The men's draw features a six-man team from the Ukraine headed by Ruslan Sorochynskvi. They've already gone down 4-0 to both Italy and Sweden in Pool F, but at least they got some points on the board.
Sadly, the women do not appear to be entered in the draw this time.
Many ads on websites appear randomly, and no inferences should be drawn from this one. Record under threat ?
But the defection last year of Natalie Grinham from Australia to the Netherlands has significantly bolstered the Dutch team - and on paper there is very little daylight between them and the English women.
Squash 2016 Bid Team Member and former world champion Peter Nicol said: "Our ultimate aim is for every club in the world to open their doors on this one special day, to show people what a fantastic sport we have, to get media and personalities involved, and encourage new participants to take up the game."
The event is endorsed by the World Squash Federation - and World Squash Day founder Alan Thatcher said: "This gives every squash club the opportunity to support two major objectives: to raise the profile of the sport and to raise valuable money for the Squash 2016 Bid Fund.
"The Olympic bid is an ambitious project which, if successful, will give squash a deserved place in the Olympic Games. That bid process is not cheap and it is up to every squash player to help the cause."
Nicol added: "Squash 2016 Day is free to join and we look forward to seeing a massive response, with clubs and federations employing their creative powers to organise fantastic global festival of this brilliant game."
World Squash Day was set up in 2002 after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, when a former Scottish junior international player, Derek Sword, was one of the victims of the attacks on the World Trade Center. Former Scottish junior international teammates Peter Nicol, Martin Heath, and Laurie Maclachlan decided to honour his memory with an annual event.
Squash 2016 t-shirts, which were proving popular at this year's Canary Wharf Classic, are available here.
A disappointing article last week in The Times by Giles Smith took a sideswipe at squash's Olympic aspirations.
The article, about the role of persuasive language in winning bids for sporting events, suggests that squash has no chance in the 2016 vote because no one wants to watch it.
An unnecessary remark given the main context of the article - but why not publish my response?
The article concerned Barack Obama's letter to FIFA in support of the US's bid for the 2018 football World Cup, and suggested that golf should hire Obama to help their cause.
It goes on:
"Or what about squash? (It's up for Olympic consideration, too.) Actually, maybe not. There are limits. I'm not sure even Martin Luther King at the peak of his powers could convince the International Olympic Committee that anyone wants to watch squash."
My reply (limited to a fixed number of characters - I should have copied and pasted it) pointed out that if squash make the Olympics it would receive the media support it deserves in this country, its profile would be raised and we (the Times is a British paper) might win some more Olympic medals!
True, the main focus of the article is about football, but even if my comment and those of other squash fans (Squash site invited others to respond) were not deemed worthy of being publishable, hopefully a point might have been made.
Hallelujah! A sportsman's ipod is cracked open to reveal something other than rap and supermarket trolley 'lifestyle music'.
Intriguingly, Peter Barker's listening preferences strike a maudlin tone not usually heard in the testosterone-sodden locker rooms of professional sport ...
Right: An interview with Barker after winning the World Teams
An interview for the Guardian's 'What's rocking sport' column a couple of weeks back uncovered a fondness for Jeff Buckley and Leonard "Godfather of Gloom" Cohen.
Was it the tear-jerking success of Alexandra Burke in the X Factor that stirred Barker's love for the "Bard Of The Boudoir" (I'm looking these up, btw), or is his interest more authentic?
Also on his list is a right-out-of-left-court penchant for Modest Mouse, who I have heard alot about and who have played ATP, so they must be cool.
I had no idea who Sufjan Stevens is, but apparently he has made an album called ... er ... Enjoy Your Rabbit.
Apologies to Nick Matthew who apparently accompanied Barker to a Beth Orton concert in the US, thereby atoning for mentioning the words J***s B***t in the same feature a while back :)
What's rocking sport: Peter Barker
1. Jeff Buckley - Grace 2. The Killers - Hot Fuss 3. Leonard Cohen - Songs of Leonard Cohen 4. Kings of Leon - Aha Shake Heartbreak 5. Sufjan Stevens - Illinois
Squashblogger's top Leonard Cohen nicknames:
1. The Grocer Of Despair 2. The Poet Laureate Of Pessimism 3. Master Of Erotic Despair
When Peter Nicol asked me what I thought about the "interactive exhibition" I had just seen, I garbled something incoherent about "crowds getting involved" and "innovation".
