31-Jan-13:
THE HOTTEST TICKETS IN TOWN
Alan Thatcher reports
SQUASH fans have snapped up most of the prime seats for the 2013
Canary Wharf Classic – and the final is already sold out.
 Every
prime back-wall seat has been sold for each of the five days of
competition, with London’s premier squash tournament taking
place at the superb East Wintergarden venue from March
18-22.
After three sell-out years in succession, early indications
suggest that the full-house signs may again be required for this
hugely popular PSA International 50 event which celebrates its
tenth anniversary this year.
Standard back-wall seats remain for the first round on the
Monday and Tuesday of the competition, together with side-wall
seats for most other days.
Every single ticket has been snapped up for the final, and joint
promoter Peter Nicol, the former world champion, is not
surprised by the response.
Nicol, a director of Eventis Sports Marketing, said: “All the
ingredients are there for a fantastic week of squash. The
players love playing here and the spectators know that it’s a
wonderful venue with a great atmosphere.
“Even though many of the spectators have become regulars down
the years, it’s always a special pleasure to welcome newcomers.
“They all go ‘Wow!’ when they see the glass court set up in such
a beautiful venue, and the added bonus is the view from upstairs
in the East Wintergarden gallery restaurant.
“In my mind it’s the best view of squash anywhere in the world.
Having such excellent facilities available to provide a VIP bar
and superb corporate hospitality gives Canary Wharf the edge
over most other squash venues. It is a top-quality venue and we
are fortunate that the players always provide top-quality squash
to entertain the spectators.”
 Last
year’s final produced a memorable battle between England’s great
rivals Nick Matthew and James Willstrop, with Matthew
clinching his third Canary Wharf title.
Two years earlier, the same two players had fought each other to
a physical standstill in an epic semi-final.
The second game was a marathon affair, which Willstrop won
20-18, and the match finished with him lying injured in the back
corner, suffering from cramp, after more than two hours and ten
minutes of brutal combat. Many squash observers rated it one of
the best matches in the sport’s history.
Ahead of Canary Wharf, Matthew and Willstrop are due to meet in
the final of the national Championships in Manchester, both
having reached the semi-finals of last week’s Tournament of
Champions event at Grand Central Station in New York.
The draw for this year’s event will be published soon as squash
fans scramble to claim the remaining tickets that are still
available.
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