Blog Posts

Results from the Santa Fe Open

5/23/2016

Michael Munson (right) defeated Randy Sjue to take first place in the 4.0 bracket.

By Jeff Pollock
What great play we had at this weekend's Santa Fe Open at El Gancho!
The 5.0 division was filled with exceptional talent, and the games were just amazing. Gary Sanchez outlasted the field to take first place. Jeb Chaudhry came in with a strong performance against Chris Fontes in a five-game match and took second.
The 4.0 division saw Michael Munson best Randy Sjue to take first place. Neither had lost a game in the regular bracket play.
Bruce Bernstein and Donovan Duran played for third and fourth place in what was the match of the day. Their five-game match came down to the wire -- Donovan missed a critical point to give Bruce the win.
In the 3.0 finals, Julia Sheppard's fitness took its toll on Ted Cousins. Each time Ted thought he had hit a winner, the ball would reappear on the front wall. Julia simply got to everything. (I think I might have been as fit as she when I was 10 years old.)
Courtney Carswell and Joe Dimarco boasted it out for third and fourth place. I have never seen more boasts in my life -- and they were all great shots. In the end, Courtney took third place, while Joe settled for fourth.
The Santa Fe New Mexican's James Barron reported on the Santa Fe Open, and you can read his story by clicking here.

Entry deadline for the Santa Fe Open is May 13

4/19/2016

The 4th Annual Santa Fe Open tournament will be held at Santa Fe's El Gancho Fitness, Swim and Racquet Club on May 20 to 22, 2016. The tournament offers tennis and squash singles play.
The entry deadline is May 13.
Drinks, snacks, and your free shirt will be provided at the tournament.
For more information, click here.

Santa Fe's Kiva Open is now accepting entries

4/18/2016

The second-annual Kiva Open will be held at the Kiva Club in Santa Fe, New Mexico, from Sept. 14 through 18, 2016.
The tournament is a combination professional singles tournament and an amateur doubles and singles tournament.
   The amateur tournament, which is sanctioned by US Squash, is open to singles and doubles players by skill level.
Amateur play will begin on Friday, Sept. 16, and conclude on Sunday, Sept. 18.
  The professional draw is open to all Professional Squash Association members, and is sanctioned by the PSA.
Professional play will begin on Wednesday, Sept. 14, and conclude on Sunday, Sept. 18.
   For more information -- or to enter the tournament -- click here.
You can read about last year's tournament by clicking here.

Kiva Classic tournament in Santa Fe

12/7/2015

More than 90 players competed over 4 days

The annual Kiva Classic tournament concluded after four days of play on Dec. 6.
     The tournament, which was played at Santa Fe's Kiva Club, attracted more than 90 players and had 17 divisions -- doubles, hardball singles and singles.
   The tournament started with doubles play on Thursday, Dec. 3, and finished up with finals matches on Sunday afternoon. To see dozens of photos, go to the "Photo Gallery" page by clicking here.
   Here's a list of the champions and finalists:

Open Doubles
Champions: Eric Eiteljorg (Denver) and Sean Gallagher (Kiva)
Finalists: Bill Feinberg (Kiva) and Drewe Williams (Kiva)

40+ Doubles
Champions: Eric Eiteljorg (Denver) and TJ Johnson (Denver)
Finalists: Charlie Groves (Denver) and Russell Welty (Denver)

50+ Doubles
Champions: Jim Nelson (Louisville, CO) and Grant Robinson (Kiva)
Finalists: Robert Bush (Greenwood Village, CO) and Alan Dille (Golden, CO)

55+ Doubles
Champions: Robert Bolling (Wilmington, DE) and Scott Simonton (Wilmington, DE)
Finalists: David Barker (Kiva) and Martin Casdagli (Kiva)

60+ Doubles
Champions: Gary Johnson (Portland, OR) and Habib Rahman (Portland, OR)
Finalists: Alan Dille (Golden, CO) and Bill Sather (Lone Tree, CO)

65+ Doubles
Champions: Clark Amos (Scottsdale, AZ) and James Gibbons (San Francisco)
Finalists: Bart McGuire (Frisco, CO) and David O’Loughlin (Pittsburgh, PA)

70+ Doubles
Champions: Bart McGuire (Frisco, CO) and David O’Loughlin (Pittsburgh, PA)
Finalists: Robert Dubeau (Montreal) and Richard Rice (Rochester, NY)

75+ Doubles
Champions: Don Mills (Terrace Park, OH) and Graham Sharman (Kiva)
Finalists: Trevor Bishop (Westmount, QC) and Peter Holland (Westmount, QC)

80+ Doubles
Champions: Trevor Bishop (Westmount, QC) and Peter Holland (Westmount, QC)
Finalists: Bill Jones (Kiva) and Dave Matthews (Kiva)

40+ Softball Singles
Champion: Charlie Amm (Estes Park, CO)
Finalist: TJ Johnson (Denver)

50+ Softball Singles
Champion: Charlie Amm (Estes Park, CO)
Finalist: Tom Abrams (Kiva)

60+ Softball Singles
Champion: Walter Burke (Kiva)
Finalist: David Foley (Phoenix)

70+ Softball Singles
Champion: Bart McGuire (Frisco, CO)
Finalist: Jug Walia (Oklahoma City, OK)

40+ Hardball Singles
Champion: Sean Gallagher (Kiva)
Finalist: Tefft Smith (Washington, DC)

50+ Hardball Singles
Champion: Grant Robinson (Kiva)
Finalist: Russell Welty (Denver)

60+ Hardball Singles
Champion: Tefft Smith (Washington, DC)
Finalist: Walter Burke (Kiva)

70+ Hardball Singles
Champion: Terry Eagle (Carpinteria, CA)
Finalist: J. Warren Young (Dallas)

Kiva Club Open had a lot of winners!