Five seconds later our promoter, VIP and resident Squash Legend was delivering a flawless live link-up for a regional news broadcast. I removed my fist from my mouth and pondered some more.
Behind the court the sun set before the final of this year's Canary Wharf Classic. High above a last ray of light refracted through the huge glass arch of the East Wintergarden before receding into the dusk.
Had I just glimpsed squash's future ? ...
I had jumped off the tube just in time to catch the technologically-enhanced warm-up for the sixth final of this tournament. I'm glad I did. Squash and technology
In the last tournament I wrote up I bemoaned the lack of crowd-pleasing interval entertainment. I've also written here before about the sport not taking enough risks with the technology that might be available to enhance it as a spectator sport.
Tonight we had South African pro Stephen Coppinger and England's Peter Barker playing a short game wearing head mics, commenting on their game as they played. This was not the first time I had seen this done - see this great footage of cricketers Adam Gilchrist and Andrew Symonds commentating on a match during play.
We can't expect squash players to comment on their games during competitive matches - but what other possibilities are there?
They were also wired up to heart monitors which gave readouts on the large screen above the court and smaller ones facing sections of the crowd. Again, it probably wouldn't be wise to have this kind of information displayed at every match - but what other possibilities are there?
The speed of each ball hit was displayed it in the front wall via a radar gun positioned somewhere around the court. The speed of squash is one if its main draws, and this kind of thing could (like in tennis) become a fixture. But what other possibilities are there?
This technofest was accompanied by music played over the PA system throughout, with compere Alan Thatcher and official Linda Davie interacting with the players during play.
They had lots of fun and so did the crowd. This 'interactive exhibition' was an experiment set up by the organisers, and it worked. But it suggested lots more than that. It showed how with a bit of innovation squash can broaden its appeal and reach new audiences.
Each of these toys were portable; ideal for a game that has never marketed itself enough on one of its prime assets - its inherent portability. What will purists make of such bells and whistles (purists please comment below!)?
To some extent the the argument in favour of modernising the sport by altering its format has been partly won. The change to PAR scoring in pro tournaments appears to have been vindicated (the men appear to have welcomed it, though too early to tell with WISPA events), even if the transition was handled in an all-too-familiar-to-squash administrative fog. The exhibition tonight suggested that modernisation of format could be (relatively cheaply) augmented with props designed to enhance spectators' experience. Though it was only an exhibition we were watching, possibilities for competitive play abounded.
Let's hope we see some more of these experiments with technology at other venues soon - ideally with an IOC offical in the front row.
"Inspirational but humbling"
So what might have been kept back for keeping people in their seats after an interval trip to the bar was put before the packed crowd from the off. During the twenty minutes or so before the final I had a scout round, taking in for the first time the great facilities and view from the VIP bar (see top photo).
Down below Alan Thatcher bigged-up the 2016 vote, and the WSF will be pleased to note that the 2016 T-shirts seemed to be doing a decent trade at the stall.
Those sitting the interval out courtside were watching the 2016 promo video on the big screens. I wasn't sure about this after seeing it online, but it worked well in the hall tonight with the soundtrack banging out combined with the atmosphere this venue seems to generate. A huge step up from previous efforts put together by governing bodies; if I were to point out one area for criticism it would be the graphics overlaying the footage, which appear something of an afterthought.
So to the final. Sitting back down I overheard a couple of newbies describe the Barker v Coppinger exhibition as "inspirational but humbling". It's a shame I didn't ask their opinion an hour later, after another final of the highest quality, albeit not a five-gamer as in each of the previous years.
