They fell like flies. It seems like there were more injuries of one kind or another this year than matches played (and that doesn’t count injured psyches!). None were more devastating than the torn calf tendon suffered by Robin Silver Grace on the eighth point of the Mixed final against Margot Kearney & Pat Malloy, finalists the previous two years. Robin and partner Doug Lifford had upset defending champions Hope Crosier & Chris Spahr in the semis and had a shot at their first title before the curtain fell. Ironically, they had advanced to the semis when Dan Roberts & Fernanda Rocha had to default when Dan tore his hamstring, sending him to two months of rehabilitation. Margot & Pat, in their semi, defeated the Harvard Club duo of Sharon Bradey & Mat Sibble who in turn had advanced over Lori Stump & Matt Silver, beneficiaries of Hope Prockop’s default with Preston Quick when a knee injury sent her to the sidelines. In her resignation, Hope wrote, “This is the hardest squash e-mail I’ve ever had to write.” There will be no more chances with Preston as he moves to New York this summer.
Hard times were in the Womens draw as well. With Robin on her way to the hospital, she & Sharon Bradey had to default the final to Hope Crosier & Fernanda Rocha. That spared the latter team the prospect of being finalists for the third year in a row, losing in 2009 & 2010 to Sharon & Jeannie Blasberg. Jeannie is currently living in Switzerland for two years as husband John has a business assignment. In the semis, Hope & Fernanda defeated Breck Haynes & Kaitlin Sennatt in four while in the other half, Robin & Sharon won over Wendy Berry & Sue Greene. The latter team had advanced at the expense again of Hope Prockop’s torn knee meniscus, short circuiting the appearance of her partner, Harvard’s Cece Cortes.
Cece’s dad, Joe Cortes, has been a staple of the State B’s, winning three of the last four years. As so often happens, however, fame in the States can be fleeting and such was Joe’s fate this year as he and partner John Lingos-Webb were dumped in the first round by Jim Milton & Tom McCarthy. In this draw of 34, none of the top four seeds made it beyond the quarters, indicative of either a lot of equally talented teams or just plain Poor seeding. Remember that title of the 2008 States article ”A Star is Born!”? That was Carson Spahr, then 11, now 14 and the winner of the B’s with Chris Vernick in a five game beauty over University Club professional Fernanda Rocha & top 5.5 singles player Max Montgelas. Carson & Chris had edged John Brazilian & Chris Lutes in the semis after dismissing #3 seed Michael Wang & Scott Beebe in the quarters. Brazilian & Lutes had advanced in five over #2 seed Jon Hartnett & Glenn Prichett. In the upper half, the Milton-McCarthy team ran to the quarters where they were blanked by John Frantzis & Jeff Rodman who in turn were shut out by Fernanda & Max. On the injury front, Fran Donlan & Dick Whitney never got started as Fran ruptured his Achilles tendon, sidelining him for the better part of a year.
Carson was not done. Pausing only for a drink of water, he led his father Chris back on court for the Parent-Child final against Tom & Morgan Poor. Both teams were national champions a couple of weeks earlier in the Under 17 and Century divisions respectively, but the States was no contest as the Spahrs won in three easy games. The Poors were fortunate in the semis to escape the clutches of another 14-year old phenom, Timmy Brownell, and his dad Bob in five games. In their opening round, Tom & Morgan were in a tight one with Paul & Mark Rapisarda when in the first game Mark collapsed at 11-all with a ruptured Achilles tendon. He had surgery a day later and will see the sun again in June. The Brownells also advanced when Liam Quinn’s father, Tom, could not answer the bell due to a pulled hamstring.
The day, however, was not a total bummer for Tom. Earlier, he partnered with newly eligible Malcolm Davidson in the 60’s and met the reigning five year champions, Lenny Bernheimer & John Brazilian, in the finals. The great irony in this match was that Tom & Lenny have been partners in national age group tournaments for almost 20 years; John & Malcolm began a partnership this season in the 60’s nationally. What was not great, though, was Lenny’s calf muscle, originally pulled in the US Nationals in Chicago in late March and not responding well to treatment and rest in the interim. The three game triumph for Poor & Davidson was predictable. The winners had defeated Jon Sheldon & Chuck Kelly in the semis, the latter having the distinction of beating Malcolm Salter twice – once in the opening round with Marty Stocklan, then again in the next round, substituting for Fran Donlan with Dick Whitney. Malcolm had been free to play when his original partner, Hank Shaw, was forced to default with a shoulder injury.
The C draw with 41 teams was the largest of the States’ eight draws which included 158 teams, the largest number since the State Doubles began in 1950. Here the seeds were relatively good although young Carson nearly upset the apple cart with partner Amory Bennett, losing a four game quarter-final tussle to 2nd seeded Bill Keravuori & Dave Shulman. That victory seemed to provide the latter with the necessary momentum as they shut out John Keating & Cale Forgues in the semis and top seed Dean Williams & Matt Gibbs in the finals. Dean & Matt, champions in 2009, slipped by 4th seeded Katie Hendricks & Jim Milton in their semi, ending the latter’s run of previous round wins dotted with many overtime games. Other women in the draw made their mark as well, notably Bry Roskoz & Krissy Rubin who upset 3rd seeded Mark Baranski & Zach Harvey by unmercifully attacking Mark, hobbling with a leg injury. All’s fair in love and the States.
When Tom Butters and Bruce Welty never took the floor in the opening round of the 50’s due to injuries, it appeared the draw was headed for more of the same. Such was not the case, however, as last year’s finalists Malcolm Davidson & Court Chilton set their sights on winning this one. They ran into immediate trouble against Rob Dewees & enigmatic Will Bigelow, suffering as Will scurried to all corners of the court before finally weakening in the fifth. Things improved only slightly in the semis against John Nimick & Len Zide as four tight games ended in their favor. The string ran out in the finals where last year’s conquerors, Sandy Tierney & Jamie Fagan, awaited. They were rested after demolishing John Frantzis & Chris Lutes in the quarters, then destroying Joe Duffey & Jeff Rodman in the semis. Sandy & Jamie administered a similar coup de grace in the finals.
What the States giveth, it also taketh and so was the outcome of the evening’s final match, the State A’s, matching Tierney & Pat Malloy, champions in ’07 & ’08, against Chris Spahr & Doug Lifford, each winners in previous years with other partners. If Sandy was the dominant player in the 50’s, he was in trouble in the A’s as he freely admitted after losing the first game when, perspiring heavily, he uttered, “This is not good.” The next two games went the same way, making Chris and Carson the only two time winners of the day. Spahr & Lifford, seeded second, had little difficulty in their half breezing by Jon Hartnett & Wendell Chestnut, recently returned from South Africa, in the opener, Andrew Slater & Spencer Kurn in the quarters and Preston Quick & Chris Smith(taking Preston’s pro position at the Union Boat Club) in the semis. Sandy & Pat had also advanced with little pain, helped significantly by Roberts’ injury absence in the quarters and a three game cruise over in the semis.
So, the winners can crow for the summer while the losers lick their wounds and the injured heal theirs. More excitement is in store as the Union Boat Club continues planning for a new doubles court, sure to bring in a new influx of players and making Boston a suitable venue for a major tournament with four courts in the city. This development, the large number of players in the States (this year, a record 180 entrants), and the emergence of younger players bode well for the future of the doubles game in Boston.
Full draws are on the U.S. Squash web site.