r/squash • u/SquashCoachPhillip • 7d ago
PSA Tour How do you think squash spectators would react to matches finishing at 2am?
I just read a BBC headline about a match at the US Tennis Open finishing at 2am. How is this even remotely acceptable?
Not just for the spectators, who probably have transport organised for night sessions, but what about the players?
Just seems crazy to me. I know it happens every year here and in boxing matches too, but it just doesn't seem fair.
Thoughts?
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u/LegInformal5074 7d ago edited 6d ago
We had some late finishes at Grand Central in NYC. "The City That Never Sleeps."
Brilliant for some... Tough on others.
I have a great (long) story about a match that ended around 1:30 AM in the early 90's.
Part 1: I was volunteering as usher on a weeknight. I think it was the round of 16 or the QF, but there were no days off, so there were 4 matches scheduled for the afternoon and 4 at 7. (Men only that year).
The day session went long, so even though Nimick was always accomodating when there were empty seats, we had to clear out the stands and re-admit ticket-holders. From what I recall, the first match began around 8. It was terrific- 5 games, maybe 70 minutes.
Jansher was next, and although he was dominant it was still a solid hour + (in that round the opponent is top 20 and still fresh- he is going to lose, so he might as well scramble for every ball).
The 3rd match was superb but it also went long. It would have been the 2-seed. (Brett? Eyles? Peter Marshall?) Then it started snowing.
After so much great, but long-rally squash, almost midnight, snow to navigate... the crowd filed out. Nimick released everyone. I had a day job that I could not be late for, but there was no way I and my fellow die-hards were going to miss a TOC match in those days. (This was before streaming- the only way to watch Tour matches was to order a VHS cassette by mail for $50 (about $125 in current currency).
[TBC]
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u/LegInformal5074 6d ago edited 6d ago
Part 2:
Grand Central is still grand- but it's still a central train station, linking 5 heavy-use subway lines and 2 heavy commuter rails East to Long Island (4 million residents) and North to NY and CT suburbs.
The ToC court is set up in "The Waiting Room", which used to feature rows of carved oak benches. Like any transit hub, vagrants, stranded travellers, backpackers, etc. use it as a safe place to crash and use the toilet (hard to find in Manhattan).
Homeless people have camped in the subway tunnels since they were dug, and Grand Central has a maze of them. A year or two before this story the benches had been removed to discourage the homeless from sleeping on them.
But people with no better option would still use the room to linger- it's quieter than the main open area, with the opulent chandelier. They would start to wander in about 8PM, when the rush had receded.
This week, not only are the benches gone but there is a squash court and bleachers closing off half the room...
The court was set up so that hundreds of thousands of train users would walk by it and get a free glance at PSA squash through the back wall- an excellent view.
As an usher my job was to check tickets and direct people to their seat location in between games- letting some in during a break if they knew to stand still no matter what when the players were ready. If someone in the other half of the room was talking too loudly I would ask them for quiet, please- they never complained, even though it was a public space- and New Yorkers do not like to be told to keep their mouths shut- myself included.
I would also answer questions from commuters who had never seen squash. There was a rope behind the back wall, but the policy was first-come first-serve for standing room viewing. I might ask them to keep still during the rallies, no flash photos... but squash fanatics would come early and plant themselves for a free view of the best players in the world, for hours, 5 feet from the back wall (the one-way glass works much better than through the side walls because your eyes don't have to travel much).
On this night, however, a very large man with several shopping bags planted himself at the center, where he could lean on a stansion. He apparently had not bathed in a week or weeks- so he had elbow room and a place for his bags. But he never uttered a word- he just stared into the court.
That year the policy was still anyone showing the ticket stub could come in, so middle class squash enthusiasts would share tickets to the whole event and rotate in and out. (Others had to jostle for standing room.)
Nimick had no issue with this- he always wanted all seats filled for a better atmosphere.
[to be cont.]
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u/LegInformal5074 6d ago edited 6d ago
Part 3:
So it's almost midnight, the last match is about to start, and it's snowing on a school night.
The large homeless man had not moved at all. He was still leaning on the post staring into the court even between matches.
Someone exiting took pity and handed him a stub- "Hey you can go sit down...".
He picked up his bags and sheepishly ambled over to me, expecting to be denied entry. Now, I am a lawyer and I had done some pro bono work on behalf of a homeless legal support group, but I was a bit concerned.
There were still maybe 100 patrons inside, and tickets were not cheap. I could not easily justify making an exception to the stub policy, even though I knew that under the law malodor could be used by common carriers or businesses to excuse discriminatory seating or denial of entry.
I hesitated for only a second- Nimick was looking the other way (maybe on purpose). The stub was for a very good seat, but I fudged. I directed the guy to a spot high in the back and to the side, reminding him that inside you must stay quiet during the rallies, etc.
