A Cold Open For 2025
Timmy Brownell, #1 ranked U.S. Squash player, dressed appropriately.
The first event on the steel court for 2025 is literally a cold open. We’ll see two pro matches, both semifinals for the 2024 $35k Intsel Invitational Outdoor Tournament we hold here. Over the years, we’ve found it harder to facilitate later rounds in a timely manner. Players finding themselves in the quarters and semifinals and finals are typically traveling more extensively for the sport, especially as the new seasons kick in. It’s just a fact we navigate here in Maspeth, where the hope is to attract world-class players to this somewhat informal event. It would be fair to say, the trigger for the January event date can be attributed to proximity to The Tournament of Champions held in NYC’s Grand Central Terminal. Timmy Brownell, Mo Nabil, Alina Bushma and Nicol Bunyan (photos below) will all be in-town. Better still, they are willing to play their respective semifinal matches in frigid temps. (Our events ask for more from professionals.)
2024 saw the addition of new official team members here at Maspeth Squash. Timmy Brownell has signed on to carry the Maspeth name with him as he travels. Being the #1 ranked U.S. player, and the work he is doing to build a new culture add into the U.S. squash scene with the National Squash League, Timmy is no doubt busy and we’re grateful for the advocacy he brings to the outdoor adventure. Also, Ukrainian professional and current Women’s Intsel Champion Alina Bushma, has signed on to the team as she continues her pro squash efforts here in the States. Timmy and Alina, as official team members, offer up key ingredients to building up events here in our space.
As far as I can tell, this will be the first squash event of 2025 here in NYC. Definitely one of the most unique squash events in the world. This event presents as a squash enthusiast’s anomaly. Just the thought of playing squash outdoors in January rings as novelty, yet there is money involved for these pro players. It’s a professional event for them, regardless of the presenting informalities. At least that’s how I see it. I also know this event will uniquely build on the overall idea of squash for anyone in attendance, weather notwithstanding. It falls inline with our mission here, which is not exactly fully formed in my head yet. That is, just get people out here to experience playing on this court, in this setting. Be open open to difference. Play squash.
The tempature here in Maspeth, Queens is promising to hover somewhere around freezing. We’ll be serving hot chocolate, soup and such, as well as breaking out the space heaters and maybe even a fire-pit for roasting marshmallows. We are encouraging visitors to bundle up, bring hand-warmers and sneakers because there will be plenty of opportunity to hit with the pros afterward. This is an open invite to outdoor squash, in the cold.
Please click here if you want to come out and haven’t yet reserved a spot.
