Squash legend David Palmer believes Australia is in danger of losing its long-held status as a major force internationally, with the next generation failing to produce.
With the Australian Open beginning in Canberra on Tuesday – the first major international squash competition held Down Under in over a decade – he’s thrown the spotlight on the country’s future in the sport.
Palmer, the country’s top-ranked male player at world No.10, said Australia’s reputation for producing topline international squash stars is under threat.
“Our results are slipping, that’s for sure, (particularly) in juniors,” said former world No.1 Palmer.
“I’m 34, and I’m the only one (man) in the top 10.
“We’ve always had a rich tradition of really top players, both men and women, (but) our junior results are just getting worse and worse.”
Palmer just celebrated a record 10 years in squash’s world top 10, having first broken onto the list in September 2000.
Now in what’s likely to be his last professional season, he is worried Australian squash is reaching the end of an era.
Australia’s highest ranked player overall, Rachael Grinham, is world No.4 on the women’s list, but at 33 years of age, is also a veteran of the tour.
Palmer will head the Commonwealth Games team in India in October, where Australia hopes to extend its record of winning gold at every Games since the sport’s introduction at the 1998 Kuala Lumpur Games.
Palmer, who is currently based in Florida, says Australia could learn from the United States’ promotion of the sport, where it is a common part of the college culture.
“In America, it’s really taking off, whereas squash is not really booming in Australia,” said the NSW-born Palmer.
“I’m not 100 per cent sure why.
“(But) it will be a disaster for Squash Australia if I can make the next (Commonwealth Games) in four years.
“If the young guys are not ahead of me then, then there’s something going wrong.”
One positive, he says, is the Australian Open, which has taken on elite status as one of 10 Super Series events on the world tour.
It’s the first major men’s tournament to be held in Australia since 1991, while the last big international women’s competition was held in 1997.
Palmer will be soaking up the opportunity to play before a home crowd, although he’s contemplative about his chances.
Seventeen of the world’s top 18 men will be in the nation’s capital for the tournament, where an encouraging 2000 tickets have already been sold.
Six of the world’s top players are among those contesting the Open women’s tournament.
“It’s been a long time and for a long time I didn’t think I’d get a chance to play in a major tournament in my home country,” Palmer said.
“It would have maybe been nice five years ago, but I’m not complaining – I’ve got at least one shot at it.”
Current world No.1 and Brit Nick Matthew will be the favourite to take out the title, which will be played out in a spectator-friendly, all-glass squash court at the National Convention Centre.
The finals will be held on Sunday.
Zac Zavos
Editor
Agree the TV coverage doesn't currently stack-up. But anyone who's watched the America's Cup on TV knows what smart broadcasters can do to a sport with a bit of application. Who'd have thought sailing would be so compelling to watch on TV? Squash is a stunningly complex game to play and good broadcasting can bring this out.
True Tah
Guest
Loved playing squash and when I was growing up there were heaps of squash courts in my area, now it seems they have all shut down. Sadly it is well and truly a dying sport.
Whiteline
Guest
Beaver Squash doesn't have the variables of other sports (inc tennis). That is, to the punter, it all looks the same and essentially (in many respects) it is. What I mean by that is this - squash is played on virtually the same court, without variables regardless of where you are in the world. Seen one court.... Having said that, I played for many years as a junior and loved it but to the uninitiated, a bit of a hard sell, especially TV.
beaver fever
Guest
I think traditionally, Australias strength in tennis was with grass courts in Australian country towns that were at the time associated with churches. The move away from country towns and the church and the rise of other sports all have chipped away at tennis, i am a member of a tennis club in Perth, and guess what the voluteer base at the club would all be over 50, but there appears to be no shortage of kids enrolled to learn tennis, but they dont seem to join the club after they finish as juniors. I aslo enjoy playing squash and some courts have closed down here in Perth for new shops, houses etc. One other thing with squash ...... why hasn't the game caught the attention of the world as tennis has ???, the only answer i can give is that it does not transfer to TV like tennis does !!, as squash is fast, the rallies are long and the players athletic etc.
Mister Football
Guest
I've done Boxercise classes in unused Squash courts, i.e. hour booked in a court to do Boxercise, so it's not as if they are mutually exclusive.
Zac Zavos
Editor
I didn't know about this, that's encouraging. The argument against squash courts is that you could get 20 people into the same space if used for gym / cross training space. Wonder on what basis govt is funding more courts? I have heard that tennis is doing even worse than squash; and most of these courts are council owned I believe.
Pirate
Roar Rookie
Can't deny that centres are closing. It's a problem for any sport when courts are privately owned, but there are also new ones being opened, particularly in WA, Queensland and Vic that are either local government or not-for-profit run and part of multii-sport centres. I think that is the future, it may just take a bit of pain to get there. There were over 1000 people at the Australian Open finals on Sunday.
Zac Zavos
Editor
I love squash and play it competitively. But it's a dead sport in Australia. Courts are closing literally every month. It is now likely that it will actually be impossible to play squash in Newcastle within a few years, such is the number of courts being closed. What a great shame, it's such a great sport to play.
Pirate
Roar Rookie
The Australian Open in Canberra was fantastic and showed how fast, brutal and exciting the sport is at the top level - surely the fittest athletes in the world.
Whiteline
Guest
Tells you a bit about the sport in Australia when names like Geoff Hunt and Michelle Martin (who were obviously past masters of the Australian scene) come more readily to mind than David Palmer.
Mega
Guest
Credit to the Roar for giving these fringe sports a go and running these articles. Big up!