North American Open

North American Open
Details
Event name North American Open
Location United States Richmond, Virginia United States
Venue Westwood Club
Website
naosquash.com
PSA World Tour
Category World Series Gold
Prize money $115,000
Most recent champion(s) Egypt Ramy Ashour
Current North American Open 2013

The North American Open is an annual international professional squash tournament. Started in 1966, this tournament was one of the most prestigious professional events behind the British Open and the World Open.

The 2014 North American Open is looking to move to Washington D.C. and would use George Washington University as the tournament’s backdrop. The 2014 event looks to add a women’s draw to the historic event. Additionally it hopes to provide equal prize money for both men and women, becoming one of two major professional squash events to do so.

History

The North American Open is a key tournament in the history of squash in the United States and was home to many of the sport’s watershed moments.[1]

The 1967 final of the North American Open saw two brothers face off as Sam and Ralph Howe took the court. The match stretched into a five game battle with the younger brother, Ralph, coming out on top, taking the last game 15-13.[2]

American Victor Niederhoffer captured the classic 1975 final with his four-game victory over the six-time North American Open champions, Sharif Khan. Niederhoffer is the last amateur to have won the North American Open title.[3]

In 1982, Canadian squash sensation Mike Desaulniers topped Sharif Khan in the final securing the North American Open title and the No. 1 ranking on the North American hardball tour, ending Khan’s unprecedented thirteen-year reign at No.1.[4]

The quarterfinal of the 1985 North American Open is arguably one of the best squash matches ever played, as American Tom Page took on the legendary Jahangir Khan at New York City’s Town Hall. Page took an early 2-1 lead against the world’s best squash player, eventually going down in five games.[5]

After switching to a softball format in 1995, the North American Open halted in 1996, ending a thirty year run of annual play.[6] The tournament was resumed again in 2006 in San Francisco, where it was hosted for two years. The North American Open was then held in Richmond, Virginia from 2009-2013.

Past Results

Men's finals (since 2004)

Year Champion Runner-up Score in final City
2013 Egypt Ramy Ashour England Nick Matthew 11-7, 11-8, 5-11, 11-7 Richmond
2012 England James Willstrop Egypt Ramy Ashour 11-7, 11-8, 11-7 Richmond
2011 England Nick Matthew Egypt Ramy Ashour 11-9, 11-5, 8-11, 11-6 Richmond
2010 England Nick Matthew Egypt Ramy Ashour 11-9, 16-14, 5-4 retired Richmond
2009 Egypt Ramy Ashour England Nick Matthew 11-8, 13-11, 10-12, 5-11, 11-8 Richmond
2008 England James Willstrop France Gregory Gaultier 11-6, 6-11, 11-9, 8-11, 11-4 Richmond
2007 Australia Anthony Ricketts England Lee Beachill 11-8, 11-7, 12-10 Richmond
2006 Scotland John White England Adrian Grant 11-9, 11-6, 11-9 San Francisco
2005 Pakistan Shahid Zaman England Bradley Ball 11-5, 5-11, 11-4, 11-9 San Francisco
2004 South Africa Rodney Durbach Czech Republic Jan Koukal 15-8, 15-10, 15-11 San Francisco

Men's champions (before 1995)

Year Champion City
1995 Rodney Eyles Denver
1994 Marcos Mendez Detroit
1993 Gary Waite Detroit
1992 Mark Talbott Detroit
1991 Mark Talbott Detroit
1990 John Nimick Toledo
1989 Mark Talbott Toledo
1988 John Nimick Toledo
1987 Edward C.P. Edwards Toledo
1986 Mark Talbott Minneapolis
1985 Jahangir Khan New York
1984 Jahangir Khan New York
1983 Mark Talbott Cleveland
1982 Michael Desaulniers Cleveland
1981 Sharif Khan Toronto
1980 Sharif Khan Salt Lake City
1979 Sharif Khan New York
1978 Sharif Khan Toronto
1977 Sharif Khan Philadelphia
1976 Sharif Khan New York
1975 Victor Niederhoffer Mexico City
1974 Sharif Khan Toronto
1973 Sharif Khan Pittsburgh
1972 Sharif Khan Louisville
1971 Sharif Khan Toronto
1970 Sharif Khan Chicago
1969 Sharif Khan Cincinnati
1968 Mohibullah Khan Indianapolis
1967 Ralph E. Howe Montreal
1966 Mohibullah Khan Detroit

References

  1. Zug, James (2003). Squash: A History of the Game. New York: Schribner. p. 134. ISBN 0-7432-2990-8.
  2. Zug, James (2003). Squash: A History of the Game. New York: Scribner. p. 104. ISBN 0-7432-2990-8.
  3. Zug, James (2003). Squash: A History of the Game. New York: Scribner. p. 135. ISBN 0-7432-2990-8.
  4. Zug, James (2003). Squash: A History of the Game. New York: Scribner. pp. 205–206. ISBN 0-7432-2990-8.
  5. Zug, James (2003). Squash: A History of the Game. New York: Scribner. pp. 214–215. ISBN 0-7432-2990-8.
  6. Zug, James (2003). Squash: A History of the Game. New York: Scribner. pp. 275–276. ISBN 0-7432-2990-8.
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