Damian Walker Hot in Return
Aug 2, 2005, by Rob Dinerman
Squashtalk Independent News; © 2005 SquashTalk LLC

U. S. Team Select Event: Walker Back On Track After Injury

In a triumphant return to the competitive scene after seven months lost to a right knee injury last January, two-time (2001 and 2002) S. L. Green champion Damian Walker surmounted a 15-man field last week in Manhattan to win a U. S. Team Selection event and capture the first-place share of the $6,500 purse. The tournament was hosted by the University, Union and Racquet & Tennis Clubs (whose members came up with the entire purse) and ably run by Ben Desombre, assistant coach of the U. S. women's team, who pinch-hit for men's coach Chris Walker, who was away in Europe at the Junior Women's World Team Tournament.

After receiving a bye to the quarter-finals due to his top-seeded status, Connecticut-based Damian Walker posted consecutive 3-0 wins over first Massachusetts high-school star John Fulham (who had rallied from two-love down to overtake ISDA top-20 doubles veteran Steve Scharff) and then U. S. team veteran Beau River. The latter had fulfilled his No. 4 seeding and advanced via 3-0 wins over Penn stand-out Gilly Lane and former Harvard co-captain Dylan Patterson but could not match Walker's execution and precision.

In the bottom half, the seeding did not hold up nearly as well, as second seed Tim Wyant fell in the quarters to Ben Oliner (a first-round victor over Eric Christiansen), who then dropped the ensuing semi to third seed Richard Chin, a straight-set quarter-final winner over Thad Roberts after Roberts upset Francis Odeh.

Chin and Walker have faced each other many times over the years, most importantly in a five-game 2001 S. L. Green final, with Walker always managing, sometimes only barely, to prevail. The key to this four-game match, ironically, was the second game, the only one that ended up in Chin's column. He had rushed out to a quick 7-2 lead after dropping a close 9-7, 25-minute first game.

Chin eventually won the statistically equalizing second 9-4, but the end portion of that game required so many hands-out and punishing exchanges that Chin did not have as much left for the third. Walker pressed his advantage all the way through the final pair of 9-3 games, taking the title in convincing fashion and thereby announcing his return to full strength after the knee injury he had incurred in a team selection event in Boston against Julian Illingworth last January.

US Men's Selection Event, Manhattan;
Results:

First Round:
Damian Walker bye; John Fulham d Steve Scharff, 3-2; Dylan Patterson d Whitten Morris, 3-0; Beau River d Gilly Lane, 3-0; Richard Chin d Patrick Harris, 3-0; Thad Roberts d Francis Odeh, 3-0; Ben Oliner d Eric Christiansen, 3-0; Tim Wyant d Jarrod Sandler, 3-0.

Quarters:
Walker d Fullam, 3-0; River d Patterson, 3-0; Chin d Roberts, 3-0; Oliner d Wyant, 3-1.

Semis:
Walker d River, 3-0; Chin d Oliner, 3-0.

Final:
Walker d Chin, 3-1.

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