9/21/2015

The first-ever Kiva Club Open concluded Sunday, and produced many winners.
    Chris Hanson, who is ranked No. 85 in the world, won the professional draw. He beat 17-year-old Jesus Camacho, 3 games to 1, in an hour-long match Sunday afternoon. (Click here for more details.)
     Hanson is a 24-year-old left-hander who lives in Greenwich, CT. Camacho, who is world No. 202, is from Mexico.
     The Kiva Club Open also had an amateur draw for doubles and singles. The draws were organized by skill level rather than by age (December's Kiva Classic tournament uses age
levels).
    Here are the winners in the different categories.

'A' DOUBLES
1. Grant Robinson and Todd Lopez (Kiva Club)
2. Sean Gallagher and Walter Burke (Kiva Club)

'B' DOUBLES
1. Brian Boyd and Josh Brown (Kiva Club)
2. Alex Kalangis and Bill Wanker (Kiva Club)

'C' DOUBLES
1. Bill Wanker and David Oberstein (Kiva Club)
2. Dave Matthews and Courtney Carswell (Kiva Club)

'A' SINGLES
1. Chris Fontes (Los Alamos)
2. Jesse Giron (Tempe)
3. through 6. did not play

'B' SINGLES
1. Jehanzeb Chaudhry (Albuquerque)
2. Spencer Kirby (Kiva Club)
3. Jon Bender (Dallas)
4. Tim Brown (Denver)
5. Dave Foley (Phoenix)

'C' SINGLES
1. Ben Gillock (Montezuma, NM)
2. Milan Sykora (Los Alamos)
3. Courtney Carswell (Kiva Club)
4. Zack Smith (Kiva Club)
5. Julia Sheppard (Los Alamos)
6. Paul Kaufman (Kiva Club)

REVIEWS FROM
THE PROS

“Can’t thank you enough for a great week in Santa Fe…. An awesome group and a pleasure to hang out with.”
-- Chris Hanson,
USA, World #85

“I had a blast and I know the other boys did too.”
-- Freddie Reid,
Canada, World #414

“It was an awesome tournament!”
-- Italo Bonatti,
Guatemala, World #267

“One of the best tournaments on tour, seriously.”
-- Mauricio Sedano,
Guatemala, World #245

Chris Hanson wins the first-ever Kiva Club Open

9/20/2015

Chris Hanson (left) beat Jesus Camacho to win the first-ever Kiva Club Open.

Camacho (left) is a 17-year-old from Mexico.

Hanson, 24, is from Greenwich, CT. He is ranked world No. 85.

The match had an appreciative standing-room-only crowd at the Kiva Club.

Camacho (left) frustrated Hanson in the second game by retrieving shot after shot.

Hanson (left) and Camacho (right).

In the final game, Camacho slipped and sat on the court with a leg cramp. He scored just one point after that.

The victory was Hanson's first-ever PSA tournament win.

Camacho was applauded by the crowd as he left the court.

Hanson leaving the court after his victory.

No. 1 seed Chris Hanson won his first PSA tournament on Sunday, beating the unseeded Jesus Camacho at the Kiva Club Open in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Hanson, who is 24-years-old, beat the 17-year-old Camacho in four games, 11-9, 4-11, 11-7, 11-4.
Hanson is world No. 85. Camacho is No. 202.
Throughout the match, both players tended to hit to his opponent's backhand. Because Hanson is a lefty and Camacho is a righty, this meant a lot of cross-courts.
Hanson jumped to 6-1 lead in the first game, but Camacho battled back to trail by two at 4-6. Hanson reasserted himself to go ahead 8-4, but Camacho battled back again and again to trail by two at 6-8 and 7-9 -- and then tied it up at 9-9.
Camacho tinned an overhead backhand to make it 9-10, then Hanson hit a drop that Camacho couldn't reach. Game to Hanson, 11-9. It took 18 minutes.
The second game was all Camacho. He jumped to a 9-2 lead, frustrating Hanson by retrieving every shot. Hanson won two more points with drops that Camacho couldn't reach, but Camacho returned the favor at game point to win it 11-4. It was a 10-minute game.
Both players changed to clean shirts for the third game, and both players started even, trading points to make it 4-4. Then Camacho tinned four shots in a row to trail 4-8 before hitting a tight, low rail that Hanson couldn't reach.
But Hanson kept the pressure on, and got to game point at 10-6. He took the game, 11-7, in 14 minutes.
Camacho changed his shirt for the fourth game.
With Hanson leading 4-3, Camacho slipped, missed a return and sat on the court with a leg cramp. Within a few minutes he was back up, racing about the court, but Hanson rushed ahead with five straight points to make it 9-3.
Hanson took the game, 11-4, and the match, three games to one.
The match lasted exactly an hour.
Hanson had only been tested in the tournament in his semi-final match against qualifier Ahmad Alzabidi, which went to five games. Hanson's other matches were quick, three-game affairs against unseeded players.
Camacho's route to the finals went through three seeded players -- No.2 Fred Reid, No 8. Auguste Dussourd and No. 4 Faraz Khan.
Hanson was born in New York, graduated from Dartmouth and now lives in Greenwich, CT.
Camacho was born in Mexico City and now lives in Cuautitlan Izcali, Mexico.
The Kiva Club Open was the first PSA tournament in New Mexico in about 15 years. The tournament had $5,000 in prize money. The winner received $902.50, the runner up $617.50 and the rest was divided up among the other players.

