![]() Everything you never knew you needed to know about the Canadian Classic |
POWER IN TORONTO… | |
![]() I hadn’t seen him for just over a year, since Saudi 05 at the end of that big Asian Tour that crowned him World Number One. And as you remember, he retired a few weeks later, at the TOC in New York. ![]() "Of course, for two months after my retirement, I went a bit crazy, I didn’t know what I should spend my time on, but very quickly, I realised I had more time to spend with my family, with my friends, more time to do what I really wanted to do, still being involved in squash, but not having to have to fly all over the world for it. And that’s when I realised how right I was to have retired, and why I did it…" ![]() "John Nimick asked me to assume the role of 'Players' Chairman', which means going around, trying to promote the sport, dealing with players' issues if needed, etc. And of course, it made sense in particular that I should do it in Toronto, as I know everybody…" The Magician lives for the moment here in Toronto, as Sita’s family lives here and, quite understandably, she enjoys their support with the imminent arrival of the baby. He is still deeply involved in squash and is planning to be in it for a long while… "I didn’t spend my whole life becoming an expert in a subject to suddenly drop everything and do something completely different. I’m doing a lot of exhibitions, a lot of work with the kids, anything I can do to promote squash here in North America. You know, it’s not hard to have a role promoting something that you love and that you enjoy being the face of. I will keep on doing so as long as I can, and this is only the beginning…" |
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![]() Everything you never knew you needed to know about the Canadian Classic |
![]() BLESS THE KIDS I’ve been lucky enough to be allocated a nice seat in the front row, a bit low compared to most other venues I’ve been to, but just high enough to have a perfect view of the tin. ![]() And they are enjoying, and commenting, and clapping, and enjoying every rally of each match. I’m delighting myself with the sentences they come out with, “awesome squash”, “what a shot”, “too much time”, “I wish I could play like that”, “That’s lobbing for you”… And obviously, they know it all, and as I was explaining some rule detail to one of them, the look on one of the kid's face prompted me to say “I’m saying that, but I’m sure you know about squash as much as I do”. And the answer fell like an axe, “probably”. I did ask for it… ![]() |
AND THE FAIR PLAY AWARD GOES TO… … It’s a tie actually, between Stewart Boswell and David Palmer. They both showed some great sportsmanship (well, most of the players did this week, with one or two little exceptions (they’ll know who I’m talking about) during their quarter final match. ![]() For example, in the third David refused a stroke and asked for a let, just as Stewart did the day before against James.... And even better, in the first game at 5/5, the ref awarded a stroke to David, who considered that he should only get a let. So the decision was reversed to a let, only to have Stewart reversing it again to a stroke. These are only a few examples among dozens… But I just wanted to stress how easy is it to make a big fuss of our players when they behave not that well, how easy it is to point out the negative, to make a story out of a little comment or an outburst. ![]() But what about a bit of positivism and recognition of the sportsmanship, the camaraderie, the respect, the hard work that all these young men (and women) produce day in day out. We’ve got some astonishing sportsmen in squash. And one thing is sure, they don’t do it for the money. Time we bowed to them instead of constantly criticising them…
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LANGUAGE COURSE…![]() I know that it annoys most non French speaking Canadians, but I find it not only funny, but extremely useful. Did I mention I love Canada…? |
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WISH YOU WERE HERE…?![]() Yes, the first time, in July was for the fun of it, well actually for the law, the civil ceremony I think you call it. We did that in Marseille but this time, it was for real, it was at home, in La Réunion Island (near Madagascar/Africa for those whose geographical skills are as good as mine), and it was in front of God… Serious stuff. Can’t/shouldn’t get out of that one… So, while we are all freezing our butts in Canada, Thierry “se dore la pilule”, is sun tanning at will and recharging the batteries. Wish I was there? Oh boy just ask me… |
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![]() Everything you never knew you needed to know about the Canadian Classic |
![]() LESSON OF PROFESSIONALISM You may not realise how professional the players are, as they accept to speak with us right after their match, and I mean, right after. Of course, the main reason is that we have so little time between matches, that we’ve got to get the quote, type it, and put it on the site before the next match starts, which is very tricky sometimes. Also, “à chaud”, “on the spot”, the comments are always more vibrant, more emotional. ![]() But still, sometimes, players don’t wish to talk right after a bad loss, or after a very disputed encounter, quite understandably. And although I always stand a few steps away from them, waiting for them to give me the nod that means, “OK, Fram, you can come in my space, I don’t mind speaking to you although I hate the world right now,” although I always ask before approaching, I’m so amazed that they would accept to discuss their match so soon… But the award of the best professional this round goes to… James Willstrop, who we all know HATES losing, and is not normally to be approached for about one hour after a “hard loss” (meaning very disputed and hard match loss). ![]() “Ok, Fram, I’m here, let’s do it.” That my friends, is called professionalism. ![]() |