I've written here before about the strength of competition at the top of the men's game. The sport itself may still be lurking in the shadow of it 1980s heyday, but the past decade may be looked back on fondly in years to come as something of a golden age. After years of dominance by a handful of players, literally anyone on world top ten ladder was in with a decent shout at tour events.
At the end of this match David Palmer would talk about deferring retirement for as long as his body would stand up to it. If he could be given a bye straight to the final of a PSA tounrnament, he'd still be the odds-on favourite when he's 50.
Few are more feared once a trophy is waiting on the baize than Palmer. Whatever the players might feel about their own form during a tournament, or however many five game matches either finalist has played, few are so demonstrably up for it than Palmer when the silverware's in reach.
Like when a terrified Frank Bruno crumbled after making the mistake of eyeballing Iron Mike, Palmer's opponents in all those finals were half-beaten during the knock-up. Though the temper that sprung out earlier in his career is now tamed with the natural self-assurance that comes with being in your early thirties, that extra steel is never far from hand. Few can enjoy playing him.
That is why 2 World crowns and 4 British Opens (count 'em) are locked in the cabinet. To coin Shane Warne's phrase, he 'backs himself'. And then some.
It would be interesting to look up the percentage of times he has won when in a final. When he gets there, the outcome is rarely in doubt. If I were to pick a defining moment to illustrate this it would be the 2002 World Open final against John White in Antwerp.
Match point down in the fourth, Palmer was moments away from losing the first World championship to be held for three years (there was no World Open for the men in 2000 and 2001 due to lack of sponsorship).
White had match ball at 14-13, which Palmer saved. At 14 all White called 'set one', but tinned to allow his opponent back in and take the game. Palmer took the first of his World titles 13-15, 12-15, 15-6, 15-14, 15-11.
But there is some truth in it. White will always have more fans, but Palmer has the trophies.
So seeing Palmer clearly deep in the 'zone', stretching in the foyer 15 minutes prior to coming on court tonight indicated that James Willstrop was not going to catch the Aussie on an off day.
Right: A compilation of first round action from the tournament.
Willstrop had come in to the final after two hard fought five-game matches, including a recovery from two games down to the rapidly improving Spaniard Borja Golan in the quarters. Coupled with the illness and injury that had troubled him this year it was testament to his competitive instincts and commitment to this tournament (he had won it three times previous) that he managed to question Palmer's nerve after coming back from 2-0 down to take the third.
The Australian dominated the first two games, throwing textbook shapes with his metallic orange 'bling racket' (as described on the BBC 606 website) down the backhand wall, to dictate rallies through an imperious length.
The 11/9, 12/10 scoreline half way through the match on paper doesn't do justice to Palmer's command of the court, with Willstrop rarely picking up points by design. A number of balls were hit out of court, while a few more appeared to die prematurely in the front-right court - both players appeared to be miffed slightly by the behaviour of the ball on the court tonight.
At 6-1 down in the third, Palmer had more than one hand on his opponent's title. As he had done all week, Willstrop dug in for a final heave. The crucial moment was at 3-6, when Willstrop hit a loose ball off the wall into mid court. Palmer double-pumped his bling-laden right hand to kill the soft ball, only to fire it straight back at Willstrop on his shoulder.
After finding himself out of position all night, and with split-second instinct, Willstrop stuck his hand out and intercepted. The ball was dead at the backwall before Palmer had time to turn round.
Now the crowd really got behind 'Jimbo' who, given his efforts this week, would have been mortified if he were to have not taken a game here. Willstrop started to take more risks and his deceptive game started to reap some reward. As Palmer appeared to be wilting, Willstrop seized the initiative to take the game 10-8.
Both men were clearly exhausted by the fourth. A near mid court kill took Willstrop 2-1 up, but his renewed intention quickly waned as Palmer snuffed out his attacks with the superior efficiency of movement that he had exhibited all evening.
At 6-6 Willstrop served out, clearly almost spent. Palmer took hold of the ball and the Canary Wharf title 11/9, 12/10, 8/11, 11/7.