Kiva Club squash pro Drewe Williams damp-mopped the court before the final match to make sure the floor wasn't slippery.

Chris Hanson and Jesus Camacho are the Kiva Open finalists

9/19/2015

Chris Hanson (left) with Ahmad Alzabidi

Chris Hanson (left) hitting a forehand against Ahmad Alzabidi.

Ahmad Alzabidi (left) stretched Chris Hanson more than any other player in the tournament so far.

Ahmad Alzabidi (left) argued a let/no let call as Chris Hanson watched.

A standing-room-only crowd watched the two semi-final matches at the Kiva Club.

Jesus Camacho (left) with Faraz Kahn

Jesus Camacho (left) was inconsistent in the first game, but quickly settled down and made fewer errors.

Faraz Khan (left) and Jesus Camacho often traded drop shots to the front corners.

Both players were lightening-quick on the court, racing from corner to corner to return shots.

Faraz Khan (standing at the court door) argued a point with the referee. Jesus Camacho, who changed his shirt several times during the match, is to his left.

No.1 seed Chris Hanson will face unseeded Jesus Camacho in the finals of the Kiva Club Open in Santa Fe on Sunday. Hanson is a 24-year-old left-hander who is ranked No. 85 in the world. Camacho is a 17-year-old right-hander who is ranked No. 202 in the world.
Hanson was severely tested by unseeded Ahmad Alzabidi Saturday in his semi-final match, but he squeaked out a five-game win.
Hanson had been cool and surgical on the court during this Kiva Club Open, but Alzabidi quickly ruffled him by asking the referee for lets. Before the match's first point, there were two lets. And the first point was a stroke.
Between the complaining, there were many long rallies and wonderfully athletic points from both players.
Alzabidi, a lefty who is world No. 304, varied his speed, mixing soft shots with smashes, but Hanson was the more consistent and patient.
Alzabidi eventually worked his way to a 9-7 lead, but Hanson battled back, got a "no-let" call to make it 9-9, and won the next two points and the game, 11-9.
The second game picked up where the first left off, as both players argued their cases.
With the game tied 5-5, Alzabidi hit a winning shot, then turned to the referee and yelled, "No let! No way!"
"I didn't even ask for one," Hanson yelled back.
Alzabidi took the next two points, and never lost the lead, winning the game, 11-7.
In the third game, both players slowed the pace, using more lobs and off-speed shots. And they even agreed on a let call.
Alzabidi took the first three points, and Hanson the next three.
The game tied at 3-3, 4-4, 5-5 and 7-7. Then Hanson got a stroke call and Alzabidi hit the tin with a smash to give Hanson a 9-7 lead.
Alzabidi then played patiently, hitting rails until he had a chance for a winner. He won the next three points to get to game point, and Hanson tinned a possible winner to give Alzabidi the game, 11-9.
Hanson changed his shirt before the start of the fourth game and jumped to 4-1 lead. Alzabidi interrupted Hanson's serving rhythm by adjusting his shoes and circling the court. He won two points before Hanson hit a perfect forehand drop to make it 5-3.
Hanson stretched the lead to 10-4 with the help of three unforced errors by Alazibidi. Alzabidi tinned at game point to give Hanson the game, 11-4, and tie the match at two games apiece.
Alzabidi tried to speed the pace at the beginning of the fifth, but Hanson blunted the tactic with his quickness.
Both players renewed their "let/no let" arguments.
After the game was tied at 5-5, the arguments became more heated, but Hanson edged ahead, finally taking the game, 11-7, to win the match.
Alazbidi's out-sized personality matches his physique: He is 6-feet, 2-inches tall and weighs 203 pounds. He lives in Washington DC and plays for Jordan
Hanson, 24, lives in Greenwich, CT. He is 5-feet, 11-inches tall and weighs 165 pounds.
Alzabidi played more matches and games to reach the semis than any of the other semifinalists.
No. 6 seed Diego Gobbi took him to five games and qualifier Juan Gomez Dominguez took him to four games, both in the main draw.
Alzabidi also had to get past Kiva Club pro Drewe Williams in the qualifying round. That took three games.
So Alzabidi played 12 games before meeting Hanson.
By contrast, Hanson played just six games before meeting Alzabidi. Hanson beat each of his two main-draw opponents in straight games, giving up a total of only 18 points.
Alazabidi won more games and points against Hanson than Hanson's first two opponents combined.

