Round-1 match recap from Squash Emcee Andy Taylor, Voice of the Qatar Classic.
Since 2017, Andy Taylor has been the voice of the Qatar Classic Squash Championship. With his individual style and delivery, Andy writes and narrates each player’s introduction; highlighting career accomplishments, providing context for fans before each match. As tournament emcee, Andy also interviews the winners and hosts the trophy ceremony at the conclusion of the championship.
In addition to his role with the Qatar Squash Federation, Taylor also hosts Doha’s professional tennis events, the Qatar ExxonMobil Open and Qatar Total Open.
A voice acting veteran, Andy is best known as the Voice of the US Open in New York. There, he has spent the last 20-years shaping the sound of the tennis season’s final Grand Slam; enhancing the fan experience. Informing. Entertaining. Celebrating sport and its colorful cast of characters.
[divider style=”solid” color=”#cccccc” opacity=”0.5″ icon=”microphone” icon_color=”#666666″ icon_size=”15″ placement=”down”]
Second meeting. Injured, Salazar retires in game-4. Bonmalais’ first Doha victory
These two talents met once before, two seasons back in the 2nd-Round of the Motor City Open in Detroit. And it was a 72-minute thrill ride. Cesar Salazar earned victory 12-10 in a fifth and deciding game. Sadly, this one ended early. Before Cesar’s injury, the match was following a familiar narrative.
Sebastien Bonmalais -58- (FRA) | Round-1 Emcee Introduction
In just six months, this 23-year-old Frenchman has reached 4 Finals, captured 3 Titles – and earlier this month in Philadelphia, earned two of the biggest wins of his career. At the US Open, he defeated Mexico’s Arturo Salazar, then World #20 Omar Mosaad to reach the Round of 16 at a PSA Platinum event for the first time. In all, he owns 6 career titles, in an 8-time Finalist on Tour, and is back in Doha making his Qatar Q-Terminals Classic debut. From France, please welcome World #58 Sebastien Bonmalais.
- R1 — W — Cesar Salazar -37- (MEX) | Score: 12-10, 6-11, 11-3, 2-0 ret (48m)
EMCEE NOTEBOOK
- Oct: Earned first two Platinum level match victories of his career at the US Open
- Sep: Won Springfield Scottish Open ($12k)
- Jul: Won Elan Vital Open in Germany ($1.5k)
- Jun: Won Anyos Park Open in Andorra ($3k)
Cesar Salazar -37- (MEX) | Round-1 Emcee Introduction
At 33-years-old, he remains the top-ranked North American talent on the Men’s Tour – and has been the #1 player in Mexico for nearly 10-years. Ranked as high as World #17, he’s a Pan American Games Gold Medalist, owns 6 PSA titles, and has reached 16 career Finals. Injured during his second round match here in Doha last year – he would miss the next 10-months of the season, recovering from both injury…and COVID-19. But last month, finally – he made his triumphant return at the Egyptian Open, earning a gutsy, five game victory in his first professional match since last November. Competing in his 5th Qatar Q-Terminals Classic, from Mexico – please welcome Cesar Salazar.
- R1 — L — Sebastien Bonmalais -58- (FRA) | Score: 10-12, 11-6, 3-11, 0-2 ret (48m)
EMCEE NOTEBOOK
- Cesar has only played four matches since the Round-2 injury here in Doha last year
- He retired after game-3 versus Youssef Ibrahim, who went on to upset Mohamed Elshorbagy
- Salazar had recovered from the injury by April, but then came down with COVID
- Breathing trouble kept him sidelined until the start of the new season in Giza
► MORE EMCEE RECAPS FROM THE QATAR CLASSIC SQUASH CHAMPIONSHIP 2021
[divider style=”solid” color=”#cccccc” opacity=”0.5″ placement=”down”]
[divider style=”solid” color=”#cccccc” opacity=”0.5″ icon=”arrow-down” icon_color=”#666666″ icon_size=”15″ placement=”down”]
QATAR SQUASH: 27 YEARS OF HIGHLIGHTS AND HISTORY
For nearly three decades, the Qatar Squash Federation has hosted the sport’s elite at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex. Originally coined the Qatar International, Pakistan’s Jansher Khan captured the first five Doha titles from 1992 to 1996. Canada’s Jonathan Power then won back-to-back Doha titles over Scotland’s Peter Nichol; earning triumphs at the 1997 Qatar International and the 1998 World Championship.
