The seventeenth biannual WSF World Squash Doubles Championships head to Chicago for the first time in the tournament’s history next week, May 7-10, with teams from nineteen countries vying for three world titles—men’s, women’s and mixed.
The tournament is headquartered at the Onwentsia Club, with the University Club of Chicago, Racquet Club of Chicago, Winter Club of Lake Forest, and the MetroSquash Academic and Squash Center all hosting matches.
The MetroSquash Academic and Squash Center will be celebrating its grand opening in conjunction with the tournament Wednesday evening, May 6, marking the first urban squash facility to house a doubles court, and the first urban facility to host a world championship.
The professional draws will offer a combined $70,000, with two defending championship teams—United States’ current world No. 10 Amanda Sobhy & former world No. 1 Natalie Grainger, and Australia’s dominant doubles duo, Damien Mudge & Ben Gould—returning to defend their titles.
Mudge & Gould enter the men’s draw as top seeds following the conclusion of a dominant SDA campaign that saw the Aussies collect nine titles from ten finals, including the largest tournament of the year this weekend, the Kellner Cup. The world No. 1’s are in search of their third consecutive world title together, with only one other former world champion in the field, Preston Quick, who partnered with fellow American Greg Park.
England’s John Russell & Clive Leach weigh in as the men’s two seed. Russell & Leach were one of just two teams to have defeated Mudge & Gould during the 2014-2015 SDA season, and are seeded to meet fellow Englishmen Mike Ferreira & Jonny Smith in the semifinals. Ferreira & Smith, both Trinity graduates, were a new SDA partnership this season and quickly rose to the world’s top 10.
Team USA’s Sobhy & Grainger reunite in the women’s draw in hopes of claiming a second world title together. The defending champs will have a difficult road to the title, however, with a potential quarterfinal against third-seeded Americans Dana Betts & Sarah West, semifinal against second-seeded Englishwomen Georgina Stoker & Victoria Simmonds, and final against England’s top-seeded Suzie Pierrepont & Carrie Hastings.
There will be a new world mixed champion with Australia’s Narelle Krizek unable to defend her title with Paul Price due to injury. Team USA’s 2013 finalists, Grainger & Quick, will aim to go one better and claim their first mixed title together, but face fierce competition in the fifteen-team draw. England’s Russell Pierrepont are seeded to meet Canadian’s Viktor Berg & Stephanie Hewitt in the final.
To view all professional draws, visit www.ussquash.com/worlddoubles.
For the first time since 2007, the World Squash Doubles Championships welcomes the return of the age groups (Men 35+ through 80+, Women 35+ through 60+, and Mixed 40+ and 50+). Teammates in the age groups must hold a passport from the same country. The entry deadline for signing up is Monday, May 4th, 12pm NOON EDT—less than a week away! Space is still available in all of the age groups, so reserve your spot and sign up today!
The MetroSquash mission is to use squash, academics, mentoring, cultural enrichment and community service to empower Chicago Public School students to reach their full academic, athletic and personal potential. All proceeds from the tournament will go towards MetroSquash’s mission. If interested in becoming a patron for the World Squash Doubles Championships, please visit the tournament page for more information.
For more information, visit www.ussquash.com/worlddoubles.