The David C. Johnson Jr. Memorial, hosted at the Heights Casino in Brooklyn Heights, New York, once again delivered thrilling squash in its $40,000 men’s event. The packed crowd witnessed top-tier competition featuring defending champions and rising talents.
Top seeds James Stout and Scott Arnold entered the tournament as defending champions, with Stout having won the event for the past four years and Arnold currently holding the World No. 1 ranking. The second-seeded duo featured Heights Casino Head Pro Jim Bamber and Zac Alexander, adding local intrigue to an already exciting draw.
The wild card team, University of Pennsylvania players Nick Spizziri and Dana Santry, impressed the crowd with their skill and tenacity. They pushed tour veteran Chris Walker and his partner Nku Patrick to a close five-game battle before ultimately falling short. Their performance showed great potential, making them a duo to watch in coming years.
For the first time this season, all four quarter-finals ended in straight games, setting the stage for decisive semi-finals. In the first semi-final, third seeds Sam Khalifa and Kyle Martino had five game balls in the opening game against Stout and Arnold but were unable to convert, with the defending champions rallying to a 3-0 victory. The second semi-final saw Alexander and Bamber make quick work of the newly formed pairing of Ashley Davies and Chris Callis. Callis and Khalifa, both returning to competition after a brief break, showed flashes of their talent but couldn’t overcome their opponents.
The final was a spectacular display of skill and shot-making that kept the crowd on the edge of their seats for two hours. Alexander and Bamber led 14-12 in the fourth game, looking poised to force a decisive fifth. However, Stout and Arnold fought back, leveling the score to 14-14 to earn their first match ball before Alexander responded with a stunning backhand cross-court volley nick to tie the match 2-2. In the deciding fifth game, Stout and Arnold seized an early lead and held on to claim their third Johnson Memorial title. This marked Stout’s fifth victory in the event and the duo’s third straight tournament win this season confirming them as the dominant team of the 2024/25 season.
With Stout now a five-time champion, having previously won with Yvain Badan, Jim Bamber, and Scott Arnold (three times), his legacy at the event continues to grow. However, the all-time record remains with squash legend Damien Mudge, who captured the title an astonishing 17 times in a row.
The David C. Johnson Jr. Memorial once again lived up to its reputation as a premier event on the squash calendar, delivering high-level competition and unforgettable moments.