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Waite and Mudge Back on the Winning Track
By Rob Dinerman, Oct 21, 2006    
Squashtalk Independent News; © 2006 SquashTalk LLC

Needing to get back on the scoreboard after coming up empty in the first two tournaments of the 2006-07 ISDA season, Gary Waite and Damien Mudge came through this past weekend in Vancouver without losing a game to thereby reclaim the standing their consecutive losses (in the Maryland Club Open semis and the Big Apple Open final) to Ben Gould and Paul Price had temporarily cost them.

The tour returned to this beautiful Northwest city for the first time since its only prior ISDA appearance four years ago, when Waite and Mudge also prevailed at the final-round expense of Blair Horler and Clive Leach. The latter was partnered up this time around with Price (Gould had to attend to a family engagement) and the pair received the only bye in the seven-team draw. They proceeded to push the eventual champs (who had out-played Jamie Bentley and Willie Hosey in their opening match) to the final few points of each of the three games, only to fall barely short each time. This was probably the most entertaining match of the weekend, with electric shot-making and some wonderfully pleasing late-game exchanges.

Meanwhile, in the bottom half, Preston Quick and John Russell, runners-up in Baltimore early last month, nearly were picked off right out of the gate, as Joe Pentland and Tyler Millard jumped out to a two-games-to-love lead. Their best remaining opportunity came in the fourth game, which seesawed dangerously along to 13-all before Quick and Russell captured the ensuing tiebreaker and were able to assume command early in the fifth game.

They then faced Viktor Berg, playing before his enthusiastic home-town crowd and doubling as tournament chairman (in which capacity he was ably assisted by Marvin Mensksvik of the host Hollyburn Country Club), and Chris Walker, who had won 3-0 in their quarterfinal with qualifiers Jeff Mulligan and Matt Jensen. For the third time in as many ISDA events this season, Berg and Walker were stopped in the semis, though only after being barely denied by a 15-13 tally in the fourth and final game.

Waite and Mudge were inexorable in the Sunday final. Buoyed by their excellent and winning performance in their semi over the talented Price/Leach duo, The Champs displayed the athleticism and teamwork that has become their trademark over their record-breaking seven years at the top of professional squash on this continent. After dropping the opening pair of games at 9 and 10, Quick and Russell drew to 13-14 in the third before a Russell tin on an attempted drop shot concluded the weekend's action and, at least for the moment, restored Waite and Mudge to their accustomed place in the winner's circle.

Vancouver ISDA RESULTS
Qtrs:
Gary Waite/Damien Mudge d Willie Hosey/Jamie Bentley, 3-0;
Paul Price/Clive Leach, bye;
John Russell/Preston Quick d Joe Pentland/Tyler Millard, 3-2;
Chris Walker/Viktor Berg d Matt Jensen/Jeff Mulligan, 3-0.

Semis:
Waite/Mudge d Price/Leach, 3-0;
Russell/Quick d Walker/Berg, 3-1.

Final:
Waite/Mudge d Russell/Quick, 3-0.

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