In the day's other semi-final, unseeded 17-year-old Jesus Camacho upset 22-year-old No. 4 seed Faraz Khan in a thrilling four-game match.
The first game lasted 15 minutes, with many long rallies as both players tested the other with a mix of shots. The drop shot was much in evidence with both players following a drop with a drop, often leading to three or four drops in a row.
The difference in the game was unforced errors: Camacho made several more than Khan, and he lost the game, 11-8.
In the second game, Camacho's play became more consistent and he took a commanding 8-1 lead. He hunted down and returned every Khan shot and made no errors.
He won the second game, 11-3, in 10 minutes.
Camacho changed his shirt to start the third game, but didn't change his intensity. He took a 3-0 lead, frustrating Khan by retrieving absolutely every shot. Khan fought back, getting even at 4-4.
Camacho then ran off seven straight points with flawless play to take the game, 11-4, in 12 minutes.
Camcho changed his shirt again for the fourth game, setting a record for shirt changes in a single Kiva Club Open match.
The fourth game started with both players hitting to all four corners, making their opponent run. Neither player could pull ahead. The game tied at 3-3, 5-5, 6-6, 8-8, 9-9 and 10-10. At 10-10, there were five let calls in a row.
Camacho finally hit a winning drop to get it to match point, 11-10.
This was followed by another let, then Camacho hit a winning backhand crosscourt to perfect length, winning the game, 12-10, and the match, three games to one.
The match lasted an hour and eight minutes.
Camacho and Khan, both right handers, share similar physiques. Each is under 6-feet tall and weighs less than 140 pounds. Both are lightning quick on the court.
Khan, who is world No. 170, was born in Trenton, NJ, and now lives in Old Greenwich, CT.
Camacho was born in Mexico City and now lives in Cuautitlan Izcali.

Kiva Open: Hanson, Khan, Camacho and Alzabidi make semi-finals

9/18/2015

Chris Hanson (left) with Italo Bonatti

Hanson (left) dominated the T vs. Bonatti

Hanson needed just 27 minutes to sweep Bonatti.

Ahmad Alzabidi with Juan Gomez Dominguez

Alzabidi (left) hitting a forehand against Gomez Dominguez.

Gomez Dominguez (left) vs. Alzabidi.

Faraz Khan (left) with Anthony Graham

Graham (left) hitting a backhand

Khan (left) defends the backhand corner.

After taking a spill in the third game, Graham (left) won just one more point.

Jesus Camacho (left) with Andre Dussourd. Camacho is 17 years old; Dussourd is 19.

The first and second games featured some bumping and grinding. That's Dussourd in the red top.

Camacho (left) taking the ball out of the back corner.

No. 1 seed Chris Hanson and No. 4 seed Faraz Khan have made it into the Kiva Club Open semi-finals. They will be joined by unseeded Jesus Camacho and qualifier Ahmad Alzabidi.
The semi-final matches start at 6 p.m. Saturday (Sept. 19).

Hanson needed just 27 minutes to sweep past unseeded Italo Bonatti in his quarterfinal match on Friday.
Hanson, who is ranked No. 85 in the world, won 11-3, 11-4, 11-4.
He dominated the T, hitting tight rails deep and cutting off loose balls. He was patient and made very few errors, allowing Bonatti to make the mistakes under unrelenting pressure.
Hanson, a 5-foot, 11-inch left-hander, lives in Greenwich, CT. He is coached by Australian Rod Martin, a former world No. 3. The 24-year-old Hanson also cruised through his first-round match, beating unseeded Englishman Mark Broekman, 11-3, 11-2, 11-2.
Bonatti, a Guatemalan who is ranked world No. 267, made the main draw as a randomly chosen "lucky loser" after No. 5 seed Nicolas Cabellero withdrew from the tournament. The 28-year-old Bonatti lost to 19-year-old Mexican Juan Gomez Dominguez in the qualifying round. Bonatti's coach is Sadar Ali Khan.

In a battle of two unseeded players, Ahmad Alzabidi edged Juan Gomez Dominguez in a 51-minute, four-game quarter-final match.
The players traded the first two games, with Gomez Dominguez taking the first, 11-6, and Alzabidi the second, 11-5.
Gomez Dominguez dominated the first, making few errors and out-hustling Alzabidi. Alzabidi returned the favor is the second game, changing the pace, mixing fast and slow serves and hitting good drives to length.
The third game turned into a on-court debate about lets and strokes, with both players working the referee and playing to the crowd. The debate was interrupted by complaints about the court floor being slippery, and play was delayed for a damp-mopping.
When play resumed, Alzabidi kept altering his pace, floating lobs to the back of the court along with smashing his rails and crosses.
Alzabidi eventually took the game, 11-8. It wasn't pretty or fluid squash.
The final game was similar, with Alzabidi mixing the pace of his shots and both players appealing lets. Alzabidi won, 11-7.
The 26-year-old Alzabidi is 6-feet, 2-inches tall and weighs 203 pounds.
The 19-year-old Gomez Dominguez is 5-feet, 11-inches tall and weighs 141 pounds.
Gomez Dominguez gave up 3 inches in height and more than 60 pounds in weight -- and also was lighter in his complaints to the referee.
Alzabidi will play No. 1 seed Chris Hanson in one of tomorrow's semi-finals.
The Jordanian Alzabidi was seeded No. 3 in the qualifying draw. He is the current world No. 304, but was ranked 149 in December 2011.
Gomez Dominguez was the No. 5 seed in the qualifying draw. He is the current world No. 361. He is from Vera Cruz, Mexico.

