Michael Hoy

Best & Worst of Globetrotter Michael Hoy

Michael Worked in the Hotel and Hospitality for 30 years before spending 17 years in Swiss Hotel School education. Academic Dean of Glion, Montreux, Switzerland before moving to Bahrain in 2014 to open and develop a Swiss Hotel school in the Kingdom.

Squash bio

Represented Buckinghamshire and Devon at various senior levels and played many Masters tournaments (European and World). 8th in 2013 European Masters over 60's. Former Swiss National over 55’s Champion.

My best moment
winning a National Title

My residency years in Switzerland didn't allow me to play in the National over 45's championships until I was 54 years old.

Needless to say, some sprightly younger players were a bit quicker and sharper than me, and I lost to Sergio Oduna in the quarter finals, with Sergio going on to win the tournament. Sergio won the European over 55's in 2012.

My best moment was undoubtedly the match I won to win the Swiss National over 55's championships the following year in 2004, against Claudio Hasler. It was a 3-0 match that I dominated, and I made sure I didn't relax at all.

The depth of masters squash in Switzerland is not that high, but the semi finals and finals are the better competitive matches.

I was elated to have won a National title.

My worst moment
or When Alcohol and Squash don't match

My worst moment was the next year in 2005, when I got to the final as defending champion, of the Swiss National over 55's Championships in Vaduz.

I had a relatively easy path to the final, playing Nicki Muller's dad Jack on the way, and was full of confidence for the final on the Sunday. On the Saturday evening, at the traditional squash dinner there was plenty of food and alcohol and I 'forgot' that I had a final the following day.

I stupidly thought that I could have a few beers and still be fine to win the final, against Josef Holzman, who had beaten Claudio Hasler in the semi final.

The next morning I woke with the most awful hangover, feeling sick, lethargic, sweating, out of sorts, and certainly not wanting to play squash.

I showed up on court and was truly hammered for a 3-0 loss. I couldn't run properly and it was embarrassing.

It is a salutary lesson I learned very late in life after very many years of squash. I didn't do the tournament nor my opponent justice, which still irks me to this day.

The next year I beat Josef in the semis and went on to lose a close final 3-2.

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