Alan’s Blog

MTF volunteers hand out aid parcels in homeland where she received death threats By ALAN THATCHER – Squash Mad Editor Life, in many ways, has turned full circle for Maria Toorpakai, the Pakistani squash player who suffered death threats from the Taliban as a teenager. As a child, she grew up in the tribal South [...]

JK on the front line to get aid through in Pakistan By ALAN THATCHER – Squash Mad Editor Jahangir Khan, the greatest player in the history of squash, is helping to distribute aid parcels to families in Pakistan in response to problems caused by the Coronavirus pandemic. Jahangir is a  leading supporter of the Shahid [...]

As many nations order courts to close, some UK clubs carry on with hygiene advice for members Squash Mad Reporting Team: ALAN THATCHER, JAMES ROBERTS, ALEX WAN Squash clubs across the globe are taking a mixed approach in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Some are closing their doors completely, while others are staying open and [...]

Skills and sportsmanship make it a special occasion in final men’s battle before PSA Tour shuts down By ALAN THATCHER – Squash Mad Editor The quality of the squash was simply breathtaking; brilliant shot-making matched by some unbelievable retrieving. But one of the main talking points surrounding Friday’s final of the St. James’s Place Canary [...]

Wild card Richie has a hunger for success By ALAN THATCHER – Squash Mad Editor Richie Fallows, the rising squash star from Stratford, aims to serve up a real treat for his army of fans in the St. James’s Place Canary Wharf Classic on Sunday. He warmed up for the event by playing doubles – [...]

‘After a year of rehab, I needed two operations on a prolapsed disc’ INTERVIEW by ALAN THATCHER – Squash Mad Editor Joe Lee is ready to put his body on the line again in full-time professional squash after suffering a serious back injury. After two operations to cure a prolapsed disc, he is prepared to [...]

Big Interview: 11 Points with Tom Ford By ALAN THATCHER – Squash Mad Editor THIS YEAR’S Wild Card Challenge in the St. James’s Place Canary Wharf Classic features two extremely talented English players, Tom Ford and Joe Lee, who have returned to action after extended absences caused by injuries. Here, Tom reveals the physical and [...]

‘We believe safety and high performance can coexist with eye protection’  By ALAN THATCHER – Squash Mad Editor American number two Chris Hanson has done much more than simply join the current debate about eye safety in squash. The New York-based 29-year-old launched RIA Eyewear with long-time friend, Jordan Kemp, to create high-quality protective eyewear [...]

At the top level, performance takes priority over safety issues By ALAN THATCHER – Squash Mad Editor The subject of eye protection in squash hit the headlines again after England captain Daryl Selby suffered a freak eye injury in his National Championships match against Ollie Pett. With their first round match just a few minutes [...]

‘Players are having their temperature taken – over 37 degrees and you are sent home’ By ALAN THATCHER and ALEX WAN (First published on February 7. Updated on February 12) The outbreak of coronavirus in China has led to the postponement of the Macau Open and the Hong Kong Perrier Challenge. Sports events across Asia [...]

‘Squash is the greatest game in the world’ says Aussie legend Rhonda Thorne By ALAN THATCHER – Squash Mad Editor Maria Toorpakai, Nicol David, Joel Makin, Declan James, Daryl Selby, Greg Lobban, Campbell Grayson, Nick Matthew, Sarah-Jane Perry, Nick Taylor, Mike Harris, Brad Hindle, Rhonda Thorne, Ritwik Bhattacharya and Pakistani legends Jahangir Khan, Jansher Khan [...]

‘It’s a privilege to be doing what I’m doing’ says the man changing the face of squash in India By ALAN THATCHER – Squash Mad Editor Former Indian number one Ritwik Bhattacharya, a regular and talented competitor on the PSA World Tour for many years and now a successful coach and promoter, is staging one [...]

Another East Wintergarden sell-out on the cards  By ALAN THATCHER – Squash Mad Editor Squash is one of the fastest games on the planet – and squash fans need to be up to speed to grab the hottest tournament tickets in London. Tickets for the 2020 Canary Wharf Squash Classic go on general sale today [...]

11 Points With Ashraf Hanafi: ‘Our target is to be the biggest squash club in the world’ By ALAN THATCHER – Squash Mad Editor The Black Ball Sporting Club in New Cairo has enjoyed an outstanding first year of operations, staging two major professional tournaments and laying the foundations for future growth by implementing one [...]

‘Our goal is to build 100 of these centers’ Interview by ALAN THATCHER (Squash Mad Editor) The Manhattan Community Squash Center is planning to open its doors at the end of this month. With a number of New York squash clubs closing in the past decade or more, this is a much-needed addition to the [...]