| Chicago to Make Squash History |
 Sweet Home Chicago Open Chicago, Illinois, USA By Amy Magro Chicago will make sports history September 9-15 as Michigan Avenue plays host to the Sweet Home Chicago Open – the first-ever professional squash tournament to be held outdoors in North America. With the sponsorship of Lakeshore Athletic Clubs, Zeller Realty Group, Caledonian Fund Services, SmithBucklin and The Fairmont Chicago the SHCO will will be staged on an all-glass court in Pioneer Court, between Tribune Tower and the Chicago River . This "open-to-the-public" event is widely expected to draw the world’s top-ranked players as the newest stop on the Professional Squash Association (PSA) and U.S. Squash Association tournament series. “Being among the first squash tournaments of this scale to be held outdoors, the Sweet Home Chicago Open will be an innovative forum to show off the fun and exciting game of squash,” said Kevin Klipstein, President, U.S. Squash. “With its passionate base of fans who also participate in all types of sports, Chicago presents the ideal location to host this first-of-its-kind event.”  Endorsed by the U.S. Squash Association and the PSA, the Sweet Home Chicago Open will include professional and exhibition matches, as well as clinics involving children from area schools and the METROSquash program, which combines academics and athletics for inner-city youth attending Chicago Public Schools. Exhibition play will feature Canadian-born Jonathon Power, a two-time World No. 1 champion who is regarded by many as the greatest squash player of his generation. In conjunction with the professional tournament, this event will also showcase approximately 200 local and national amateurs in the Great Lakes Open, which will be held at The University Club of Chicago, Lakeshore Athletic Clubs and the Union League Club of Chicago. The exhibition matches will further reinforce Chicago’s love of amateur athletics, as evidenced by the City’s Bid for the 2016 Olympic Games. “Squash has long been a game that celebrates the skill and accomplishments of the professional and amateur athlete,” said Gus Cook, North America Representative, PSA. “As the squash community aspires to find its place among other Olympic events, the Sweet Home Chicago Open is the perfect opportunity to demonstrate the appeal of and enthusiasm for this great game and the skill of the athletes who play it.” To date, squash – a racquet sport recognized by the IOC and one of 5 sports under review for incorporation into the 2016 Olympics – is played in more than 150 countries by an estimated 15 million people, including some 500,000 players in the United States. The widespread interest in the game was a draw to many of the tournament’s sponsors. “As Chicago’s sponsor of the Virginia Slims Invitational in 1974 and the partner and co-founder of World Team Tennis, we believe the Sweet Home Chicago Open is just as unique and intriguing as those sporting institutions,” said Jordon Kaiser, Founding Partner, Lakeshore Athletic Clubs. source: squash360 |
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