The R&TC Open, hosted at the Racquet and Tennis Club of New York on Park Avenue, hosted the last major event of the 2024/25 season with a thrilling display of elite squash doubles. With a $40,000 purse, the event filled the off-year slot of the bi-annual Kellner Cup and drew one of the most competitive fields of the season. Top seeds Sam Khalifa and Chris Callis captured the title in a gripping five-game final over second seeds Zac Alexander and Jim Bamber, a match filled with dramatic swings and top-tier shot-making. Notably absent from the draw were James Stout and Scott Arnold, as Stout was awaiting the birth of his second child, Olivia Stout, who arrived on April 11.
The tournament showcased the depth of the R&T squash doubles program, widely regarded as the strongest in the country. In addition to the top-seeded champions, the draw featured fellow members Mike Ferreira, Kyle Martino, Josh Hughes, Daelum Mawji, Wil Hagen, and Dylan Patterson. The home-court presence gave the event a distinctly local flavor, while still delivering national-level intensity.
Khalifa and Callis were dominant in their semifinal, dispatching Ferreira and Cameron Pilley in straight games, conceding just 23 points. Meanwhile, Alexander and Bamber were tested by R&T’s Martino and Hughes, a volatile but dangerous duo. The second seeds proved too disciplined, however, prevailing in four games to reach their sixth final of the season. Their consistency has been unmatched this year, with two titles from six appearances.
The final itself was a classic. Khalifa and Callis jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the first game, only to see Alexander and Bamber respond with a long point run of their own before taking control of the first game. The second game was a nail-biter, with Alexander and Bamber edging it 15-14 to go up 2-0 and appearing poised to close it out. But the top seeds stormed back, taking the third game comfortably at 15-7 and following it up with another strong showing in the fourth to force a decider.
The fifth game saw Alexander and Bamber take early control, building leads of 9-4 and then 10-7. What followed was an extraordinary run of shot-making from Khalifa and Callis, who reeled off nine outright winners without a single error from their opponents. Khalifa sealed the match with a flawless backhand drop from the back of the court.
The victory was especially poignant for Chris Callis, who returned to action after missing key events earlier in the season while undergoing treatment for testicular cancer. After a successful round of chemotherapy and receiving the all-clear, Callis delivered a commanding performance to close his season on the highest possible note. It was a fitting end to a remarkable comeback and a dramatic finale to the tour calendar.