l-r: Damien Mudge, Manek Mathur, Lenny Bernheimer, Amrit Kanwal, Yvain Badan, Mike Ferreira
Damien Mudge augmented his MFS Pro-Am Boston title record with his tenth, and first with world No. 1 Manek Mathur this weekend at the University Club of Boston.
The Australian lost in the 2016 final with former partner Viktor Berg against Mathur & Yvain Badan, and entered the 2017 edition as the top seed with his new left-wall partner, Mathur, with three titles under their belt already in their first season together.
Despite more than a month off since the tour’s last event in Toronto, the top seeds picked up where they left by winning their fourth title, dropping just one game along the way in the semifinals against four seeds John Russell & Berg.
The bottom half of the draw included surprise semifinalists Will Mariani & Thomas Brinkman. The Canadian duo upset Baset Chaudhry & Clive Leach in a four-game, first-round match, and then took out Australian three seeds Matt Jenson & Scott Arnold in three games to reach their first major semifinal where their run ended.
Two seeds Mike Ferreira & Badan held off a four-game quarterfinal challenge against Imran Khan & Greg Park, before brushing off Mariani & Brinkman in a three-game semifinal. The final was all Mathur & Mudge, however, who commanded the final to win 15-13, 15-4, 15-7.
The 2017 Boston title is also Mudge’s first on the right wall since his final title with Waite in 2005. Mudge & Waite also won in 2002 and 2003.
Mudge revealed that he underwent minor knee surgery during the tour’s brief hiatus.
“It was difficult to come back after a while off for sure,” Mudge said. “I had knee surgery on November 22 right after the Cambridge, so it was a quick turn around and was very happy that the knee held up for the weekend.”
The world No. 3 and longtime world No. 1 said the partnership with Mathur continues to develop and improve with each tournament as the tour approaches two busy months in January and February.
“It was important to have a good showing and have that momentum hopefully carry us through the next couple of months,” Mudge said. “It gives us a lot to build on. Myself and Manek’s partnership is getting better and better. Our understanding of what each of us do and adjust to situations happening on court are becoming more instinctual. It’s a pleasure being on court with him.”
“Our performance Sunday was pretty solid and both Damien and I have had our fair share of adversity leading up to this event,” Mathur said. “To find a way to come our strong was important for us and I am glad we managed to do so.”
The 2017 edition of the tournament enjoyed new title sponsorship support from MFS Financial.
“Big thanks to Amrit Kanwal on taking on the new sponsorship and supporting the SDA,” Mathur said. “He’s such a great supporter of our sport and I speak on behalf of the community that we’re lucky to have him involved in squash.”
“Boston is a special place for me—I have built many relationships here over the years and spent a bunch of time up at the University Club,” Mathur added. “To have my name on that title twice now with two different partners is humbling and I’m extremely happy about it. Another big thank you to Lenny, Tom Poor, Chris Spahr and the entire tournament committee for running a first class event.”
The tour resumes next weekend in Missouri with the $20,000 Missouri Athletic Club Open.
View MFS Pro-Am Boston images in the tournament gallery.
Watch live stream replays below.