No. 4 seed Faraz Khan dispatched No. 7 seed Anthony Graham in three hard-fought games.
Khan took the first game, 11-5. That game was filled with long rallies, with both players mixing speeds and lengths. The game lasted 13 minutes.
Khan jumped out to a 6-1 lead in the second game. His ability to out-last Graham in rallies began to show -- and to frustrate Graham.
Graham slowed play between points, and drew within three points at 9-6 before making two errors to lose the game, 11-6. That put him behind two games to none. The second game lasted 9 minutes.
The third game was delayed a few minutes when Graham slipped and fell. He had been leading 5-4, but lost a point with his slip to tie the game. As he rested on the court, he joked about a let and then asked that the damp spot he created on the court be mopped. He won just one more point, and Khan took the final game, 11-6, in 11 minutes.
Khan, a 22-year-old from Old Greenwich, CT, is world No. 170.
Graham, a 25-year-old from Woodchester in the United Kingdom, is world No. 195. He was world No. 98 in August 2012.

In match of young talent and wiry frames, unseeded 17-year-old Jesus Camacho defeated No. 8 seed Andre Dussourd. Dussourd is 19 years old.
Camacho won the 1-hour, 11-minute match three games to one.
Dussourd took the first game, 11-6. He jumped to a 5-0 lead. Camacho seemed nervous, and missed several early shots. He settled down after winning two points, but never got closer than three points, eventually losing 11-6 after 15 minutes of play.
There was some arguing with -- or at least making faces at -- the referee over lets and strokes during the first game, and that accelerated and became more verbal in the second.
The second game was tied at 3-3, 4-4 and 5-5. After the three ties, the players seemed to find their rhythms and began playing through bumps and touches rather than debating.
Camacho switched to a higher gear, running the court and returning everything. He didn't lose another point, and took the 13-minute game, 11-5. That tied the match at one game a piece.
In the third game, Camacho jumped to a 3-0 lead, then made two unforced errors to make it 3-2. He then ran off four straight points to make it 7-2. Doussard finally got within two at 10-8.
On a ferocious 10-8 game point, Dossuord ran into Camacho trying to reach a drop shot. He hit the back of Camacho's leg with his knee. Play stopped for a few minutes as Camacho's leg was iced.
Camacho showed no ill effects, winning the next point on a long rally along with the game, 11-8. It was a 29-minute game.
As the fourth game started, both players clearly were tiring. With Dossourd leading 4-3, he took a spill chasing a drive to his forehand corner. Play was suspended for about three minutes, giving both players a rest. The players then tied at 6-6, but then Camacho won three in a row with crisp play before Dussourd won a point, making it 9-7.
The players traded points to make it 10-8, then Camacho hit a winner to take the game, 11-8 -- and the match, three games to one.
The Frenchman Dussourd, who stands 5-feet, 11-inches tall and weighs 132 pounds, is world No. 248.
The Mexican Camacho, who is 5-feet, 8-inches tall and also weighs 132 pounds, is world No. 202.
Camacho will play Faraz Khan in one of Saturday's semi-finals.

Here's the news from the Kiva Open's main-draw first round

9/17/2015

Chris Hanson (left) easily beat Mark Broekman

Italo Bonatti (left) took more than an hour to beat Jon Geekie.

Ahmad Alzabidi (left) beat Diego Gobbi in a hard-fought match.

Juan Gomez Dominguez (right) upset Babatunde Ajagbe.

Faraz Khan (right) dispatched Maurico Sedano in three games.

Anthony Graham (right) defeated Dylan Cunningham in a match that ended without a handshake between players.

Auguste Dussourd (left) beat Sam Gould in three easy games.

Jesus Camacho (left) took care of Fred Reid in three games.

Kiva Club Open matches attracted an appreciative crowd.

