Twenty-four-year-old American Todd Harrity earned his second and largest Professional Squash Association (PSA) title this weekend as the fifth seed in the $10,000 Madison Open at Madison Squash Workshop.
Not only did Harrity claim his largest title in Wisconsin’s capital—exceeding March’s $5,000 Squash Revolution New York Pro Open—the Princeton graduate also produced his highest-ranked career upset in toppling top-seeded world No. 51 Campbell Grayson in the second round.
Harrity, world No. 82, and Grayson first played each other on the PSA tour in September’s $25,000 U.S. Pro Series Charlottesville Open, in which Grayson defeated Harrity in three-games and forty-eight minutes. In Madison, Harrity squandered two leads winning the first and third games before conceding both the second and fourth to set up a decisive fifth game. Harrity then edged the fifth and match to reach the semifinals 11-6, 3-11, 12-10, 6-11, 12-10.
The Wayne, Pennsylvania-native never looked back after knocking out the top seed, as Harrity eliminated two Englishmen in three games through the ensuing semifinals and final. Harrity held of eigth-seeded nineteen-year-old Richie Fallows in the semifinals 11-7, 11-7, 11-8, before cruising in the final against third-seeded world No. 76 Declan James 11-4, 11-6, 11-4 in their first career encounter.
“I’m very proud to win the Madison Open, the biggest title of my career so far! Thanks to my biggest supporters, @USSQUASH, @sdevoy1 and Mo!!”, Harrity tweeted to his followers afterwards thanking US Squash who supports Harrity via the Elite Athlete Program, and his local Merion Cricket Club-based and U.S. National Team coach Scott Devoy, and Merion training partner and fellow professional Mohamed Anwar Reda.
Harrity’s title is the fourth won by an EAP-supported athlete in 2014 since the program’s launch in the fall of 2013, adding to Harrity’s New York Pro Open title, and Olivia Blatchford’s two titles this fall—the $15,000 Mexicano De Racquetas in September, and the $5,000 Manulife Investments Tournament in October.
Harrity now treks to Minnesota this week to compete as the second seed in the $10,000 Life Time Minneapolis Open alongside fellow Americans Chris Hanson and Faraz Khan.