USA duo Andrew Douglas and Caroline Fouts have qualified for the 2022-23 PSA World Championships presented by the Walter Family after they won the wildcard playoff last night at the University Club of Chicago.
The wildcard playoff was a two-day event, with Philadelphia-based Douglas overcoming fellow American Spencer Lovejoy 11-7, 11-5, 11-5 to earn his spot in the world’s biggest squash tournament.
Douglas – who saw off Hollis Robertson in the first round – used powerful drives and measured angles to dominate most of the match. Lovejoy played the ball short when he had the openings, but Douglas was almost always able to respond with some fine touches of his own.
The World No.62 will now compete at the PSA World Championships for the first time in his career.
World No.102 Fouts will also make her World Championship debut in May following her 11-9, 11-7, 11-4 over 16-year-old Madison Ho.
The first game was a see-saw battle with both players vying for the ’T’ aggressively. After a punishing long rally at 6-4, Fouts picked up the pace to win five points in a row. In the second, the score remained close until Fouts once again pulled away with some great tight shots to win 11-7.
In the final game, Fouts took a commanding lead with the quality of her length game, keeping Ho under pressure as she closed out the win to book her spot at the World Championships.
Result – 2022-23 PSA World Championships presented by the Walter Family: Men’s Wildcard Playoff
Andrew Douglas (USA) bt Spencer Lovejoy (USA) 3-0: 11-7, 11-5, 11-5
Result – 2022-23 PSA World Championships presented by the Walter Family: Women’s Wildcard Playoff
Caroline Fouts (USA) bt Madison Ho (USA) 3-0: 11-9, 11-7, 11-4
