Alan’s Blog

Interactive Squash pitch wins Global Tennis Innovation Summit   By ALAN THATCHER – Squash Mad Editor It was a real honour and a privilege being present in London today while a significant piece of sporting history was being recorded. Markos Kern, founder of Fun With Balls, the German company launching the game-changing Interactive Squash product into [...]

Five hub clubs provide ‘world-class environments for players’  By ALAN THATCHER – Squash Mad Editor England Squash have chosen five leading clubs to act as “performance hubs” to help develop the next generation of world-class players. The five clubs are West Warwickshire Sports Club, Hallamshire Tennis and Squash Club, Berkhamsted Tennis and Squash Club, Pontefract [...]

Handful of tickets left for 2019 By ALAN THATCHER – Squash Mad Editor The best-of-three games scoring format will be trialled for a second successive year at the Citigold Wealth Management Canary Wharf Squash Classic in 2019 when the PSA World Tour Gold tournament returns to the superb East Wintergarden venue from March 10-15. The [...]

Coaches rename their job as “child-minding operatives” By ALAN THATCHER – Squash Mad New Brands Editor Squash coaching took a massive leap into the future by redefining the value of care given by coaches to the children in their charge. Bribing kids to do their homework is an art perfected by parents down the centuries. [...]

Coll wins epic battle 13-11 in the fifth By SEAN REUTHE in Philadelphia – Squash Mad Correspondent New Zealand’s World No.8 Paul Coll became the first male Kiwi since the 1990s to reach the semi-finals of a major PSA Tour event after he claimed a massive 3-2 win over World No.3 Tarek Momen at the [...]

From Poznan and Graz to Colchester and Chattanooga, clubs go crazy for World Squash Day By Alan Thatcher, Squash Mad Editor World Squash Day 2018 is being launched with music and fireworks as clubs all over the globe join forces to promote the sport. The Official Single for World Squash Day “Africa” (sung by Oliver [...]

Massive boost for squash in St Petersburg By ALAN THATCHER, Squash Mad Editor Looking ahead to World Squash Day, I am very keen to see what events take place in Russia. One of the world’s great political and military superpowers, a group of enthusiasts are determined to make Russia a squash superpower as well. If [...]

Tickets go on sale next week at London’s sell-out tournament By ALAN THATCHER – Squash Mad Editor Tickets go on sale next week for the 2019 Citigold Wealth Management Canary Wharf Squash Classic, which will take place between March 10-15 next year. There will be an extra bonus for squash fans in March with an [...]

Squash-loving composer Stuart Sharp supports World Squash Day By ALAN THATCHER, Squash Mad Editor World Squash Day takes place on Saturday October 13th and this year it aims to hit all the right notes with a musical theme. The track called ‘Africa’, written by squash-loving composer Stuart Sharp, is scheduled for release on October 5 [...]

Bitter-sweet memories planning World Squash Day and a club reunion By ALAN THATCHER, Squash Mad Editor On top of organising World Squash Day, and pestering clubs and federations all over the planet to pull their fingers out to promote the sport, I have also been involved in planning a big squash reunion in November. Both [...]

Demos in Derby and Teesside against court closures as squash is saved at Gidea Park By ALAN THATCHER – Squash Mad Editor Feelings are running high at many David Lloyd clubs across the UK as the company’s cull of squash courts continues.   It is understood that more than 100 courts will disappear nationwide, despite [...]

James Willstrop and Declan James top the bill By ALAN THATCHER – Squash Mad Editor James Willstrop and Declan James top the bill in a special charity day at the St George’s Hill Club in Weybridge, Surrey, on Saturday (September 22). There are some fun coaching sessions earlier in the day with Niall Engerer, plus [...]

Canary Wharf tenants Citigold Wealth Management sponsor sell-out Classic and Corporate Challenge By ALAN THATCHER – Squash Mad Editor The Canary Wharf Classic, long established as one of the best tournaments on the world calendar, has a new title sponsor. The tournament will now be known as the Citigold Wealth Management Canary Wharf Squash Classic. [...]

Court closures put on hold for six months By ALAN THATCHER – Squash Mad Editor Squash players at the David Lloyd Club in Gidea Park, Essex, are celebrating tonight after learning that plans to close the courts have been put on hold.   Campaign leader Laura Northeast was enjoying a family meal in a restaurant when she [...]

Sumner Malik, 2006-18: An amazing young man whose brave smile lit up the world of squash By ALAN THATCHER The squash world is mourning the passing of a brave young man whose battle against an aggressive form of childhood cancer captured the world’s attention. Sumner Malik died at the Royal Marsden Hospital today with his [...]