SquashZAG

No video coverage from New York tonight.  

Was asked by PSA CEO Alex Gough, 2 minutes prior to the first match, to not shoot any post-match interviews.

Here is a chance to test your Squash IQ and win an Eye Rackets Prize Pack (Racket, 6 Racket Bag, Shirt, Bandana, Key Chain, Squash Ball, Socks).  Below is a list of the World's Top Ten players from January 1, 1999:

Here is your opportunity to comment, discuss, banter, dissect what YOU believe  the "proper" call should be in the following video clip.

Squash players to their credit are some of the most dedicated and hardest working athletes in professional sports.  However, in my opinion, where they fail themselves (and the game of squash) is on the business side of pro sport. 

There are many examples where apathy, indifference and inexperience of the players and their advisors contributes to squash failing to reach it's potential.

Example #1
While this is only a one very small piece of the puzzle, how many of the pro squash players have a personal website?  When was it last updated?  This is something under each player's direct control and is one of the de facto  "faces" of pro squash. 

Here are the World's Top 10 Players and their websites
  1 Ramy Ashour  (no website)
  2 Nick Matthew (no website)
  3 Amr Shabana (no website) 
  4 Karim Darwish   (no website) 
  5 James Willstrop  (recently created but now offline??)
  6 Gregory Gaultier  - Official Site
  7 Thierry Lincou - Official Site
  8 Peter Barker   (no website) 
  9 Daryl Selby   (no website) 
  10 David Palmer - Official Site

Maybe the new PSA website will address these shortcomings/opportunities by providing each player a modest but effective web presence in the form a Player Page like ATP Tennis.

Several times in my career as a squash enthusiast I have dragged uninitiated sports fans to pro squash tournaments, assuring them that squash is a great spectator sport and they'll have a blast.

Reader E-mail: Opinion

The following e-mail was received by SquashZAG earlier today from someone wishing to remain anonymous and indicating they are a current PSA player.

It seems to me that the game is now so physically demanding that certain matches have become 100% predictable.

Official WISPA Release
By Howard Harding

Leading figures from the world of Squash are hailing the success of Amanda Sobhy, the US teenager who this month became the first 16-year-old to win four WISPA World Tour squash titles.

Following the previous trial of a 5 Let Limit per match, Commissioner Joe McManus announced today a further evolution in how US Pro Squash Tour events will be officiated when the season resumes this fall at Merritt Athletic Club at Bare Hills in Baltimore, MD.

"After several months of deliberation with top players and referees, we knew that we were either going to limit the number of lets players that were allotted or completely eliminate them during match play. 

After some successful testing this spring, our decision is to move forward with the elimination of the let.
 
Exception: We will allow the referee to rule a let when (s)he is unsighted and cannot make a call on a double bounce or in the case of an unavoidable turn at the back glass which creates a player safety issue. A turn at the back glass does not necessarily require the stoppage of play and should be a rare occurrence.
 
To implement this new rule successfully, we will obviously be punishing “blockers” for not clearing. This will no longer be called a let. When a player hits a shot that he cannot clear, he will lose the rally.
 
Also, we will no longer reward “fishermen” who choose a poor path to ball and create unnecessary contact trying to create a let. This behavior will receive a “no let” call.

Our updated rules will be released on August 2."
 
In keeping with the overall tone and fan-centric approach of McManus, the press release actively invites input:  "If you have additional thoughts for us to consider, I welcome your feedback."
     joe[at]USProSquash[dot]com 
     (609) 916-0100

What do YOU think of professional squash played with No-Lets?  Send us an e-mail to SquashZAG[at]gmail[dot]com or add a Comment below.

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Official Release
By Howard Harding

Julian Illingworth, the world No30 from New York who has become the USA's highest-ranked player on the Professional Squash Association World Tour, has been elected onto the PSA Board.