It’s all part of one of the most absorbing days in the world squash calendar for masters players,” said Richard Millman on finals day at the British Open in September.
After much preparation, a bit of a scare after suffering a tight hamstring in one of his last practice matches, and some first round jitters, Millman launched his deliberate attack on the Men’s 50+ division at the British alongside the top players from the PSA and WISPA tours.
Joining Millman from the Southeastern Squash Racquets Association was Michael Gough—the same player who won the US Championships last March—in the Men’s 70+.
While he probably wouldn’t admit it, being seeded No. 2 in the over-50s behind the legendary Ross Norman (yes, the same player Squash Magazine misidentified in its November edition coverage of the British Open professional divisions) no doubt left Millman seeking glory by simply reaching the final.
And he did relatively easily. Despite the hamstring issue leading up to the first day, Millman’s legs felt good at the start when he easily won his first two rounds. The quarterfinals, won by Millman in his third consecutive 3-0 affair, provided a tougher test but also furthered his confidence in his signature lob/drop game.
The semifinals pitted Millman against the 2008 champion, Ian Bradburn. After dropping the first game, Millman was quickly reminded by his coach/wife Pat, that length and height were his bread and butter, advice that wore down Bradburn and landed Millman in the finals to take Norman—the former world champion.
Though Norman dominated the match, winning 9-1, 9-1, 9-0, Millman was did manage to move Norman around with some deception, touch and lobs in the third game. “In the first game,” recalled Millman, “I wanted to try and move Ross around and get him tired. However, right from the outset I was under extreme pressure. Ross’s length was unbelievably severe and inch perfect. The best I could do was try and retrieve.”
For Gough in the over-70 final, he too ran into a buzz saw in the form of Pat Kirton—a six-time British national champion—and fell 3-1.
The sole American to play in the 2009 British Open Masters was John Musto who won his first round in the Men’s 40+ before falling in the second round.
Looking to 2010, Millman is looking to take an American-based masters team to the World Masters in Cologne (Germany) and the British Open in Manchester with a test match against the Great Britain veterans club and possibly the South African masters in between. The dates are Aug. 23-Sep. 14. “I already have a number of interested players,” Millman says, “and anyone who is competitive (top 10 in their age group in the US) could do very well and would be welcome. “I intend to design a uniform, get a package travel deal together, have a training week down here in Charleston, organize the matches against GB and SA and try and lead the team.” If interested, you can contact Millman by email: TheSquashDoctor@yahoo.com.