The CitySquash Briggs Cup, the largest event of the 2024/25 season, marked an exciting conclusion to the year. With no men’s team establishing dominance and several top women’s players absent, including World #1 Georgina Stoker and World #2 Nikki Todd, the tournament offered an open field and high stakes for both draws. Featuring a $50,000 men’s purse and a $25,000 women’s purse, the event showcased top-tier squash while supporting CitySquash—a Bronx-based nonprofit providing after-school enrichment programs at Fordham University.
Top seeds Chris Callis and Sam Khalifa entered the men’s draw as favorites but encountered tough opposition throughout. In the quarterfinals, Mike Ferreira and Apawamis Head Pro Cameron Pilley delivered a major upset, defeating 3rd seeds John Russell and Matt Henderson to secure a surprise spot in the semifinals. Despite being only their second event as a team, Ferreira and Pilley demonstrated impressive synergy on court. Meanwhile, 2nd seeds James Stout and Scott Arnold battled through a challenging four-game match against rising stars Josh Hughes and Tor Christoffersen. Stout, making his SDA return after last competing at the Buffalo Club Open in May, showcased his experience, while Hughes, who works under Stout at The Racket and Tennis Club in New York, continued to impress with his rapid improvement and growing potential.
The semifinals were packed with drama. Khalifa and Callis faced off against 3rd seeds Zac Alexander and Jim Bamber in a grueling four-game clash, only to withdraw at the start of the fifth due to an injury to Khalifa’s Achilles. It was an unfortunate end to the season for Khalifa, who had otherwise enjoyed a stellar year, becoming the first Egyptian to claim the SDA World #1 ranking. In the second semifinal, Ferreira and Pilley squared off against Stout and Arnold in a thrilling encounter. Down 2-1 and facing five match balls at 14-10 in the fourth, Ferreira unleashed a streak of dead winners to force a tiebreak, sealing the game with a spectacular reverse winner. Riding that momentum, Ferreira and Pilley built a 14-11 lead in the fifth. Although Stout and Arnold staged a valiant comeback, they fell just short, losing another nail-biter 14-14 to Ferreira’s reverse shot.
The highly anticipated final, played before a partisan home crowd cheering for Pilley, saw Alexander and Bamber impose their trademark slow-play tactics. Their use of lobs, middle balls, and precise short shots dictated the tempo. While Ferreira wowed with his shot-making to claim the second game, Alexander and Bamber’s consistency and strategic execution proved too strong. They pulled ahead decisively in the fourth game to clinch the title.
In the women’s draw, top seeds and defending champions Kayley Leonard and Maria Elena Ubina entered as the team to beat, while #2 seeds Suzie Pierrepont and Line Hansen debuted as a first-time pairing. The semifinals saw Leonard and Ubina take on Tina Rix Stout and Stephanie Hewitt in an engaging three-game contest. Leonard and Ubina’s precision and teamwork carried them to victory, though the match featured impressive shot-making from all four players. Meanwhile, Pierrepont and Hansen delivered a dramatic comeback in their semifinal, overcoming a 2-1 deficit and a daunting 7-1 scoreline in the fourth to edge past Katie Tutrone and Jess Davis in five games. Tutrone’s dominance on the left wall nearly turned the tide, underscoring her growth as a formidable player.
In the final, Leonard and Ubina delivered a commanding performance. After saving three game balls to win the second game 15-14, they carried their momentum into the third to seal the match in straight games. Ubina’s exceptional front-court coverage left Pierrepont and Hansen struggling to find openings. With this win, Leonard and Ubina established themselves as the dominant duo of the season, reaching the final of every event thus far and capturing two titles.
For the first time in the history of the event, a CitySquash team participated in the draw. Chris Fernandez and Kevin Guadarrama, both graduates of the CitySquash program, were given a wildcard entry. Fernandez, now an assistant coach at Columbia University, and Guadarrama, an assistant pro at The Apawamis Club, put up a strong fight but ultimately lost in the first round in a close four-game match. Their participation highlighted the program’s success in fostering talent and creating opportunities within the squash community.
The Briggs Cup also marked a new milestone for the SDA Pro Tour, as Cameron Pilley and Line Hansen became the first married couple to make simultaneous finals! This year’s event was a celebration of squash excellence and community impact, setting a high standard for the season ahead.