Mumbai Reunion in Boston
Parth Doshi Tops Vinay Asthana at SquashBuster Open
Feb 15, 2004 © 2004 by Ron Beck For SquashTalk

91 Inaugurate New Boston Area Benefit Tourney
The SquashBuster Adult tourney, held Jan 30 to Feb 1st at the SquashBuster center and sponsored by SquashTalk, saw 91 energized players in eight different flights gather for a weekend of squash and to benefit the SquashBusters educational programs. The event, brainchild of SquashBuster leaders Chris Smith and Orla Doherty, was an unqualified success.

SquashBusters Facility Hosts First Annual Adult Open Tourney Photo © 2004 Chris Smith

"I brought the idea to Greg Zaff (SquashBusters head), and he didn't buy it at first," said Chris. "Greg really likes to focus on the SquashBuster mission, and he saw this as a distraction. Greg is great that way --- really focused. But I finally convinced him to let us try it, and we're gratified at all the great squash players who turned out to make the event a success."

Aside from some great squash, the goal of the event was to raise enough money to purchase a ball machine for the SquashBuster practice drills --- that goal was resoundingly achieved.

Parth Doshi (l) came from behind to beat Vinay Ashtana (r) in the men's open final. Photo © 2004 Chris Smith

On the squash side, the event saw some exciting squash take place, highlighted by the Open ("5.5") draw, which saw Williams graduate and Mumbai native Parth Doshi come face to face with F&M graduate and Mumbai native Vinay Ashtana.

"The last time I saw Parth," Vinay told SquashTalk, "was when he was 14 years old in Mumbai. Then I went off to the USA for college, and this is the very first time we've met up since." Ashthana went on to have a distinguished college career playing for F&M while Parth was a perennial All-american from Williams - he graduated last spring.

Vinay Ashthana treated the Boston and SquashBuster crowd to some very fine pure squash - terrific racquet movement and shot and exciting creativity on court. Too much at times. In the final, Ashtana went out to a strong two game to love lead on the strength of his compact shotmaking, deception, and severe front court game. Parth Doshi, however, who suffered his last two years at Williams through some chronic injury problems, seems rejuvinated physically since his post-graduate move to Boston. His fluid game eventually was able to blunt Ashtana's attack. And it was Ashtana's impatience to make something happen that eventually caused him to go astray and give up the lead, the momentum and ultimately the match to his younger compatriot.

STRONG DISTAFF DRAW

Hope Prockop (r) had too much for Sue Lawrence (l) in women's open final, getting trophies from SquashBuster's Orla Doherty and Chris Smith Photo © 2004 SquashBusters

Meanwhile, on the women's side there was also some extremely strong competition and wonderful squash. The field included women's standouts Hope Crozier, Blair Irwin, Jeanne Blasberg and Orlad Doherty and junior hopeful Rebecca Loucks.

Boston's top ranked player, Hope Prockop, went up against Florida native Sue Lawrence in the finals. Larwrence, who gave away about 15 years to Prockop, nevertheless showed some of the magic of her former international-class game and kept the ever moving Prockop on the run and on the defensive; though it was ultimately Prockop's fitness and steadiness that overcame Lawrence's deception and surprisingly accurate shot production.

And as a footnote, in the men's 50+ division, tournament sponsor, SquashTalk's Beck prevailed over a light round-robin field. He also reached the feed-in consolation final in the 5.5+ division.

[complete results in all divisions]

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