SIDE
WALL CALL…![]() I’m not exactly sure why they’ve put the poor bloke there, as you would have to pay me and kick me hard to watch anything from that position, as it is in my opinion the worst place ever to judge anything about squash, but I’m sure they have their reasons… Nevertheless, it’s been creating a bit of confusion in the players' referral to the ref, as they keep on asking the “side wall” for a correction of the ref’s decision, whereas in fact, only the ref can ask him. Are you confused? I’m confused. Yes, that’s what the players needed. A few more reasons/opportunities to get distracted. After the marker, and the ref, let’s give them a third person they can argue with … ![]() |
REF/PLAYERS GEMS… Abbas : "He didn’t ask for a let!" Ref: "His body language did" Hisham : "Why no let?" Ref: "There was no interference." Hisham: "Oh yes there was. A big interference. A biiiiiiiiiiiig one!" ![]() Wael: "Can we have a commercial break please….?????" ![]() Ref: "In the rule book." Lee: "Which rule book. Yours?" "Ref, do you know that you can ask the side wall ref for advice? Don’t be shy…" |
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HAIRCUTS … After the long hair period, Amr Shabana has cut his hair very short (which led the Customs Officer to ask him whatever happen to his hair, did he lose them????), along with Ramy, and thank God, thank GOD, Anthony Ricketts, who had for a few months let his hair grow, without much success it has to be said… But of course, you always have one, haven’t you, who is doing exactly the opposite to the rest of the pack, and it had to be Mister White, who is obviously in a 70s’ kind of feel, bandana and all… Isn’t he sweet… |
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![]() Everything you never knew you needed to know about the Canadian Classic |
THE MAGIC BOX![]() You may have noticed that on the first round reports, we suddenly had some great action shots instead of my “nice try don’t give up the day job” photos. It’s because our own marvel, David Barry, has now joined me in Toronto, and wait for it, yes, will also do Windy City as well. I know, we are spoiling you… ![]() Well, count on our David to sort that one out. With a friend of his, he designed a box in which he puts his camera, box goes on the court, in front of the tin, and zoom, problem sorted. Of course, there were a few funny moments were David got caught while changing the box position from one side to the other, but no harm done, the players are quite accurate with their shots, most of the time… ![]() |
![]() The Box ... unplugged ![]() A replaceable polycarbonate front window protects the camera (a Nikon D200) from the ball, and even the occasional thrown racket. The camera is held in place magnetically so that it can be quickly removed and replaced to set up for different court positions, and the angle at which the camera looks up can be adjusted with a unique multi-wedge to work with different lenses. All of the settings on the camera have to be pre-set for the court and the shots that David is looking for. A wireless remote control allows him to trigger the camera at the moment that he thinks it's seeing the shot he wants. Then you just wait till the end of the match to see if you got it right ... ![]() |
![]() Everything you never knew you needed to know about the Canadian Classic |
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WHAT A SERVICE… |
LEGENDARY DENNIS![]() At the Toronto Athletic Club, his name is Dennis Goodfellow. I know, you just cannot invent it… He’s been the squash pro here at the TAC for 16 years now, but he is quite a character. He picked up his first squash racquet he was 28, worked his grey hair off, got two Canadian Over 40 titles, and went on with two more over 45. Not your every day guy, is he… But just to show you how loved he is around here, last year, 30 of his students got together, and as he had never left Canada, got him a dream holiday: two weeks in a resort in Portugal, and a week in Paris for him and his wife. That’s how much everybody hates him. And you know what? Put my name on the list… ![]() |
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STRINGING AWAY... |
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PACE En Bref ... Issue #1 Everything you never knew you needed to know about the Canadian Classic |
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![]() LOOOONG DAY If I was to tell you that trying and cover 13 matches shared over three different clubs including one men only and where the squash court is within the men’s changing room in a country you’ve never set foot in before was a delight and that I was a charm to work with (sorry Dennis) all day would be a slight deformation of the truth… ![]() It was a blipping hard day, and I was a blipping pain, as ever. ![]()
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![]() FUNNY TEA… I’ve been drinking tea for a long time, and in all the countries and continents you can think of, but I never got a Eiffel Tower tea bag before!
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After a loooong travel started at 4.30 am in London, to arrive local
time 14h (add 5 hours to have the UK equivalent), having had my
bags, luggage and shoes X-rayed so many times they are showing early
signs of radioactivity, getting through so many security gates,
checks, running down so many corridors at one point I thought I was
actually walking to Toronto, after explaining to the US Custom
Officer that no, I was not a reporter specialised in vegetable,
flying on one of those funny 48 seaters only jet planes from
connecting flight from NY to Toronto where you have to mind your
head, waiting in a very long and painful line at the Canadian
Customs due to 50% staff shortage , I was finally picked up by
lovely Liz Shaughnessy and her assistant
Laurel from the airport. |