By John Voneiff
The 2010 U.S. Squash Doubles Championships were hosted by the Maryland State Squash Racquets Association in Baltimore. Steve Scharff of Greenwich (CT) and Dylan Patterson of New York City are the 2010 U.S. Squash Open Doubles Champions. They defeated Ryan O’Connell and Addison West of New York City in a fast-paced four-game final at the Baltimore Country Club in the presence of an overflowing gallery. It was sensational squash. The difference came down to the electrifying play of Scharff who was simply outstanding. When Scharff had the opening to fire off a reverse or drop he took the chance with consistently irretrievable results. Both of these young talented teams have a bright future.
The path to the open finals was the tournament’s big surprise. In the bottom half of the draw, O’Connell and West defeated two of the game’s superstars, Gary Waite, perhaps the best ever, and nine-time national champion Morris Clothier in a riveting four-game semifinal match.
The result at the top of the draw was equally, if not more, unexpected when Scharff and Patterson slipped past the reigning national champions and top-seeded team of Trevor McGuiness and Whitten Morris—15/13 in the fifth. It was a thriller of a semifinal at the Maryland Club in front of a gallery so packed that those lucky enough to find a seat were locked in for the duration.
Susie Pierrepont of Rye (NY) and Narelle Krizek of Greenwich (CT) are 2010 U.S. Squash Women’s Open Champions. The result was not unpredictable; Pierrepont and Krizek, who last December won the biggest event of the WDSA pro-women’s doubles season the first time they partnered, were strongly favored—and dominated. When the very strong and capable team of Peggy Brehman and Jessica LeFever lost Sunday morning in the final on Meadow Mill Athletic Club’s gallery court, Pierrepont and Krizek achieved the distinction of not losing a single game in any match.
It was an especially emotional moment for Narelle who won this, her first, national championship in Baltimore where she married her husband Rob and joined him as a teaching professional at the Baltimore Country Club.
Doubles squash is a sport that can be played well throughout one’s lifetime. All of the age divisions provided hard-fought five-game matches. This year’s tournament included men’s 75+ and 80+ age divisions. Peter Holland and Norman Seagram won the 75’s and Charlie Butt and Scott Fraser won the 80’s. The apparently ever-young Joyce Davenport and her partner, Sara Luther, defeated one of squash’s great patrons, Molly Pierce, and Molly’s partner Jennifer Edison in an exciting 50+ final at Meadow Mill.
The Baltimore Orioles were Presenting Sponsor. The Baltimore Country Club, Maryland Club and Meadow Mill Athletic Club were host clubs. Players, Patrons and Sponsors were invited to a Friday night dinner reception, Saturday lunch and Champagne Sunday brunch at the Baltimore Country Club and a Saturday night Gala Dinner Dance held throughout the Maryland Club.
Jervis S. Finney was Tournament Chairman. His Executive Committee included Bob Travers, Bob Everd, and John Voneiff who chaired the 1996 National Doubles and Stewart Shettle, Maryland Club Squash Chairman; David Cole, Baltimore Country Club Squash Chairman; Nancy Cushman, President of Meadow Mill Athletic Club; Andrew Cordova, Maryland Club Professional; and Jack Hollick, President Maryland State Squash Racquets Association. The success of the tournament, said Travers of the Executive Committee, was the result of a working collaboration between the tournament committee, U.S. SQUASH and the U.S. Squash Doubles Committee.
All of the draws, division winners and scores (men’s Open, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75 and 80+ and women’s Open, 40+ and 50+) are listed on the U.S. Squash website, www.ussquash.com. After a preliminary feed in event, the 142 registered teams were pared down to 132 teams that made it into the men’s and women’s opens or one of eleven age divisions.
Women’s U.S. Doubles Championships
The Players’ Recap
50+—Luther & Davenport
“I think of it as jazz,” said Joyce Davenport about playing doubles. “Sometimes I have to play to my partner’s rhythm and sometimes she plays to mine.” It was a championship tune that the duo of Davenport and Sara Luther played to win the 50+ National title with relative ease. “I prefer a slower paced game,” said Luther, “while Joyce prefers it more up tempo.” Now 68, Davenport was giving away more than a decade to opponents Jen Edson and Molly Pierce, who nonetheless sent the ball Luther’s way for most of the first two games. Luther lobbed and dropped her opponents to a standstill. “Poor technique breaks down under pressure and Sara’s technique is impeccable,” said Davenport after the match.
While Davenport’s competitive intensity is easy to read on court, Luther appears to have a more laid back style, but she is just as competitive as her partner. Luther’s immediate response when asked what she likes best about squash? “Winning! I think it is fun to put it all on the line, hit a fabulous shot and beat your opponent.” Davenport, on the other hand, says,” I really like hitting the ball—and I think I can do more with the ball now than when I was younger.” She also enjoys reviewing matches in detail, which was the final negotiating point when Joyce asked Sara to be her partner. “I am delighted to be playing with Joyce,” said Sara, “but I told her there was a 15 minute limit on pre-match strategizing and post-match analysis.”
40+—McConnell & Cromwell
“She carried me,” said 13-time national doubles champion Alicia McConnell of her partner, and sister, Patrice Cromwell. In their first pairing as a doubles team, the sisters’ communication was near perfect. “It’s your sister—so you trust each other and have confidence in each other,” McConnell commented after the match. “I knew it would be OK if I stepped in and took some shots.”
As was expected, Cromwell saw the vast majority of balls in all their matches, as opponents were loathe to put the ball on the racquet of one of the game’s all-time great players. “It’s really fun to play with Alicia, because even though 90% of the balls came to me, she can take all the difficult shotsand do something fabulous with them,” said Cromwell. “Playing with her elevates everyone’s game.” Cromwell was strong and steady while McConnell was diving and scraping for balls that would have been winners against anyone else. “It was the finals—you have to do it,” McConnell said when questioned as to whether flinging her body around the court was a wise move in the 40+ category.
Women’s Open—Krizek & Pierrepont
“After losing by one point in the final two years ago, I was determined to win this title,” said Narelle Krizek, who paired with Suzie Pierrepont to defeat Natalie Grainger and Diana Dowling to win the 2010 US Championship. The winning duo had played together just once before Nationals, winning the Turner Cup in December. Their complementary playing styles have proven unbeatable so far. “Suzie is really strong above her head,” Krizek noted of her 6-foot tall partner. “No one is going to beat her up and down the wall. And I like to shoot.”
The two WISPA players, like a few of their PSA counterparts, have found new competitive fires to fan by playing doubles. “It is so much more fun to train and play with someone else,” Krizek explained. Pierrepont concurs, adding, “I really like the fact that with a much bigger court than singles, you can do so much more with the ball.” Perhaps foreseeing a significantly extended competitive career now that she is playing doubles, Pierrepont has a new squash role model. “Joyce Davenport is our hero!”
