Lucky Odeh Earns
Berth in U.S. Open Qualifying
Tennis & Racquet Squash Pro Runs Event and Wins.
Home pro Lucky Odeh came from behind to defeat Union Boat Club pro Mark Lewis 3-2 on Thursday night September 4 at the Tennis & Racquet Club and win the inaugural Mass Pro Invitational. The victory earns the newly installed T & R squash pro the "local hero" spot in the qualifying tournament for the upcoming $50,000 U.S. Open Squash Championships. Playing for the third consecutive night in front of packed galleries, Lucky overcame a 0-2 deficit to win the inaugural edition of the championship.
The 2003 Mass Pro Invitational was conceived and managed by Lucky with support from Head Racquets Pro Jimmy Burke and Manager Tom Dobbins. The tournament succeeded as both an official opening of the club’s two new 21’ courts and an exciting new addition to Boston’s overall U.S. Open activity.
U.S. Open promoter John Nimick declared, "I am indebted to Lucky and the other area pros for creating this tournament and requesting that it nominate the local player eligible, under USSRA and PSA rules, for one of the sixteen coveted slots in the official US Open qualifying. It’s quite a feat to organize AND win a tournament, so hat’s off to Lucky. We hope all of Lucky’s Legions head over to the Murr Center at Harvard University on Thursday night (9/11) to watch him in action against the world’s best."
Organizers plan to expand the Mass Pro Invitational next year and, potentially, add concurrent top-level events in the club’s other prized racquet sports; court tennis and hard racquets.
