For the first time since the US Open was last played in Boston (2006), four maestros of squash graced the portable glass McWil Court in famed Symphony Hall. Each at one time World No. 1—Jonathan Power, Amr Shabana, Gregory Gaultier, and Ramy Ashour—these four put on a unique show for 1,000 enthusiastic spectators playing a unique version of the game.
Dubbed the World Championships Challenge by John Nimick’s Event Engine, the format of the event required that all four players have been World No. 1 or won a World Open title. Needless to say, each of this year’s participants fit the bill.
The competition featured semifinals and a 3rd place playoff played to two games with the winner of the first game earning the choice of selecting either a one or three-point tiebreaker if the matcher were knotted at a game apiece. The final would be played as a best of three, with the winner earning a price money bonus. The winner in Boston would earn the right to defend his title at subsequent short-format World Squash Champions Challenege events.
And Boston’s SquashBusters the first Urban Squash Program in the country, benefitted as well with $4,000 worth of tickets and half of the net proceeds.
The first semifinal featured the finalists of the 2007 World Open in Bermuda, Shabana and Gaultier. However, this time around it was Gaultier who came out on top, winning the first game 11-10 before dropping the second, 9-11—and then opting for a sudden-death one-point tiebreaker.
In the second semifinal, Power took the opener 11-10, but Ashour found his rhythm in the second, winning it easily, 11-4. Like Gaultier before him, Power opted for the one-point decider—which Ashour won to move him into the final.
The final was a thriller with Ashour surviving in three games after dropping the opener. But it was 3rd place match that brought yet another twist to the evening. In a “So You Think You Can Ref” battle, Power and Shabana were each given two “life-lines” if they disagreed with the referee’s decision on a let—the crowd could vote by text message. Could be the squash approach to tennis’s instant replay.
To make the evening complete, local renowned squash-playing chef, Ming Tsai, served up tasty dishes. Interested in a little Red Roast Duck on Ginered Spaghetti Squash? Sharif Khan seemed to enjoy it.
Nimik’s efforts at creating a one-night event could be what it takes to move squash further into the forefront of the general sports landscape. Symphony Hall makes squash music to your eyes and ears, and there’s little question that this format can work around the world.
