European Squash57 Cup Preview!

With just over a week to go until the first ever European Squash57 Cup on the 2nd - 4th October, let’s have a little look at the event, some of the favourites for the categories, and also what it could mean for the game on the European stage!

THE EVENT ITSELF...

As mentioned this is the first time we have ever had a fully sanctioned European Squash Federation Squash57 Championships, and this year the event replaces the regular British Racketball Open slot at the world renowned Hallamshire club in Sheffield. The backing by the ESF has meant a really great spread of coverage across their channels, and as a result of that we are seeing loads of new faces travelling over.

The Hallamshire venue alongside the support clubs of Abbeydale and Fulwood, is a major tournament go to, as it has hosted many British Junior Open Closed Championship Squash events over the years, and they together make a fantastic set up for this competition.

Hallamshire itself has a great community of Squash57 players and has one of the most vibrant setups in the UK for the sport. With club coach Adam Turner one of the top 8 seeds in the Men’s Open draw, alongside a multitude of other club players spread across the various categories, they will be hoping for plenty of home support from the Sheffield faithful!


WHO TO WATCH OUT FOR...

While the British Open has been going for a few years now, this year’s European cup sees some of the strongest lineups in some of the drawers we have had to date. Most notably:

Men’s Open:

9x British National & 3x British Open Champion Mike Harris returns as top seed, with last year’s British Open Finalist Henrik Mustonen of Finland looking for revenge as 2nd seed. Rounding out a quality top 4 you also have the likes of recently crowned Squash World O45s Champion James Bowden, Scottish No1 Matt Bedwell and a host of other top contenders underneath that. Even from the last 16 onwards there won't be any easy matches for any of the top guys!

Women’s Open:

Reigning British National and Open Champion Amber Marshall sits as top seed once again. However with recently retired top 40 PSA Women’s players such as Emilia Soini & Rachael Chadwick in the line up, alongside ex top 30 and Squash57 regular Fiona Reid in the line up, she will have to work hard to stay top of the tree! With England Ladies Captain Jasmin Kalar also in the mix alongside several other quality players, this 8 monrad draw will be very hard fought.

Age Groups:

We have a whole of European nationalities getting involved this year, with the British Isles faithful also being joined by the likes of Sweden, Portugal, Spain  and Finland in this major event.

One particularly interesting one-to-watch is Esa Tuominen of Finland in the O75s draw, where he faces the might of Ian Graham & other top British players in his bid to gain a first European Squash57 title. 

There is a great Spanish & Swedish presence in the O50 / O55 & O60 categories, players who haven’t been seen in the fast growing European Squash57 events circuit before, and who could very easily upset the top seeds across those categories. It is really exciting to see so many new faces in the mix, and the current British  dominance in the game could well face a hit!

Top seeds such as Mike Gregory & Chris Morris of England in the O50 & O55s, Richard Murphy of Wales in the O60s are all standout favourites in their draws, but will have to fight their way through opponents from all across the continent to be able to claim their crown...

Full draws & schedule for the event can be found on Sporty HQ here:

https://www.sportyhq.com/tournament/view/The-British-Racketball-Open-2nd3rd4th-October-Hallamshire-Fulwood-Squash-Clubs​


LOOKING AHEAD...

With 180 players from across Europe getting involved in this event, this does have exciting implications for the progression of Squash57 over the next couple of years. In 2027 we now have a circuit of tournaments teed up that encompasses Scotland, Wales, England, Jersey, Guernsey Malta, Finland and Gibraltar, with more and more interested nations getting in touch on a regular basis.

With the ESF support and better recognition being given to the game, Squash57 is rapidly being seen as an interesting addition to club’s tournament calendars, with all the set ups and structures being the same as the usual Squash events, but the opportunity to attract a different and varied audience.

With the 2028 Olympics on the horizon, could Squash57 and these kind of tournaments be an easy and productive way for us to capitalise on the positive publicity generated from the prestigious championships? Let’s find out!

See you in Sheffield! Live streaming will be available on our UK Racketball Facebook page & YouTube channel, tune in to watch some top action!