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Squash and Dinner from Brescia
by Martin Bronstein © 2002 SquashTalk

May 7, 2002 © 2002      

BIANCHETTI PULLS OFF BIG EVENT IN ITALY

Brescia, Italy. Midnight Tuesday May 7 2002

Are there just two in the world?
After just 36 hours in this beautiful part of Italy and spending much time with Amedeo Bianchetti, I'm beginning to think there are just two real squash promoters in the world - John Nimick and Amadeo. Amadeo's tournaments may not be as big as Nimmick's, but by golly, the man operates well. Despite non-co-operation from the Italian squash federation , FIGS, (in fact quite the opposite) Bianchetti, publisher of the International Squash Annual, manages to put together an amazing list of tournaments and deals.

Let's take this shopping mall, Le Porte Franche; the owner is so convinced of squash's pulling power, that he has given the atrium space in the food section to Bianchetti for 12 days.

Up went the Perspex court and it has been there hosting three different tournaments since May lst. And Amedeo is not paying a penny for the privilege.

They say the mall has a throughput of 200,000 people a week, which is pretty good coverage for the game of squash. The food court has three levels and there are restaurants and bars on every level. Indeed, there are only about 30 seats behind the backwall, so no ticket income. But when all the balconies are full of diners and drinkers, all watching the squash for no charge, everybody wins.

CHEAP MOVIES AND LATE CAFES
For some strange reason, movies are cheaper on Wednesday and Le Porte Franche has a multiplex cinema. When that finishes, the crowds come out, sit down and watch the squash…the cafes and bars close at around 2 a.m. Bianchetti tells me that the winner of the Italian Big Brother TV show, a young handsome man, came to play the women's national champion, a young gorgeous woman, and the place was packed to the rafters with young women all panting after the now -famous Big Brother bloke. Could he play squash? Nah, but who cared?

ALL SAFE
Mega Italia is a company specialising in security and they have underwritten this tournament since 1997. Previous winners have been Billy Haddrell, John White, David Palmer, Ong Beng Hee and Adrian Grant, three of whom are now top ten players. So despite the low prize money, $6,000, it is useful stepping stone to upwardly mobile players. And for the first time this year, there is a WISPA event, which is good news.

BIANCHETTIS EVERYWHERE YOU LOOK
The antagonism between Bianchetti and the FIGS people is chronicled in my latest Global Gallery. The fact that Amadeo has three sons, Davide, Andrea and Nicola, who between them have held the national Under 13, Under 15, Under 17 and Under 19 titles must rub salt into FIGS every wound. For the this tournament, Davide is number one seed, with England's Hadrian Stiff at number two, Peter Pastijn of Belgium at number three and the starry James Willstrop at number four. I'll bet right now the final will be between Bianchetti and Willstrop. The middle Bianchetti, Andrea, has been given a wild card into the main draw and will meet Christian Drakenberg in the first round. Tough! The young Swede has still got an enormous smile on his face after beating world number seven Chris Walker in the European team championships last week. And Drakenberg is number 91 in the world.

CZECH IT OUT
Interestingly there are two players from the Czech Republic, the first time I have come across this statistic in any tournament, Jan Koukal is really quite promising : it is good to welcome a new country to the squash fraternity. (Remember what they did in tennis…). Spanish hope Borja Golan is also playing and meets James Willstrop in the first round, which will almost be the match of the day.

TOTALLY POLITICALLY INCORRECT
The women's draw includes the quite beautiful Katline Cauwels from Belgium, a statement that will have libbers sharpening their knives. And she can play squash too. I have seen her at the last two European club championships…oh to be 60 again..

STRONG AUSSIE ENTRY
Amelia Pittock and Lisa Camilleri, both members of the Australian junior team in Penang last year are in the draw as is the never ending Corinne Castets from France, who has been playing , it seems, as long as I have been reporting. Top seed is Madleine Perry from Ireland and second seed is former world university champion Isabelle Stoehr from France. It all begins on Wednesday, and if I see a every match from a different café, bar or restaurant, I may just manage to experience everything on offer before I leave for England on Sunday, 30 pounds heavier.

THE DRAW
[1] Davide Bianchetti (Ita) vs. [Q] Marc Reus (Neth).
[6] Andrew Whipp (Eng) vs. [Q] Mirco Parecini (Ita)
[3] Peter Pastijn (Bel) vs Jan Koukal (Cze)
[8] Andrew Holderegger (Sui) vs [Q]Constantino Casas (Spa)
[5] Christian Drakenberg (Swe) vs. Andrea Bianchetti (Ita).
[4] James Willstrop (Eng) vs [Q] Borja Golan (Spa).
[7] Chris Ryder (Eng) vs Martin Dzur (Cze)
[2] Hadrian Stiff (Eng) vs Tony James (Aus)

THE WOMEN'S DRAW
Madelein Perry (Ire) vs Laurence Bois (Fra)
Corinne Castets (Fra) vs Heidi Mather (Aus)
Samantha Teran (Mex) vs Qualifier
Amelia Pittock (Aus) vs Lisa McKenna (Sco)
Frania Gillen-Buchert (Sco) vs Katline Cauwels (Bel)
Sonia Pasteris (Ita) vs Helen Easton (Eng)
Dagmar Vermeulen (Ned) vs Lisa Camilleri (Aus)
Isabelle Stoehr (Fra) vs Qualifier.

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