Squash pros headed for Boston
The professional Boston Open squash tournament returns later this month (14th-16th December) for a remarkable 22nd consecutive year.
For the first time since 1999 it is not linked in with the BSPA Tour (effectively the UK Grand Prix of squash), which disbanded earlier this year.
It is probably this that is behind the reduced number of entries, meaning fewer matches will take place on the Friday. However, Saturday and Sunday’s schedules are unchanged and the quality of the top seeds is as good as ever.
The women’s draw is led by world #25 Millie Tomlinson. She has won the Boston Open for the last four years, equalling the total number of wins racked up here by former world #4 Tania Bailey.
Just last month she beat world #12 and eight-time world champion Nicol David in Hong Kong - probably the biggest win of her career. In September, she won the European Individual Championship in Austria.
The second seed in the women’s draw is Haley Mendez from Brooklyn, NYC. The 25 year old returned to her career-high world ranking of #43 this month.
Haley’s boyfriend and men’s top seed Nathan Lake also has his base in Cheltenham and Brooklyn. He is the world #49. He has previously won PSA World Tour titles in the form of the Keith Grainger Memorial Open and the Jersey Squash Classic.
Sheffield’s Nick Wall is the men’s second seed. The rising star won the British Junior U19 Nationals in October, and the English Junior U19 Championship in March. The 18 year old made the quarter-finals of last year’s Boston Open.
3/4 seed Harry Falconer from Grimsby makes his fifth consecutive appearance at the Boston Open. He made the quarter-finals last year. 25 year old Nick Mulvey is the other men’s 3/4 seed. This will be his seventh appearance at the Boston Open.
2015 Boston Open men’s runner-up Robert Dadds also features in the draw.
bostonsquash.co.uk will have all the results and reports from the event, while scores will also be available as they come in @boston_squash on twitter.