Enter the Qatar Classic Squash Championship
After a two year absence, professional squash returned to Doha in 2001. Rebranded the Qatar Classic, Peter Nichol – now representing England – again reached back-to-back Doha Finals. This time, he captured the first two Qatar Classic titles over Australia’s David Palmer. England’s Lee Beachill and James Willstrop won the next two Qatar Classic titles, before Egypt began its outright Doha dominance.
In fact, since Ramy Ashour became the first Egyptian Doha champion at the 2006 Qatar Classic; the Arab nation has won 13 of the last 15 Doha titles, including three World Championships. Alexandria’s Mohamed Elshorbagy – the only 3-time Qatar Classic Champion – reached a record six consecutive finals on this court between 2012 and 2017. Most recently, Ali Farag won back-to-back Qatar Classic titles in 2018 and 2020. Unfortunately, the World #1 won’t be back in Doha this year to defend the title.
Professional Squash and COVID-19
Like every international sport, the recent global pandemic has created tremendous challenges for squash events worldwide. Due to COVID’s insidious spread, the 2019-20 season ended abruptly in March; immediately following Mohamed Elshorbagy’s victory at the 2020 Canary Wharf Classic.
Without fans, the sport launched its return six months later in Manchester – another Elshorbagy triumph. However, with global cases hitting a second surge, all events in the United Kingdom, United States and Asia were shuttered. The 2020-2021 season was in peril. At the time, as a U.S. resident, Andy Taylor made the difficult decision to suspend all international travel. Reluctantly, he stepped away from his role as emcee at the 2020 Qatar Classic.
Saviors. The Qatar Squash Federation and CIB’s CEO Hussein Abaza of Egypt
Over the next 10-months, Qatar and Egypt were the only two nations to host PSA Platinum events. Without the U.S. Open. Hong Kong Open. New York’s Tournament of Champions. The Windy City Open. And British Open — The sport needed bold and determined intervention.
Cautiously, the QSF moved forward with the Qatar Classic, providing a COVID safe bubble for players and crew. Meanwhile, Egypt’s Hussein Abaza went above and beyond. Remarkably, CIB’s CEO spearheaded two PSA World Tour Finals, the Egyptian Open, two Black Ball Opens and El Gouna International. From September to June, he funded six expensive, top-tier PSA events for both the men’s and women’s tours. Egypt became the hub of the sport – a safe place to compete while vaccinations took hold; while the world recovered.
Thankfully, since July, much of the globe has slowly opened back up. Chicago hosted the World Championships. Hull welcomed the sport’s elite for the British Open. Last month, it was only fitting that the 2021-22 season began in front of the pyramids at Giza. True to form, Egyptian rivals Ali Farag and Mohamed Elshorbagy headlined the event; delivering an exceptional 5-game Final, where Farag lifted his 9th Platinum trophy.
A Sport Back on Track, thanks to human compassion and ingenuity
After September’s Egyptian Open, the U.S. swing was also a tremendous success. From San Francisco to the US Open’s immaculate new Arlen Specter US Squash Center in Philadelphia; fans responsibly returned, recently tested or fully vaccinated. All starved to once again see the best in the world compete inside the glass.
Now, squash returns to the Arab Gulf for the 17th Qatar Classic Squash Championship.
Thankfully, as global vaccinations continue their ascent, the new squash season is beginning to follow a familiar path. While the past 19-months have been dark, spotlighting the reality of human fragility; it has also been an epoch defined by compassion, resilience and hope. Squash, as a sport and lifestyle, embodies these traits.
When we choose to quiet the noise, steel our determination, and commit to selflessly work together toward collective good; ultimately toward survival — the darkness is no match for our blinding ingenuity.
No, the fight isn’t over. But we’ve hit some astonishing nicks, and continue to edge closer toward “match ball.”
