2005 ST LOUIS OPEN
	Reports Draw/Results Qualifier 1, 1 Qualifer 1, 2 Qualifier day 2 Qualifier final Round 1 Quarters Semis Final Preview Photos: venue photos qual day 1 qual day 2 1st round quarters 1 quarters 2 semi 1 semi 2 final PSA Profiles

	CURRENT EVENTS Bermuda Texas Open US Doubles RECENT EVENTS Canary Wharf Kuwait Open CSA Individuals CSA Mens Southport British Nationals CONTENT Hall of Fame News Index RSS Version Club Links Gear Links E-boast Newsletter     (sign up now free)
www.princesquash.com

[The St Louis Open Main Draw]   [Sunday Report]

EXETER (NH) SCHOOL COURTS DEDICATION OCT 29TH

Latasha (top) and Shabana will represent the US in the softball doubles event in Melbourne. (Photo ©2005 Debra Tessier)

St. Louis: Khan Sisters Capture Softball Doubles Tourney

Latasha and Shebana Khan, who between them have won the last six editions (and seven of the last eight) of the U. S. National Singles championships but have never previously played in the National Doubles, prevailed over Louisa Hall and Meredeth Quick this past weekend in the U. S. softball doubles, a pilot event that the USSRA hopes will eventually evolve into an official national championship. The men's tournament was taken by Michael Puertas and Jamie Crombie at the expense of Beau River and Dylan Patterson.

These were the only four teams to enter this event, and, rather than simply play the final as a one-match tournament, the tournament committee instead decided to run a best-of-three-match competition, with the two respective teams squaring off twice on Saturday and a third match to determine the champion to be played on Sunday if the Saturday encounters resulted in a split.

As it happens, both victorious teams swept their Saturday matches, though not without difficulty: the four-game first women's match entailed three tiebreaker sessions and the second match went the full five game before the Khan sisters finally asserted themselves. Puertas and Crombie similarly were pushed by their far-younger opponents, who forced a fifth game in the opening match before surrendering in four in the nightcap. Hall, Crombie and Latasha Khan all had participated in a world doubles softball tournament in India in December '04, and the USSRA will be sending both winning teams to represent them in Australia in the '06 world championships this winter.

Exeter: New Court Dedication Ceremonies Set For October 29th

The Phillips Exeter Academy will be formally dedicating the Fisher Squash Center courts that have become a centerpiece of Love Gymnasium late next month. The $9 million 10-court facility, designed by Architectural Resources Cambridge, Inc. and built by Gilbane Construction, features electronic tins that beep several times upon being hit, glass back walls, recessed lighting and gabled windows, allowing natural light and resulting in an appealingly bright space for players and viewers alike. The courts have actually been in active use since last November, and interest in the game throughout the Exeter community has exploded in the wake of their arrival.

Four of the courts have stands and a mezzanine level that can accommodate approximately 400 spectators, which seventh-year varsity men's and women's coach Kirk Randall is confident will make it, "a coveted site for the New England Interscholastic Championships and other junior and adult tournaments."

Exeter squash has developed a long and storied tradition in the 73 years since it became an official varsity sport during the 1931-32 season: USSRA Hall of Fame inductee and three-time U. S. National champion Germain G. Glidden '32 captained that first squad and PEA alumni/ae include Demer Holleran '85, arguably the greatest American woman player ever and, like Glidden, a USSRA Hall Of Fame honoree, Frank Satterthwaite '61 and Rob Dinerman '72, both ranked in the top ten of the World Professional Squash Association pro hardball circuit, Dave Fish '68, the great Harvard coach and a fully deserving successor to the legendary Jack Barnaby at the Crimson helm, Interschols champions Richard Hoehn '55, Louis Williams '60, Ray Godfrey '63, Arif Sarfraz '72, Mitch Reese '77 and Geordie Lemmon '79, and a host of standout performers who later played prominent roles on title-winning college varsities and in USSRA tournaments.

Dinerman, who has authored more than a dozen archival squash histories over the past decade, is currently working on a history of Exeter squash which will be completed in time for the October 29th ceremony, which will be MC'ed by longtime (1968-92) and highly successful Academy coach Werner Brandes and whose afternoon-long schedule will include an opening brunch, an exhibition match and a round-robin.