When asked about his performance after the game, Willstrop said that he was "pretty unhappy with it", which his body language suggested was a massive understatement. He gets great support here as he does in Manchester, and his success in this event over the years demonstrates that the venue brings out the best in his game. Those who were lucky enough to appreciate all of his efforts throughout the week would surely not agree with his self-criticism.
This was evidently a big win for Palmer - "right up there with (his) best victories". He joked that he never gets to play in front of his home crowd, and that he played a mind game with himself where "every time he heard support for James he convinced himself that it was really support for him".
Like Nicol plotting to take Commonwealth gold in 2006, or Power coming back one last time to occupy the world number one spot just before retiring, Palmer seemed bent on proving something to himself. He finished by telling Alan Thatcher that playing over the age of 30 was about "making adjustments with daily training ... trying to keep up".
In a month where two showpiece squash tournaments held in London have worn their Olympic aspirations on their sleeves, a new article on the BBC Sport website sings squash's praises as a 2016 hopeful.
The blog written by Matt Slater, who is responsible for Olympics-related content, weighs up the contenders for October's vote in Copenhagen before concluding that squash has the greatest claim for Olympic status ...
Slater was supportive of the bid in a previous article from 2007.
Welcome coverage of our sport's bid just at the right time.
Watching Robert Edwards compere a squash tournament always reminds me of a Catholic wedding I once went to: a somewhat fussy ceremony spun out over a couple of hours, presided over by a man who knew what was best.
I thought the veteran 'Voice of Squash' had retired, but '21st Century Squash' is clearly short of talent of Edwards' magnitude ...
I came to Queen's Club on the last night agnostic to the claims that the event would herald the new dawn squash has been waiting for.
Happily, I am pleased to report that Mr Edwards earned his fee here at this year's Super Series Finals, investing the new venue and the presence of a HRH with a greater sense of occasion than Broadgate ever received. His style may not be to everyone's taste, but it felt right on this night, in these hallowed surroundings.
Was this also because we were in posh Kensington rather than stuck behind an All Bar One in Liverpool Street? Or was it down to the new marketing and PR that were brought in by Ziad Al-Turki?
The congregation at the last night night of this year's Super Series Finals was a broader church than we're used to seeing at this annual event, with the blue blazers of Queen's Club replacing City pinstripes.
The venue itself was a couple of indoor tennis courts modified into the usual iSport set-up, with a large backwall seating area and two sidewall areas with round tables and unreserved seating. This is where I sat, after registering with the helpful iSport and Greenspace (the brand consultancy brought in by Ziad Al-Turki) staff.
I found my way to these seats after one of the (contracted out?) security guys bluntly told me, arms folded, when I potitely enquired about a media seating area, that the seats were all sold-out. Fair enough, but the event could have done without their glowering at the crowd as if it was a football terrace.
The squash
Karim Darwish treated his third place play-off against Shabana with his serious face on, and we weren't going to see the repeated boast-and-lob showmanship that this precursor to the final has prompted in previous years.
Oh well - he is currently the best player on the planet, and we can't begrudge him from wanting to win everything.
Amr didn't appear too fussed about the $14,250 prize money on offer this evening, and after plugging away at Darwish finally gave up the ghost in the third to lose 11/8, 11/9, 11/5. I wonder if he'll be more motivated for Canary Wharf ...
Intermission
What we could have done with after what felt like somewhat of a practice-match was a good knock-around doubles exhibition. Where was John White when you needed him?
Always a favourite at this event and others in the UK, I have fond memories of him entertaining the crowd not only through his natural instinct as a player in competition, but also in various exhibitions at big events, and we could have done with him here to get the crowd going at half-time.
I notice that doubles exhibitions have become unfashionable in recent years at tournaments in the UK. It would be sad if this was part of a wider drive to demonstrate professionalism in the run up to the 2016 vote. At some events the time when the crowd has been most engaged or captivated with the players is during a four-man lark around, and it's important to show that the game is also a lot of fun too.
