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Chicago Adds to North American Squash Scene |
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By Alan Thatcher
Contributing Editor
The arrival of the Sweet Home Chicago Open illustrates the tremendous growth of squash in North America. And it firmly cements the Windy City as a major squash hub alongside New York, Boston, Toronto and Montreal.
With major events also taking place in Detroit, Richmond, Dayton, Los Angeles and it is easy to see why so many international players are moving their base from Europe to North America.
Add the growing stature of squash in the College sports system, which has attracted many of the world's leading coachs to cross the Atlantic, and you can sense an imminent switch in the power-base of the sport.
Before too long, these top-class coaching programs adopted by US Squash, plus the North American clubs and colleges, will surely start to churn out a succession of players capable of making an impact at the top end of the world rankings.
In the past, Canada had a more established foothold in that department, led by the astonishingly gifted Jonathon Power, who won every major honour going, including the World Open, Commonwealth Games gold medal, the British Open and the Tournament of Champions.
Always a colourful character, both on and off court, his ability to shock was never more evident than when he announced his retirement from the pro tour having regained his world number one ranking.
The USA is fast catching up. Players such as Julian Illingworth and Chris Gordon are currently flying the Stars and Stripes on the world tour, and many more, both male and female, are set to follow.
With iconic players such Chris Walker, Martin Heath and Natalie Grainger occupying key coaching roles in the US Squash development system, you can bet your bottom dollar that the USA will one day be strong enough to rival the international powerhouses such as England, France and Egypt, which is currently showing the rest of the world how it should be done.
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