The 2011-12 Doubles season kicked off with over 30 men’s and women’s teams, representing 15 schools, competing in the Intercollegiate Doubles Championship, held at the Racquet Club of Philadelphia, in conjunction with the 2011 Delaware Investments U.S. Open. The University of Pennsylvania swept the event with Trevor McGuinness winning his third Intercollegiate Doubles Championship and second with partner Thomas Mattsson. McGuinness also won the inaugural Mixed Intercollegiate event with fellow Quaker Colleen Fehm while fellow teammates Nabilla Ariffin and Pia Trikha won the Women’s division. The Junior Doubles Championship also saw record entrants with over 100 players from the U.S. and Canada competing at the Wilmington Country Club in January. It was another McGuinness (Andrew) who set a record winning his fourth junior doubles championship and second consecutive with George Lemmon. Andrew McGuiness was also featured in Sports Illustrated’s faces in the crowd for his incredible feat.
The first adult doubles championship of the season was again hosted by the University Club of New York and played on every available court in New York City. The Century Doubles, now in its sixth year, featured over 150 participants in six divisions, including the first year of the 80+ Grand Champion division in which one of the competitors had to be over 80 years old, with a four team round robin. Despite two past champions losing in the first round, Eben Hardie and Bill Villari couldn’t stop eventual champs Erick Vlcek and Jamie Heldring in the final of the open division, which still has never had a repeat champion. A deep mixed draw saw Natalie Grainger and Pug Winokur prevail in five long games over Meredeth and Taylor Quick.
Westchester (NY) and the Apawamis Club played host to the 2012 U.S. Squash Doubles Championships for the first time, with matches played on seven courts at six area clubs. With over 140 teams competing in 13 draws, there was no shortage of spectacular play from the open men’s and women’s draws to the 80+ men’s division. Meredeth Quick and Stephanie Hewitt finished off the top seeded team of Natarsha McElhinny and Narelle Krizek by one point in the fourth game to win the women’s title. Meredeth’s brother Preston then went on to win the Men’s title for a fourth time with Greg Park (his first) over three-time champions Trevor McGuinnes and Whitten Morris in spectacular fashion, 17-16, 15-14, 16-15.
The Racquet Club of New York again played host to the Father-Son Championships with Geordie and George Lemmon repeating their victory of a year ago, defeating Will and Scott Simonton in the final of the Open Division. Tom and Morgan Poor won their second straight Century title in a rematch of last year’s final, defeating Jack Wyant Sr. and Jack Wyant Jr. in a thrilling five game championship match. The Mixed championship was again hosted by the Philadelphia Country Club and saw first time champs in all three divisions with Manek Mathur and Narelle Krizek defeating Greg McArthur and Suzanna Pierrepont in the Open Final. Ed Chilton and Demer Holleran won the 40+ and Alan Grant and Joyce Davenport coasted in the 50+ division.
The 2012-13 Doubles Championship season will start off early next season with the addition of two new events, the 2012 Urban Doubles Championships, August 13-15, in Denver (CO) and the Inaugural U.S. Open Squash Doubles Championships, December 6-9, at the Wilmington Country Club, in Wilmington, Delaware.