I hate to see any empty court that usually hastens the natural instincts of spectators to toddle off to the bar. Perhaps if the court were filled in 'transtition' periods if might give the opportunity to demonstrate what else squash has to offer, such as junior talent or some of the WISPA pros (rarely seen in London).
Bet on the GG
If Greg Gaultier continues to demonstrate the form that was on display tonight, he is going to be a favourite for Canary Wharf - and may soon challenge the top two Egyptians for the number one spot.
Strangely the mood of evening actually lightened during the final, as the Queen's crowd unfamiliar with Gaultier's gesticulating started to warm to him (though I did nearly have to cover my eyes as he stepped out of court to remonstrate with the officals right in front of the Duchess's lap).
Lincou still conducts himself on court with the professionlism that has characterised his career, but while he appeared tonight as alert and focussed as ever, he is not quite as quick as he was, and was always half a pace behind his younger countryman tonight who was poised on his shoulder throughout.
Gaultier took control from the beginning, relentlessly putting Lincou to the back of the court before dropping with consistent accuracy. Former World Champion Lincou really did not look like he wanted to spend the whole night banished to the back wall, and raised his game in the second to start imposing some control on rallies.
With the match levelled at 1-1, Gaultier was spoiling for a fight with the officials. Given that this event and Canary Wharf are stated showpieces for the sport in its Olympic bid (the matches this evening were filmed from a number of different angles), this would not have gone down very well, but either due to Gaultier'a self-restraint or the strong words from the officials, a lid was kept on things.
It was during the assessment of the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester that is was noted by the IOC that squash has a problem with players too easily remonstrating with officals. It is all too easy to blame the player in these situations, but clearly the officals need to be held accountable too. In the Shabana v Darwish game earlier in the evening there was at least one occasion when both players had exited the court door to tell the officals what the decision was before any decision had been made.
This would not happen in tennis, and the Queen's Club members watching tonight would have noted this difference.
Gaultier finally took the title for the second year running 11/6, 8/11, 11/5, 11/5 (63m) after re-imposing himself in the third. It had not been a vintage evening's squash, but the best player over the week had come out on top. Gaultier's exhuberance may try one's patience during play, but it makes him a great speaker when he wins. He had the crowd in fits and even managed to sneak peck on each royal cheek (is that allowed?!)
Really pleased as well to see that people sat in their seats at the end to see the presentation and hear the interviews - something that rarely happens. Maybe this was out of respect for our VIP (and the Duchess) - Mr Edwards was certainly very persuasive in preventing people from going home early.
Back next year?
If the Queen's Club is to hold this tournament in subsequent years I can see it turning into a kind of Lord's of squash, contrasting with the more lively Edgbaston of the Canary Wharf event (watch the Ashes crowds this summer and you'll see what I mean!).
The sport needs both, and there is room for provision to be made to further foster inclusion for even more divergent audiences. This week's experiment at Queen's Club appeared to be a success, but there will be some who say that squash needs to break away from the private members clubs of old.
The fact is that squash cannot afford to choose its audience, and it needs the support, patronage, and facilities of places such as Queen's. It also needs to attract the working class kid in east London, and maybe some of the 'urban' initiatives (that seek to change squash's image as well as where it is played) are the way to go.
The portability of the sport is a huge advantage in trying to appeal to these different audiences, and other changes such as the re-organisation of the PSA tour to move region-by-region (as suggested by Mr Al-Turki) would certainly help put the sport on people's radars for longer concentrated periods.
Had I just witnessed '21st Century Squash'? Not sure about that. The design of the advertising, marketing and PR materials (all contributing to the brand) looked very good, particularly some of the merchandise that was given out (there was a very nice fold-out map of London squash clubs).
To some extent this modern, minimalist design was maybe slightly divergent from the austere feel of the Queen's Club, and would have contributed to a greater overall impression at a more left-field venue. But these materials were well produced, and some thinking had obviously gone into them.
National media coverage - the efforts of Rod Gilmour at the Telegraph aside - was sadly again almost non-existent. Bottom: Gaultier wins for a second year
In terms of the more practical elements of the event: the format of the evening was pretty much similar to the British Nationals, the World Open or many other of the pro events I have attended over the past years. Loud music pumped out, nice introductions for the players, interviews afterwards.
