congratulations to David Kay and the rest of the metro squash team! David Kay was present to announce his group’s win after the first match.
Manuela Manetta (ITA) def.Latasha Khan (US) 6-11, 11-3, 6-11, 11-4, 12-10. The match seemed to go back and forth, while the fifth game was the highlight of the match with both players showing determination but the Italian got the better of Khan and prevailed despite Khan saving match ball.
Wael El Hindi (EGY) def. Nicolas Mueller (SUI) 15-13, 11-9, 11-8. Mueller who had overcome the higher ranked Hisham Ashour (EGY) in his previous match was all fired up for the first game, going toe to toe with the Egyptian. He had game ball at 13-12, but seemed desperate to want to finish the game and El Hindi with his amazing touch on his volley drops pressured him and was able to take the game. The second game showed Mueller starting with errors, perhaps fatigued by his effort in the first game, however all credit to him for coming back to even the game at 6-6. However it seemed El Hindi had that extra accuracy and precision in his shot making as he put the ball in the front corners and countered Mueller’s boasts with excellent low drops. The Third game was closer with Mueller getting to 7-6, however El Hindi’s skill and precision prevailed and he took the last few points with ease.
Amanda Sobhy (USA) def. Aisling Blake (IRL) 15-13, 8-11, 11-4, 11-7. Sobhy was facing the higher ranked Blake took her time getting into the match. Despite being 6-10 down in the first game she maintained composure and picked up her game, mainly by volleying which seemed to throw off Blake. There were some excellent rallies however Sobhy’s ability to volley and pick up the pace kept her ahead. Credit to Blake, she played a tight second game and Sobhy made several errors that cost her the second game. The third game showed Sobhy back to he original game plan, cutting the ball and playing powerful rails and cross courts. Her touch showed as well on her drops and court coverage seemed to be much better. At 8-3 Sobhy played one of the hardest low forehand rails that one can play to win the point, she seemed very confident at this stage. In the forth game Sobhy continued the same volley and power game mixing in drops and boasts to go up 6-0. She was up match ball at 10-4, Blake tried to get back into the match but could not overcome Sobhy’s game to lose the final game 11-7. It was impressive to see Sobhy’s talent and power, it was obvious why she and American is the women’s world junior champion.
Oli Tuominen (FIN) def. Mohamed El Shorbagy (EGY) 11-8, 11-5, 8-11, 12-10. Oli is a familiar face to Chicago squash enthusiasts, and he has been a regular every year at the squash tournaments held in the Windy City. This year it seems that he has gotten better with age. From the first game onwards Olli had established an excellent error free base game, his backhand was tighter than Shorbagy, and he used his accuracy to force Shorbagy to making mistakes, Shorbagy seemed to hit tins several times off the back hand volley drop. It seemed the same pattern continued into the second game, and Oli took the game easily after several errors from Shorbagy. In the third game Shorbagy started to collect himself and stopped making the errors off his backhand. His court coverage and reach was on display while also some pretty extravagant shot making, his forehand cross court flick was a treat to watch, he was showing why he was one of the top squash prospects in the world and why had been the junior world champion he won the game after some exhilarating rallies 11-8. The forth game was a close affair, Oli was keeping the ball as tight as one can in a squash court. His rails particularly off the backhand were very accurate and his retrieving was as good as ever. With Shorbagy leading at 7-6, he made two consecutive mistakes, and gave easy points off stroke calls to Oli, who went up 8-7. Credit to Shorbagy he came back and saved a match ball when Oli tinned going for a reverse corner winner off the front corner to get to 10-10, however Oli kept his composure and pressure to take the match. This was the best Oli has played in Chicago, as he commented later his base game was very good and he mixed in excellent winners to take the match.