The Kiva Club Open is now into its main draw. The round of 16 was Thursday, and the level of play was remarkable. Here's a report on the eight matches:
Noon: Top seed Chris Hanson easily defeated unseeded Mark Broekman, 11-3, 11-2, 11-2.
The left-handed Hanson, who is currently No. 85 in the world, controlled the middle and forced Broekman into many early errors. Hanson lives in Greenwich, Connecticut. Broekman, who is ranked No. 215 in the world and stands 6-feet, 5-inches tall, is from Cheltenham in the United Kingdom.
1 p.m.: Italo Bonatti took more than an hour to beat Jon Geekie. Bonatti won the first two games, 11-7 and 11-8.
Bonatti, from Guatemala City, Guatemala, mixed his shots well and caught the left-handed Geekie off-guard several times in the first game. In the second game, Bonatti started hitting deeper, and when Geekie attempted drops, Bonatti turned them into winners.
In the third game, Bonatti took a 7-3 lead, but, facing elimination, Geekie won the next 8 points and took the game 11-7.
Geekie, who lives in Lee on Solent in the United Kingdom and plays for Scotland, won the next two games, 11-7 and 11-8. Geekie increased his power and improved his shot mix. Bonatti seemed to lose concentration and gave up three strokes in the fourth game.
By this time, both players were arguing lets and strokes with the referee.
The final game was tense. Geekie made several unforced errors and Gould himself down 4-9. He then rallied to 8-10 before getting beat on a deep cross off a drop shot.
Geekie was unseeded in the main draw, while Bonatti was seeded No.2 in the qualifying draw. He lost to Mexican Juan Gomez Dominguez, but drew a slot in the main draw as a "lucky loser" when No. 5 seed Nicholas Cabellero withdrew from the tournament.
2 p.m.: Unseeded Ahmad Alzabidi won a hard-fought victory over No. 6 seed Diego Gobbi. Alzabidi, who is ranked No. 304 in the world, won the first two games, 11-8 and 11-8, but the 203-pound left-hander seemed to tire toward the end of the second game.
Gobbi, who is ranked No. 197 in the world, took next two games, 11-8 and 11-8. Alzabidi slowed the game down by making Gobbi delay his serve, but the 159-pound Gobbi remained fleet of foot and won points by tracking down and returning every shot.
Alzabidi, who is from Amman, Jordan, and was ranked world No. 149 in December 2011, won the last game, 11-6.
The game was tied 4-4 when Alazbidi won three straight points, including a stroke on a Gobbi drop to give him a 7-4 lead. "Yes!" Alzabidi yelled, pumping his fist at the stroke call.
Gobbi, who is from San Paulo, Brasil, managed just two more points as Alzabidi steamed to the finish line.
3 p.m.: Unseeded Juan Gomez Dominguez upset No. 3 seed Babatunde Ajagbe. Gomez Dominguez, 19, won the first two games, 13-11 and 11-6, and seemed to have the match in hand. Ajagbe, a 28-year-old Nigerian, seemed exhausted, frequently bending over to gulp oxygen. (Santa Fe is 7,000 feet above sea level.)
But Ajagbe made it a match, winning the third game 11-1.
Gomez Dominguez, who is from Vera Cruz, Mexico, closed out by winning the fourth game, 11-8.
Gomez Dominguez is ranked No. 361 in the world. Ajagbe is ranked No. 165.
4 p.m.: No. 4 seed Faraz Khan easily dispatched unseeded Maurico Sedano. Khan won in three straight games.
The 22-year-old took the first game 11-6. Both he and the 24-year-old Sedano were hitting hard and deep.
The second game opened with a brutal first rally that ended when Khan nailed Sedano with an attempted cross-court. The two players exchanged words, and that added an edge to the rest of the match.
Khan, who is from Old Greenwich, Connecticut, than ran up a 5-1 lead. Sedano, who is from Guatemala City, Guatemala, doggedly retrieved shots, but Kahn extended his lead to 10-3 before Sedano tinned to give Khan the game.
In the final game, Khan was his most creative, moving the ball around the court and taking advantage of his chances up front. Khan won the game 11-4 and took the match.
Khan is ranked No. 170 in the world and Sedano is ranked No. 245.
5 p.m.: No. 7 seed Anthony Graham defeated unseeded Dylan Cunningham in a brutally physical match that ended without the players shaking hands.
The 25-year-old Graham won the match three games to one. He beat the 21-year-old Cunningham 11-8 in the first game.
Cunningham, who lives in Cleveland, OH, took the second game, 11-9.
Graham, who is from Woodchester in the United Kingdom, won the final two games, 11-7 and 11-9.
The games were filled with jostling and complaints about jostling, and the younger Cunningham was the most aggrieved. When the match ended, he declined to shake hands with Graham.
Graham is currently ranked No. 195 in the world, and was ranked No. 98 in August 2012.
Cunningham is ranked world No. 326.
6 p.m.: No. 8 seed Auguste Dussourd easily defeated unseeded Sam Gould. Dussourd, a 19-year-old Frenchman, won the match in three quick games, 11-4, 11-4, 11-6.
Dussourd is world No. 248. Gould, a 26-year-old from Cambridge, MA, is world No. 310.
7 p.m: Unseeded teenage phenom Jesus Camacho swept past No. 2 seed Fred Reid. Camacho, a 17-year-old from Cuautitlan Izcali, Mexico, beat Reid with finesse, speed and the ability to retrieve every shot hit at him. The game scores were 11-4, 11-5 and 11-9.
Reid, a 25-year-old Canadian, made many unforced errors, which contributed to the lopsided game scores.
Reid is world No. 414, and was ranked 107 in September 2013. Camacho is world No. 202.

Qualifying round complete at Kiva Club Open

9/16/2015

Sam Gould (left) upset Heraclio Salaiz Estrada, 11-8, 11-7, 11-3.

Sam Gould (left) and Heraclio Salaiz Estrada after the match.

Ahmad Alzabidi (left) defeated Drewe Williams, 11-1, 11-6, 11-6.

Drewe Williams (left) and Ahmad Alzabidi

Dylan Cunningham (right) handled Tom Abrams, 11-5, 11-3, 11-3.

Dylan Cunningham (left) and Tom Abrams

Juan Gomez Dominguez (right) defeated Italo Bonatti, 11-6, 11-5, 11-7.

The match was tense, with both players complaining about lets.

