USJO

The 2021 U.S. Junior Open just concluded at the Arlen Specter US Squash Center. It was exhilarating, particularly during the pandemic, to see such a busy squash facility.

One thing that forcibly struck me as I walked around the Specter Center was how international the atmosphere was. I saw dozens of country colors, tee-shirts and pullovers trumpeting names from around the world. Incredible diversity. The official list was forty nations were represented among the over eight hundred players.

Here is how the nations shook out for the forty players who made the semifinals:

GU11: four Americans; BU11: three Americans, one Egyptian

GU13: one Belgian, one Malaysian, one Egyptian and one American; BU13: four Americans

GU15: two Americans, one Indian and one Egyptian; BU15: three Americans and one Belgian

GU17: one from Hong Kong, one American, one Canadians and one Englishwoman; BU17: two Columbians, one Pakistani and one Egyptian

GU19: three Americans and one Englishwoman; BU19: three Pakistanis and one American

Here is the list, courtesy of my colleague Harry Smith, of the forty nations who sent players to Philadelphia: Argentina, Australia, Barbados, Belgium, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Colombia, Croatia, Ecuador, Egypt, England, France, Germany, Guatemala, Guyana, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Russia, Scotland, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, Trinidad & Tobago, United States and Venezuela.