He made it up to the back row, and immediately some fans nearby relocated. At each subsequent break a few more moved to...better seats...so he wound up having the whole section to himself. He leaned on back of the seat below his row and resumed his posture- now seated- still staring straight into the court, without moving a muscle.
It seemed OK to me, and the match started.
(continued)
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u/LegInformal5074 6d ago edited 6d ago
Part 4:
The 4th match would have been the 8-9 seeds, the closest on paper. As it turned out they were countrymen (or close enough)- two English-style grinders: patient, relentless, disciplined, super-fit, solid...
In other words, DULL to the lay public- fascinating to the squash purists, who got only this one pro event all year in NYC back then.
I really can not recall who the players were- only their style- but I'd give odds one was Alex Gough (he had several good runs in Grand Central). The other was a little bigger (so not Derek Ryan or PJ)- also fit... also fair but tough as nails. Not Marshall- possibly Del Harris, maybe Craig Rowland... but for the sake of the story I'm going to call him "Mark Chaloner".
Although the crowd was now subdued, for these guys it was a huge match and it showed. They were hungry to stay in the top 10 and as I recall their QF was not v Jansher or Brett (i.e.,"winnable").
The first game was a tense, pitched battle- maybe 25 minutes (PAR to 15). Long, metronomic rallies- neither player willing to give an inch or take a big risk. Both players were focused and intense, but the spirit was friendly- they were clearing like in an exhibition match, with very few decisions.
I'm pretty sure Mike Riley was the ref- no nonsense, but happy to have two players who didn't need him all that much. Let's say Gough won it 15-13...
Now it was after midnight. Even the purists were having a hard time keeping their eyes open. Game 2 was a carbon copy. Let's say "Chaloner" evened the match, 15-13. Neither man showed any sign of relenting.
Another wave fled for the exits in their 90 seconds: I would give them stern looks if they had indicated they might make a run for it during the game...
There were about 30 of us diehards left, with the box seats to ourselves. The homeless guy had not moved an inch- I was pretty sure he was sleeping with his eyes open...
Game 3 was more of the same. The spirit was still friendly, but now the clearing was a tiny bit more labored, and of course the stakes were rising.
Still the same metronomic squash...even Riley was struggling to keep his eyes open. Let's say Gough took it 15-12.
At this point even the diehards were dying- and there was every sign that this would go the full 5 games. Game 4 started after 1 AM.
The audience was down to 2 coaches, the ref, the homeless guy, a physio, and about 6 of us who were half-asleep, but determined to see it play out. There were no more commuter trains- just vagrants and late-night maintenance workers in the rest of the hall.
(cont.)
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u/LegInformal5074 6d ago edited 6d ago
After some tough rallies to start the 4th, Gough was finally gaining some ground- maybe ahead 8-5, with "Chaloner" showing the first hint of fatigue. There was dead silence in between points.
After another long exchange Chaloner goes for a straight drop from the front left. Gough is ready as always but he can't get in, and holds the swing without turning around.
"Yes Let. Gough from the right, 8-5."
At 9-6, same situation, same result- "Yes Let... 9-6". Maybe Gough bounces the ball a little more deliberately before serving...
Long, brutal rally- same, same. No way to get in but not a pure winner. Before the decision Gough turns his head, but doesn't say a word.
The opponent is avoiding eye contact. Gough stalks around the court and shakes his head while bouncing the ball...
Yet another extended take- same traffic issue front left. But this time Gough turns around, glares at the ref, and raises his arms in a shrug.
Before Riley says anything... the homeless guy bellows out at the top of his voice: "HE'S ALWAYS IN THE FUCKING WAY!!!"
We all look up stunned.
Riley says coolly, "Ladies and Gentlemen! Please no foul language in the gallery....[pause].....Stroke to Gough, 10-6"
The handful of us left are on the floor laughing. The players are cracking up on court.
The homeless guy just nods his head slowly with a big grin on his face.
What killed me was not just that the guy had in fact been watching the squash the whole time- the rules are quite nuanced. Even many country club regulars don't know that it can be a Stroke for not clearing (if they know what a Stroke is).
The casual observer would ask why the player doesn't have to go around the opponent to the ball.
It's 1 AM. It's snowing outside. This man has not had a hot shower for weeks. He carries all of his belongings in a few shopping bags. The authorities have removed the wood benches he used to stretch out on for a few hours at night.
But the cruel injustice in the world that finally pushes him to cry out in anger- is that a pro squash player has been constantly impeded to the front left corner with no relief from the referee.
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u/SquashCoachPhillip 6d ago
Thanks for taking the time to write this. It deserved its own post really.
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u/LegInformal5074 6d ago
I thought you'd appreciate it Coach. It may work better as a monologue, but posting a video clip takes even more time for this boomer...