The final four qualifying matches of the Kiva Club Open were played Wednesday (Sept. 16) in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
In the first match, Sam Gould upset Heraclio Salaiz Estrada in three games, 11-8, 11-7, 11-3.
The 26-year-old Gould is ranked No. 310 in the world. He controlled the match with accurate rails, especially on the backhand side. He dominated the third game, winning the last four points and running off a string of five in a row before that.
Gould lives in Cambridge, MA, and was the No. 6 seed in the qualifying draw.
Salaiz Estrada, 29, is based in Phoenix, AZ, but plays for Mexico (he was born in Chihuahua, Mexico). He is currently ranked 257 in the world, and was the No. 1 seed in the qualifying draw.
In the second match, Ahmad Alzabidi, a big left-hander who lives in Washington, DC, and plays for Jordan, took apart Drewe Williams, the Kiva Club pro and hometown favorite, in three straight games, 11-1, 11-6, 11-6. Alzabidi is 6-feet, 2-inches tall and weighs 203 pounds, but he danced around the court like a bantam-weight boxer.
Alzabidi mixed brutal fast-paced drives with delicate drops to control play, making the 37-year-old Williams work to stay in every point.
Alzabidi, 26, is currently ranked 304 in the world. His highest ranking was 149 in December 2011. He was the No. 3 seed in the qualifying draw.
In the third match, Dylan Cunningham, a lanky 21-year-old from Cleveland, Ohio, ran 53-year-old Tom Abrams all over the court, winning in three easy games, 11-5, 11-3, 11-3.
Cunningham, who is ranked 326 in the world and was the No. 4 seed in the qualifying draw, dominated the T, using his 6-foot, 4-inch frame to cut off shots and pressure Abrams.
As he left the court after the first game, Abrams, who is a Santa Fe realtor, said, "I'm breathing, sort of." (Such are the effects of Santa Fe's thin air -- the city is 7,000 feet above sea level -- especially when you are a 53-year-old playing a 21-year-old.)
The afternoon's final game was the most competitive and intense.
Juan Gomez Dominguez, a 19-year-old from Vera Cruz, Mexico, defeated 28-year-old Italo Bonatti from Guatemala City, Guatemala, 11-6, 11-5, 11-7. Both players worked the referee, complaining about lets, and Gomez Dominguez complained that Bonatti was slowing down play between serves.
Gomez Dominguez is the current world No. 361 and was the No. 5 seed in the qualifying draw. Bonatti is ranked 267 and was the No. 2 seed in the qualifying draw.
The tournament continues Thursday with the opening round of the main draw. The final will be played Sunday.
The Kiva Club Open is a first-time tournament, and has $5,000 in prize money. The tournament is being played at a private squash club in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The club has about 120 members. Santa Fe’s elevation is 7,000 feet, so players are using a high-altitude ball.

Juan Gomez Dominguez (left) and Italo Bonatti after the match.

Two locals make it into the Kiva Club Open's second qualifying round

9/15/2015

Sam Gould (right) handled Sean Gallagher, 11-4, 11-3, 11-4.

Drewe Williams (right) beat Bryan Bonilla in a four-game match, 11-5, 11-6, 5-11, 13-11.

Tom Abrams (left) defeated Walter Burke in straight games, 11-8, 11-9, 11-9.

Drewe Williams (second from the left in the white T-shirt) refereed the Abrams-Burke qualifying match at the Kiva Club.

The Kiva Club Open featured three qualifying matches Tuesday afternoon (Sept. 15).
The Kiva Club Open is a Professional Squash Association (PSA) tournament with $5,000 in prize money. The tournament also includes amateur doubles and singles; those matches start Friday.
In the Tuesday's first match, Sam Gould easily handled Sean Gallagher, winning in straight games, 11-4, 11-3, 11-4.
Gould, a 26-year-old from Cambridge, MA, is currently ranked 310 in the world and is the qualifying draw's No. 6 seed.
Gallagher, 49, is a wealth manager in Santa Fe, NM. He was unseeded and is unranked.
In the second match, Kiva Club squash pro Drewe Williams defeated No. 7 seed Bryan Bonilla in four games, 11-5, 11-6, 5-11, 13-11. The 45-minute match had many long rallies, and the final game ended with several dramatic lead changes.
Williams jumped to a 6-1 lead in that fourth game, but Bonilla came back to move ahead 7-6. After several ties and more lead changes, Bonilla found himself with a 10-8 lead and a game point that would have tied the match at two games apiece.
But Williams hit a winning cross-court drop to make it 10-9, then Bonilla missed a drop to tie it up at 10-10. Williams and Bonilla traded points to make it 11-11, then Bonilla missed a drop shot to make it 12-11 and caught the tin at match point, giving Williams the win.
Bonilla, 23, is currently ranked 339 in the world. He lives in Guatemala City.
Williams, 37, is originally from Chester in England. He now lives in Santa Fe with his wife and two young sons.
In the day's final qualifying match, Tom Abrams defeated Walter Burke in straight games, 11-8, 11-9, 11-9.
Abrams, 53, is a Santa Fe realtor. Burke, 62, runs a catering business and is the Kiva Club Open tournament chairman.
The tournament continues Wednesday with the four final qualifying matches starting at 1 p.m.. The main draw of 16 players starts Thursday at noon with the final on Sunday.
The Kiva Club Open is a first-time PSA tournament. It is being played at a private squash club in Santa Fe.
Santa Fe's elevation is 7,000 feet, so players are using a high-altitude ball.