A feature that was here at Queen's but is not always seen at big events are the large video replay screens. These worked very well here tonight, with the crowd fixated on them between points. These should now become a benchmark standard feature, but organisers must ensure that the players or spectators do not manipulate the officals into using them to make decisions. The position of the officals in the crowd in squash make this an awkward possibility.
This was perhaps not the most entertaining Super Series finals night that I have been to, but it was certainly a step up a level to further cement itself as a 'big tournament' (a rather elusive phrase - much like a 'big club' in football - not necessarily down to the money floating around or the number of people who go and watch it).
It never really felt like this down in the tent at Broadgate.
At the end of the day maybe there is only so much you can do with a bunch of people sitting watching two guys in a goldfish bowl. Maybe the true value of '21st Century Squash' is the plurality of experience that different squash venues can offer when they all adopt a benchmark for marketing, technology, design and all the other little things that go into creating a spectator experience.
The true value of the game as a spectator sport competing for fans might only be realised if a punter can watch the game in a city square one week and on a beach the next.
Great to see intelligent questions being put to the players in the videos being put out on the Canary Wharf website and YouTube.
Deepening the coverage of a current event via prompt video postings can enrich a tournament - especially for those squash fans who cannot attend ...
Videoing players is not in itself new or innovative (though there is certainly room for innovation where filming play is concerned): getting material out and up on the web quickly while retaining a level of quality is the key, and YouTube has certainly helped here.
Above: Alan Thatcher interviewing Tom Richards after his loss to Palmer. Richards' biggest stage to date? We've followed his career on squashblog for a while now ...
The London sojourn for the men's tour reaches a climax this week with the Canary Wharf Classic (23-27 March).
Now in its 6th year, the docklands event is loved by players and spectators alike for its infectious atmosphere and East Wintergarden location.
Following the launch of '21st Century Squash' at last week's Super Series Finals (report to follow very soon!), what can we expect from the Eventis team ...?
Like the Super Series event last week at Queen's Club, Canary Wharf is being pitched as an Olympic showcase before October's vote for which sports should be included in the 2016 Games. The Super Series was filmed for promotional reasons: let's hope Canary Wharf receives the same treatment.
The Super Series was seen by many in the squash community as a 're-launch' of the men's tour as a product. It will be interesting to compare these well-ran events - always held very close to each other - to try and establish what should be the new benchmark standards for putting on professional squash tournaments.
As part of the event, schoolchildren from Mayflower Primary School have been invited to the Tuesday session after attending a training session with Peter Nicol (see the link for an encouraging comment from London Mayor Boris Johnson).
James Willstop will be looking to put down an early market in the tournament in an event that he has almost made his own (he has won it three times). He faces Alister Walker in the first round, who scored the best win of his career here last year, beating Gaultier at the same stage.
The recent form of Nick Matthew (not at Queen's) means that he will be fresh to challenge top seed Amr Shabana. The former World Champion has never won a major tournament here.
Maybe as the only one of the top-three Egyptians playing here he's out to prove a point this time ...
We’ve often commented on court closures and other negative stories associated with squash at a regional/local level, but recently we’ve been contacted by Paul Main, Chairman of Luton Dunstable Squash Club, which is attempting to swim against the tide and promote participation in squash … Plus: Win the change to play Peter Nicol!
Paul writes:
"A few years ago Dunstable Leisure Centre had four courts and a vibrant club attached to it, but when the council handed the running of the centre over to private leisure centre management company, a decision was taken to close two, turning them into gym style studios – familiar story?
The club took the radical decision to relocate its playing base to a nearby facility run by Riley’s called Club Snooker and Squash in Luton which had a sorely underused seven courts. Once the initial bedding-in period had been completed under the sterling work of long standing Secretary Paul White, the Committee looked at its playing base and saw problems ahead. With what little junior coaching being delivered in admirable fashion by the lone Level 2 coach David Merrell - who was approaching retirement age - and the average age of active players being in excess of 40, it was clear that without action the club would be extinct in the not too distant future.
