Celebs in big push for squash

MANILA, Philippines - Bidding to promote squash as the next Olympic sport, 24 celebrities came out swinging in an exciting tournament that featured runway models, fashion designers, TV personalities, politicians, socialites, a former PBA player, a golf pro and an award-winning underwater photographer, among others, at the Manila Polo Club courts recently.

It was a star-studded affair that signaled a resurgence of interest in squash, which is in hot contention to enter the regular calendar of the 2016 Olympics. A total of 30 matches filled the bill with several down-to-the-wire finishes in the four-team competition which introduced the new global scoring system of “Point-A-Rally” or straight-to-11.

No less than Squash Rackets Association of the Philippines (SRAP) president Romy Ribano watched the proceedings and applauded the efforts of the celebrities who took turns playing three opponents, two sets each, in round-robin style.  Also in attendance were SRAP Board members Boyong Deles, Jovie Villar, Romy Dona and Shrikant Wad.

Flying in from Paris the day before, squash enthusiasts Dr. Vicky Belo and Dr. Hayden Kho reported for duty but played for opposing teams. Also splitting up — just for the tournament — were Planet Sports president Anton Gonzalez and wife Mia and Quinito Henson and wife Menchu.

Team Crocs won the championship with lawyer Duane Santos, Crocs owner Franco Limjuco, Manila Polo Club squash chairman Louis Paul Heusaff, Mia Nolasco-Gonzalez of Luxasia, Kho and model Grace Molina combining for 324 points.

Runner-up was Team Speedo made up of Speedo vice president Manish Mahtani, underwater photographer Gutsy Tuason, myself, Quinito Henson, TV personality Hans Montenegro, fashion designer Patrice Ramos-Diaz and TV broadcaster Phoemela Baranda who amassed 321 points.

In third place was Team Collezione C2/New Balance composed of Ernie Lopez of ABS-CBN Publishing, Anton Gonzalez, Rep. Roman Romulo, Belo, Menchu Henson and TV host Angel Jacob who racked up 317 points.

The cellar-dweller was Team Nike bannered by architect Gil Coscolluela, former pro basketball player Dino Aldeguer, Rep. Gilbert Remulla, SRAP Board member and commercial model Tweetie de Leon-Gonzalez, socialite Neny Montinola and golf pro Jennifer Rosales who accumulated 315 points.

Sweeping their three matches were Santos and Rosales, both scoring a total of 66 points.  The only others who notched at least 60 points were De Leon-Gonzalez (64), Quinito Henson (64), Ramos-Diaz (63), Aldeguer (63), Menchu Henson (62), Montenegro (61) and Heusaff (60).

Santos and Rosales won six of six sets. Menchu Henson and Ramos-Diaz took five sets. Winning four of six sets wee De Leon-Gonzalez, Belo, Montenegro, Heusaff, Romulo and Quinito Henson.

Rosales was the revelation, blanking Jacob, 11-5, 11-5, Molina, 11-8, 11-7, and Baranda, 11-5, 11-3.  Santos, as expected, dominated the top class, beating Lopez, 11-5, 11-8, Mahtani, 11-7, 11-7, and Coscolluela, 11-4, 11-8.  Cheering Santos at the sidelines were wife Mandy and daughter Solenne. 

Santos, once the country’s premier squash player, said the time has come for a revival of interest in squash. With badminton’s popularity fading, squash now looms as the next sport of fancy.

The festive atmosphere in the tournament was enhanced by the presence of the celebrities. “It was a great day for squash,” remarked a super-fit Santos who was set to run a marathon early the next morning.  “This reminds me of how popular squash was once back in the ‘70s and ‘80s.”

Guest of honor was Nestle Philippines chairman Nandu Nandkishore.

Tournament organizer Edgar Balleber mobilized players from the national juniors squad — Myca Arebado, Ayssa Dalida and Criselda Espinola — and other pro trainers, namely Arnel Begornia, Jun Almaida, Ed Aguilando and Raymarc Begornia, to assist in the conduct of matches.

Ribano said his dream is for a public squash court to be built at the Rizal Memorial grounds. “The design was approved by the Philippine Sports Commission during Butch Tuason’s chairmanship,” said Ribano. “We’re hopeful chairman Harry (Angping) will support our plan considering squash will soon become an Olympic sport and has delivered medals for the country in the Southeast Asian Games. A spot has already been designated for the court in the complex.”

Heusaff, 63, showed age is meaningless in squash as he beat Remulla, 11-7, 11-10, and Quinito Henson, 11-10, 11-10, while losing to Romulo, 11-9, 11-7.  The Frenchman is married to a Filipina, Cynthia, and his staff at Supply Oilfield Services, where he is chairman, came to help out in facilitating the tournament. In 2004, Heusaff celebrated Supply Oilfield’s 25th anniversary by publishing an exquisite 232-page coffee table book entitled Filipina: A Tribute to the Filipino Woman.

Aldeguer, who used to play for Alaska in the PBA after a storybook career at La Salle, figured in two thrilling matches. He split sets with Limjuco, 11-7, 10-11, and Tuason, 11-5, 9-11.  Tuason and Limjuco also battled to a tie, 11-9, 9-11.

Belo, shaking off jet lag, rebounded from a two-set loss to De Leon-Gonzalez to beat Mia Nolasco-Gonzalez, 11-7, 11-3, and Montenegro, 11-8, 11-9. 

De Leon-Gonzalez, the tournament’s chief organizer, provided the participants with loot bags courtesy of sponsors Nestle, Oil of Olay, Nike, Speedo, Crocs, Collezione C2, New Balance, Folded & Hung, Randy Ortiz, Karakal, Jewelmer, Fresh Papaya Soap and Supply Oilfield Services.

De Leon-Gonzalez, who plays squash regularly at least thrice a week, said the SRAP will stage an Executive Cup in October, the month when the International Olympic Committee (IOC) is set to decide whether or not to accept the sport in the 2016 Games. It will also be in October when the IOC chooses the host city for 2016 with Tokyo, Madrid, Chicago and Rio de Janeiro as the remaining candidates.