Announcing the Kiva Club Open -- a pro and amateur tournament

6/30/2015

Santa Fe’s Kiva Club will be hosting its first Kiva Club Open this September. The Open will be New Mexico’s first sanctioned professional squash tournament in nearly 20 years.
“We’ll have about two dozen Professional Squash Association singles players,” said tournament chairman Walter Burke. “We expect some players to be in the Top 100 worldwide.”
In addition to the professional draw, there’ll also be an amateur tournament, with softball singles, hardball singles and hardball doubles.
“Amateurs will not only get to play some competitive matches of their own, but they’ll also get to watch some excellent professional singles play,” said Burke. “It will be quite a week for squash in New Mexico.”
"Each evening, there'll be a casual dinner with the pros," said Burke. "Non-players will be asked to contribute $15 for dinner if they decide to eat."
The pro tournament will run from Tuesday, Sept. 15, through Sunday, Sept. 20. Amateur play will start Friday, Sept. 18, and run through Sunday, Sept. 20.
The Kiva Club Open will be the first sanctioned professional squash tournament played in New Mexico in nearly two decades. The tournament's title sponsor is the New Mexico Squash Racquets Association.
The professional draw is open to all Professional Squash Association members, and is sanctioned by the PSA. The professional tournament has $5,000 in prize money.
The amateur draw is open to singles and doubles players by skill level as follows:
Singles: 5.5, 4.5, 3.5 and 2.5.
Doubles: A, B, C and D.
“Male and female amateurs are welcome to enter,” said Burke, “but there are no separate draws for men and women. The tournament is gender-neutral; all play in the same skill-level draws.”
The amateur tournament costs $75 to enter at the basic level (i.e., playing in one category, singles OR doubles). To play in a second category (i.e., both singles AND doubles), there's an additional $35 entry fee.
Sponsors at the Red ($250) or Green ($500) Chile levels will be given priority in any draw they enter. Court time is limited, so other entries are on a first-come, first-served basis.
All amateurs will be guaranteed at least two matches.
Entry fees will be collected when players arrive at the Kiva Club. Please bring a check or cash.
To register for the tournament, go to the New Mexico Squash Racquets Association website (www.nmsquash.com) and click on the “Tournaments” page. Or click here.
The Kiva Club is a private club located at 345-1/2 East Alameda in Santa Fe.
Tournament chairman Walter Burke can be reached at 505-920-0645 or [email protected].

Results from the Santa Fe Open

5/18/2015

By Jeff Pollock
El Gancho squash pro

What a great two days of squash we had at the Santa Fe Open tournament at El Gancho! And we didn't have to worry about the weather, like the tennis group.
Everyone had a great time visiting and eating and playing lots of squash. Just ask the 3.0 guys and gal.
We had a good group of newbies this year and they played really well. Congrats to Max and Julia, who played great during the two days.
The winners and diehard players in the 3.0 division had to play four matches on Saturday, and it came down to the last match.
With Ted, Joe and Dick all within a game of each other, Dick needed to win his final and fourth match of the day. Joe didn't give up easily and it went the distance with Dick outlasting Joe and taking first place. Ted played well after his first match and finished a strong second after we went to the third tie breaker to determine first and second place. Congrats!!!!
Our main 5.0 event came down to Chris and Richard playing for first and second place. As always, this was a great match to watch and they didn't disappoint with their stellar play. Chris ended up the winner and Richard took second place.
In the 4.0 bracket, John Bunch played his second straight year in the finals and lost to Jeff Pollock. I think John would agree, it wasn't his best game of the tournament and he has vowed to work harder and get into better shape for next year's finals! Look out field.
Most of all, thanks to all who participated, to the sponsors and to El Gancho for hosting the tournament!
Hope to see you all next time!

The Santa Fe Open is open for registration

4/15/2015

The Santa Fe Open is now open for registration. The tournament will be held at El Gancho in Santa Fe, May 15 to 17.
To register, go to thesantafeopen.com.
Click on the squash tab and follow the instructions. Cost to enter is $50 ($30 for juniors), and you're guaranteed three matches.
El Gancho squash pro Jeff Pollack is hoping for a good draw this year, as the first- and second-place cash awards have been increased. "We will have food and snacks during the tournament with dinner on Saturday night, catered by Walter Burke catering," said Pollack. "Awesome food."

Kiva players win hardware at U.S. National Doubles

4/13/2015

Graham Sharman from Santa Fe's Kiva Club was runner up in the 75+ division of the recent U.S. National Doubles Championships. His partner was Michael Wilson. Don Mills and Richie Bell were the champions.
The Kiva's Dave Matthews finished third in the 80+ division, with partner Ted Hoffman.
Dick Silbar of Los Alamos finished third in the 75+, with partner David Puchkoff.

Matthews-Williams repeat as U.S. National Grand Champions

2/27/2015

Will Simonton, Mike McBean, Drewe Williams and Dave Matthews

The ninth annual U.S. Century Doubles Championships was played last weekend (Feb. 20 to 22), in New York, and the Kiva Club's Dave Matthews and Drewe Williams won the Grand Champions (80+) Division for the second year in a row.
The division featured four teams, and was played round-robin style. In the final match up, Drewe and Dave beat Will Simonton and Mike McBean, 15-9, 9-15, 15-6, 15-10. Drewe and Dave lost just one game in their three matches.
In the four years that the Grand Champions Division has been held, these two teams have won each year: McBean-Simonton won the first two, and Matthews-Williams won the second two.

Forward>>

Results from the Santa Fe Open

Entry deadline for the Santa Fe Open is May 13

Santa Fe's Kiva Open is now accepting entries

Kiva Classic tournament in Santa Fe

More than 90 players competed over 4 days

Kiva Club Open had a lot of winners!

Chris Hanson wins the first-ever Kiva Club Open

Chris Hanson and Jesus Camacho are the Kiva Open finalists

Kiva Open: Hanson, Khan, Camacho and Alzabidi make semi-finals

Here's the news from the Kiva Open's main-draw first round

Qualifying round complete at Kiva Club Open

Two locals make it into the Kiva Club Open's second qualifying round

Announcing the Kiva Club Open -- a pro and amateur tournament

Results from the Santa Fe Open

The Santa Fe Open is open for registration

Kiva players win hardware at U.S. National Doubles

Matthews-Williams repeat as U.S. National Grand Champions

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