Two main objectives were identified just over a year ago
1. To increase junior participation 2. To increase adult membership.
The Committee agreed that it needed new coaches, and in December 2008 two members gained their Level 1 coaching qualification and now help David out on junior coaching nights that have seen an increase in the numbers attending as word has slowly spread.
The Committee set about working with the local county sports partnership and has just been given the green light to take Mini-Squash into local schools starting in the autumn term.
As far as increasing adult membership, the Committee sought to become a partner, again with the local sports partnership, in their very popular “Get Back Into” programme - a government funded scheme aimed at getting adults back into sport. Once again, the sport of squash was accepted, with Dunstable Squash Club being asked to deliver a seven-week programme.
The club also recently created a website to establish its first web presence. As part of that decision, the name and narrative for the site deliberately incorporated Luton so that the reality of the club was better reflected and a brand adopted.
Working with England Squash, the club last week achieved Silver Clubmark status - thus acknowledging their efforts - but also increasing funding opportunities for the future.
The final piece in the jigsaw in terms of promotion was the decision to organise a flagship event. That has been achieved with Peter Nicol agreeing to come along and play the winner of an open competition (click here for more details).”
Encouraging to see a club working hard to both promote itself and the sport; we wish them well in their efforts.
In our second year round-up we promised to look more at the efforts of national governing bodies in 2009, so anyone out there who has any good stories about efforts made by individuals clubs and/or their experience in working with regional or national bodies, please send them on.
The marketing engine for this weekend's start of the ATCO Super Series Finals 2009 is in top gear, with effectively a new era for the men's tour being launched.
The Finals this year are taking place at Queen's Club, Chelsea, in London, having moved from their Broadgate home. But what do the respondents to our poll think about the upcoming event (14-17 March)?
We asked visitors to the site whether they thought that the move to Queen's Club would be a good thing for the tournament. Results (below) show a positive, but guarded, welcome for the move, with the conclusion to be drawn that we'll have to "wait and see".
Of course, it's not just about the change of venue. Much has been made in the squash press of the changes at the top of the PSA and the involvement of ATCO President Ziad Al-Turki in the re-organisation of the Super Series and the future of the men's tour.
The press release that this week claims that we are entering the era of '21st Century Squash'. Sounds like good news as elements of tournament organisation are in need of modernisation, and there are great opportunities for creative minds to update the spectator experience of professional squash. The press release goes on to explain:
"It will also be the first major event since the appointment of branding agency Greenspace to make the sport even more appealing to a younger, wider audience. The agency has promised to overhaul almost every aspect of the sport, including court design and player uniforms."
It is also great to see that the event is "poised to set new records for ticket sales" - an indication that ticket sales for the event have been pushed harder than ever before (we look forward to seeing the size of the crowd).
The organisers are making big claims - it will be a step forward for the game as a spectator sport in the UK if they can live up to the hype. Can the Super Series challenge Canary Wharf as the best live squash experience in this country?
More fruits of England Squash's decision to invest in marketing its product are beginning to emerge, with the rebranding of the organisation and the unveiling of a new logo ...
ES have commissioned professional help from an agency, Fudge Studios, as part of the process. With squash historically pretty dire at marketing itself, this seems like a worthwhile investment.
The decision to market squash together with racketball is explained by ES in their unveiling to the press:
"Our vision is to increase the popularity and profile of both sports, continue to raise levels of success at international level and to run the sports according to the highest standards of governance, management and ethics. In order to achieve this we felt that the organisation needed a new identity, one that truly represented our aspirations to be modern, vibrant, and professional."
ES also explain the thinking behind the design of their badge (and forthcoming website):
"Both the logo and website have been designed to convey the sports of squash and racketball as vibrant, dynamic, modern and professional, and to persuade more people to get on court to try our great sports."
