The World University Squash rings a special bell in the minds of the lovers of this sport in India. The championship had come to India just two years ago and at a time when squash had begun to look up in the country. Then again, ever since the emergence of the Indian Squash Academy in Chennai in 2000, India had been the venue for several Asian and world – level competitions and what remained was this World University Squash, which as the title suggests is a competition for the collegians, the world over.
Two years ago, when India hosted the Championship at the ISA courts in Chennai, under the auspices of FISU, it was a big moment for the sport in the country. That was the first time a cross-section of University talents from various parts of the globe had converged for some exciting action.
The event then was a big draw, though no Indian had figured in the competition. From every other aspect, be it the competition on the court or the conduct of the Championship, FISU, the world university sports body, had the highest appreciation, an acknowledgement in fact, that India was able to conduct a major event with a professional touch.
The icing on the cake came, so to say, in the invite that the National coach Cyrus Poncha was to receive for the latest edition which Malaysia held in Kuala Lumpur. In many ways, it was an honour to get a request for his services as a Substitute Technical Delegate for this premier event and Poncha also happens to be the first Indian to be receiving this.
It was an opportunity that Poncha was not to miss. The National coach had earlier been the TD for squash at the Asian Beach Games and South East Asian Games but this in a way a larger exercise. As it happened with the FISU Technical Delegate Zena Woolridge, who is also the Director of sport in Birmingham University, not able to attend, Poncha had a higher role to play in Malaysia.
“Overseeing the draws, schedules and resolving technical issues were the areas I had to look in,” said the Indian national coach of his work and as he said everything went off smoothly. What impressed the Indian official was the excellent way the Malaysian Squash Authorities, particularly the Malaysian University Sports Council, had conducted this major programme. “That made the task all the more easier,” he said.
No Egyptian University taking part in the tournament
At a time when Egypt virtually ruled the sport, for such is the way the country's players both men and women, boys and girls have been dominating it was a surprise nay even a shock that no Egyptian University entered the fray.
The focus was on the post-19 age group, a section that normally gets starved of competition when they leave the junior stage but were still raw for the senior level. So this was an opportunity but as Poncha was to state, there still were players, even at this level, who were already on the professional world of squash. It was no surprise then that the scene in Malaysia appeared one straight from a PSA event because professionals were in action.
Large representation from Asia
What was heartening was that of the 19 countries which had entered the competition, 11 were from Asia so even though Great Britain which had cornered all attention in Chennai and was seeded. The competition essentially boiled down to two leading Asian powers, Malaysia and Hong kong.
The competition, like in the Asian and World championships, was both for individual and team honours. For the record, the individual winners were Tsz Fung Yip (Hong Kong) in the men's section and Low Wee Wern (Malaysia) in the women's section. The team competition is a mixed event and here Malaysia emerged the winners and Hong Kong took the runner-ups spot. Incidentally, Yip is ranked 44 in the world and Wern is 27.
Undoubtedly the rise of Asian players was a welcome feature though, from an Indian viewpoint, the absence of an Indian name among the 48 Universities was a disappointment. But there is hope for the future. Indian junior players, who had done well for the country and have been going overseas regularly for higher studies and playing there, are growing in numbers.
As the national coach said he was looking forward to seeing Indian Universities participating in the future or Indians studying abroad representing their universities. “May be it is only a question of time,” he said, confident that the time will be sooner than later.
