The Atlanta Open is the largest South Eastern event on the US Squash Calendar. Celebrating its 9th year, this event had lots to offer with professional and amateur players from all over the world travelling to compete for the 2008 Atlanta Open title at the Concourse Athletic Club.
With all the draws totally full, we kicked of the skill level event on Friday at noon with players playing until midnight. With food sponsored by Italian cuisine Brio and beer by Spatenbrau there was plenty to cheer about.
Saturday was semifinals day in the PSA draw and the top two seeds, Eric Galvez and Dylan Bennett, had to play two qualifiers Campbell Grayson and Gilly Lane. In the end, the top two seeds were too strong and both marched comfortably into the final.
Saturday night players were happy to relax and party with the party bus to Opera night club which went to all hours. There were a few sore heads in the morning.Sunday was our final celebration for US Squash and PSA players. Everyone had a great time and enjoyed an open bar and full buffet catered by Whole Foods.
Galvez, who has been coming to Atlanta for years, was in fine form only losing one game going into the final, and he was anxious to lift his first Atlanta Open title. Bennett, who was playing his third Atlanta Open, also had a good run reaching the final.
The final was once again a climax with both players giving it their all. Unfortunately, there could only be one winner, and Galvez had a little more in the tank to win his first Open in four attempts. He won 8-11, 11-4, 11-8, 8-11, 11-2 and is looking forward to coming back for the 10th Atlanta Open which should be a big one.
Skill level winners were Jose Espina, Greg Shapiro, John O Donnell, Francisco Barreto, Gregory Rogers, Tim Thomas, Rahul Singh and Gareth Webber.
We are looking forward to seeing you all next year in May with many special surprises for our 10th anniversary. For more details, visit www.globalsquash.com
Arhum Saleem
Arhum Saleem from Lifetime Fitness in Alpharetta Georgia has been playing squash for less than one year and played his first event in January 2008. Before he played baseball and soccer and now has totally focused on squash as his coach Andre Maur saw that he has great potential. He has jumped from nowwhere to No. 4 in the U13 USSRA ranking in less than nine months where other juniors have taken double that time to get where he is. He has been working hard all summer and is getting ready for the new season where he will be in the BU15.
Saleem has played in six junior tournaments so far, winning three , runner-up in two and a top-10 finish. His last two events he won at the Charleston Open where he captured both the U13 and U15 divisions.
Maur said, “In the last 10 years I have never seen anyone as keen as him on a court with so much speed and determination Every single moment he has he is on the court and hitting the ball up and down the wall. He has a great future, and I am sure we will hear a lot from this great junior. Keep up the work and remember ‘No pain No gain.’”