Interesting to see that a governing body has taken the step of removing a recognisable squash ball from their branding (though now that racketball comes as part of the package this may have been a deciding factor). The squash ball naturally lends itself to becoming a logo for the sport, and most websites (we hold our hands up!) incorporate it. It seems a small point, but moving away from this is a step in the right direction.
We can't help see a certain well-known web browser in those reddy-brown swirls, but I doubt that will be the first thought of many. It certainly carries the hallmark of being thought about in detail - rather than some we could mention.
It is somewhat unfair to judge logos decontextualised - we'll have to wait to see England Squash & Racketball (do we now have to write that every time .. seems a bit of a mouthful)'s new website and other marketing materials to see how it beds down into the wider campaign. Signs and their meaning change over time, don't cha know?
The real success behind the rebrand, of course, will be a greater interest in squash and racketball in England. I want to see ES (or ES&R) on the walls of my leisure centre. So let's leave the final words to them as they describe how they'll do this:
"Over the coming months and years we will be working closely with clubs, leisure centres, universities and workplaces to help introduce thousands of new players, coaches, and volunteers to the sports, and key to this is creating a vibrant club scene.
Squash will continue to be at the heart of our activity but we feel strongly that racketball will help bring new people to squash courts. Squash facilities that have embraced both sports are going from strength to strength, with busy courts and increased membership numbers. Our aim is to help all clubs achieve this success."
We unfortunately couldn't make the recent British Nationals to see Jenny Duncalf and Nick Matthew take the titles for the second time each. Looking over the recent success of both players away from domestic competition - and reviewing their careers to date - it struck me that they share a symmetry ...
Both had assumed a solid berth around 5/6 in the world, before falling back slightly in 2007. Both have taken two National titles, maybe slightly later than one might have predicated. Both are in or approaching their late-20s. Both have made advances over the past year that imply that greater things are to come.
Nick's recent narrow five-game loss to World Champion Ramy Ashour in the Davenport North American Open shows that he fears no-one (great pics here btw). If his body continues to hold up he can get amongst the Egyptians in the two big London events later this month.
Duncalf's win over - again! - Rachael Grinham in December's Sharm El Sheikh Open again underlines that she may be approaching her peak years. Of all the players behind Nicol David and the Grinham sisters, who have occupied the top three ranking places for a good while now, it is Jenny whom appears to be on the steepest upwards curve.
Duncalf has been the elder Grinham's bete noir in recent years, most notably losing to her at last year's British Open in Liverpool - one of the English player's best wins to date.
Jenny is at present competing for the current Kuala Lumpur title (at the quarter final stage as I write). If she were to win, Nick will be hoping that the symmetry of their careers rubs off at least to the end of March, as he attempts to continue his strong run at Canary Wharf and Queen's Club.
Nick Matthew
Born: 25 July 1980 Age: 28 Joined PSA: 1997 Current World Ranking: 5 (March 2009) Highest World Ranking: 5 (October 2004) Current National Ranking: 2 Highest National Ranking: 1 (January 2007) Jenny Duncalf
Born: 10 November 1982 Age: 26 Joined WISPA: 1998 Current World Ranking: 5 (March 2009) Highest World Ranking: 5 (August 2008) Current National Ranking: 3 Highest National Ranking: 2 (July 2007)
Review the action from the 2009 British Nationals here.
A table in todays's Sport magazine compares indoor sports by the calories they burn off in an hour.
Like the Forbes study from a few years back, squash comes out on top, but it's food/drink equivalency stats that catch the eye ...
Squash is the top indoor sport for burning calories, with 816 burned per hour (assuming a body weight of 150 lbs) - the stats are actually taken from the health/exercise website http://caloriecount.about.com .
Most fun is comparing the calories burned against items of food or drink. The table below is for an hour of squash:
Below: A comparison of indoor sports showing calories burned per hour
Looking up the early results of this year's European Teams, I found this ad (left) dwarfing the adjacent scores on a well-known squash website.
England has a phenominal history in both the men's and women's events - particularly the women's, where they are defending a 30-year (!) unbeaten record.
