Cold conditions returned to Brooklyn for the 88th edition of the David C. Johnson Jr. Memorial at Heights Casino, but the quality of play throughout the Men’s $40,000 draw ensured another memorable weekend for the New York squash community. A strong field and a number of new partnerships once again highlighted the depth of the 2025/26 season, with several teams pushing deep into the latter stages and delivering compelling matches across the draw.
Top seeds Sam Khalifa and Chris Callis arrived in Brooklyn in excellent form and left with another title, completing a dominant run through the event without dropping a game. The pair continue their undefeated start to the season and, with another commanding performance, further underlined their position at the top of the men’s game.
The surprise run of the tournament came from Cameron Pilley and Josh Hughes, who reached the final after a standout semi-final victory over second seeds Scott Arnold and Zac Alexander. In one of the matches of the weekend, Hughes produced his strongest squash to date, helping the pair come through an epic five-game battle that had the Heights Casino crowd fully engaged throughout.
Daelum Mawji and Charles Culhane also continued their steady rise, securing a convincing three-game win over fourth seeds Jim Bamber and John Russell to reach the semi-finals, where they were once again halted by Khalifa and Callis, marking the fourth time the top seeds have bested the pairing this season.
Sunday’s final was played in front of a packed gallery despite a snowstorm sweeping through Brooklyn. Khalifa and Callis set the tone early, racing out to a 12–3 lead in the opening game before Hughes and Pilley found their footing. The second game proved the most competitive passage of play, with the challengers pushing the top seeds all the way to 14–14 before narrowly falling short. The loss of the second game proved decisive, and Khalifa and Callis capitalized, pulling away from 5–4 in the third to close out the match in emphatic fashion and secure the title.
Another successful edition of one of the tour’s longest-standing events, the David C. Johnson Jr. Memorial once again showcased the strength, depth, and competitive spirit of the SDA Pro Tour.