Top seeds Ryan Cuskelly & Cameron Pilley returned to claim the Downeast Renewable Energy Ox Ridge Open title for a second consecutive year in Darien, CT, January 6-8.
The quarterfinals saw success for both qualifying teams as Sanjay Jeeva & Sergio Martin took out three-seed veteran team Chris Walker & Clive Leach in three games, while B.G. Lemmon & Josh Hughes upset four seeds Michael Ferreira & Bernardo Samper, saving three match balls in the fourth game to eventually take the match 13-15, 15-11, 13-15, 15-14, 15-13.
Elsewhere in the bottom half of the draw, Trinity alums Elroy Leong & Christopher Binnie surprised two-seeds Clinton Leeuw & Jaymie Haycocks with the tournament’s third major upset, defeating the pair 15-10, 15-12, 15-12. A strong challenge from Lemmon & Hughes in the semifinal resulted in a five-game battle, with Leong & Binnie coming out on top, 8-15, 15-3, 15-12, 10-15, 15-13.
Australian duo Cuskelly & Pilley stormed through to the finals, securing a three-game quarterfinal win over Ricardo Lopez Valdivia & Scott Young before dispatching Jeeva & Martin in the semifinal 15-6, 15-10, 15-5. They continued their perfect record into the final, where they defeated Leong & Binnie, 15-9, 15-13, 15-8, to capture the title without dropping a single game.
“I love competing at my home club,” said Cuskelly, now in his second year as Ox Ridge Head Squash Professional. “It was so good to see the club buzzing and everyone having a great time, especially since the COVID break. [I’d] just like to thank the Ox Ridge squash community and sponsors for their generous support and can’t wait for an even bigger event next year.”