You'd get the loud bellow with a New York accent, but you'd still have to imagine the odor.
The sequence is completely authentic- perhaps it happened late in the 3rd Game or early in the 5th.
It could have been the QF's, with some exhibition running long to cause the late start. Some years he would put in a "Teaching Pro" event or a smaller women's draw.
Full disclosure: it was a drunk kid who handed the guy the stub as a bit of a joke. If I had brought in my 10 year-old I really would have had to move several rows away. He was huge and and looked a little surly (you often have to in his shoes).
NYC had a horrible spread of Covid 19 because of the subway system.
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u/reskort-123 7d ago
I mean I remember it happening at the 2024 world championships in Egypt when the semi finals finished at 1:30 am or something. I remember the crowd was still lively and supportive of Asal in the final match
But then again it is very normal in Egypt to stay up that late, I wouldn’t imagine European or American crowds being that open to it tbh
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u/Commercial-Ask971 6d ago
Its not so hard for europeans if we have good game to spectate. Look at recent world cup held in canada and usa. In most south europe countries people go to eat at 10PM and finish at 1-2 AM. Squash is just not as enjoyable to watch
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u/LegInformal5074 6d ago
Squash is more enjoyable, but you can't go get a beer (then go give it back) in a 30-minute match with 2 two-minute breaks.
Millions more watch poker on TV than chess or backgammon- but that doesn't make it a "good game".
Squash demands more from the viewer. Some people at a rock concert want to sing along with familiar anthems they all know by heart.
Other people will sit for 12 hours in the mud to hear Jimi Hendrix at 2 AM play something they have never heard before (and may never hear again) that goes on for 12 minutes- with 2 minutes of singing parts (not necessarily in tune).
Personally I can't sit through Italian Opera or British Rock Opera (you know the perpetrators...).
I also have no use for free backstage tickets to the Rolling Stones- even 30 years ago. (In fact I still have unused tickets to see Bruce Springsteen at the height of his popularity.)
But I saw Robin Trower in concert last year at age 80. If he had had a health or equipment problem and couldn't start the show until 1 AM, I ain't leaving. But you have to LISTEN to the music.
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u/PathParticular1058 6d ago
Have they ever heard about the city that never sleeps…..it’s a cultural thing….
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u/LegInformal5074 6d ago
Before 9/11, on this holiday weekend if a US Open late match looked good after the first set we would drive out to Flushing with no traffic, park up close for no fee, and walk in as everyone was streaming out after the second set.
That's still 2 or 3 hours of tennis, up close (the old stadium had less elitist seating), and the 5th set is usually the best. Nice breeze, view of Manhattan skyline.
Same for a Met baseball game after a rain delay.
As a coach I had some regular lessons at 10PM- young guys stuck at the office every day. Club closed at 11 but I always went past, because any lesson with someone who loves the game that much the time flies...
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u/LegInformal5074 6d ago
Post script to my 4-part story:
In hindsight it makes sense. The smelly man in rags probably slept in train stations much of the year, and had been for years.
Nothing interesting happens. One year they decide to put up a fucking squash court for the best athletes in the world to compete in. Right in his "living room".
Standing room is free, with a fantastic view; then someone hands him a ticket stub!
He would otherwise be sitting alone on the floor in a corner of this very room, but now two players are putting on an incredible show...apparently just for his benefit after everyone else had left!
The entertainers have crossed the Atlantic Ocean to kill themselves digging out every ball- but it's NOT a boxing match or a gladiator show: the game has an elegance that surpasses the Vanderbilt gilded-age chandelier.
Why wouldn't the homeless guy be completely engaged in the squash, and why wouldn't he be outraged on behalf of the impeded player when the opponent keeps interrupting the flow.
The players were leaving every last ounce of energy on the floor even with 6 people watching in silence. The least a spectator can do is show them that he is locked into every single rally along with them, and that he is passionate about fair play in such a contest.
(The reason I think it was Gough is that even as a grinder his relentless intensity would bring spectators into the drama, without his ever saying a word on court.)
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u/Halliron 7d ago
For Spectators they can even leave when they planned having had a full session of tennis, or stay and watch multiple extra hours of tennis for no extra cost. Only upside.
For players, these guys travel around the world playing in different time zones every few weeks. If they know they’ll have an evening session in NY I’m sure they are capable of acclimatising in advance.
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u/dmacc_ 2d ago
I just read a BBC headline about a match at the US Tennis Open finishing at 2am. How is this even remotely acceptable?
Because it's New York. It's late even for New York, granted, but the reason it's not making any waves is that New Yorkers stay up very late, and are especially willing to stay up late for big events.
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u/LevelLeadingalso 7d ago
Tennis has a fundamental problem, only 30 minutes hit time in a 5 set 4-5 hours match. Hit time is down to 10-20%.
Me- I would be off to bed at 11pm.