Desaulniers Overcomes Khan But Loses Pro Tourney Final

Michael Desaulniers '80 experienced both the zenith of happiness and the nadir of disappointment in the Spalding World Professional Squash Racquets Tournament held at the Manhattan Squash Club this week.

On Sunday, Desaulniers defeated Sharif Khan, the 35-year-old squash master and North American champ for the last ten years, a veteran whom Desaulniers had never beaten before in nine tournament matches.

But last night Desaulniers played Clive Caldwell, ranked second among North American Professionals, and lost in an anticlimactic final, 9-15, 15-8, 15-12, 8-15 and 2-15. The Caldwell match see-sawed back and forth, but the individual games were not nearly as close as those Desaulniers played against Khan, whom he beat 18-15, 18-16 and 15-10.

Desaulniers, attributed this inconsistency to his concentration, which he said yesterday was not at the level an extended four-day professional tournament required. This tournament, his first professional one since finishing his intercollegiate career at Harvard, found him "very mentally tired" from having to keep telling and psyching himself to perform at his peak, Desaulniers said.

In intercollegiate play, the dual meets didn't demand nearly the performance professional matches require, he added.

Desaulniers also said Caldwell's slow and methodical manner and his habit of taking long breaks between serves got "on my nerves. I just couldn't keep my concentration up the whole time."

The earlier match with Khan showed a more promising and realistic Desaulniers. Desaulniers was ranked second in North America at the beginning of the season after competing in three professional tournaments before the Harvard intercollegiate season began, but Caldwell took this ranking because of the point system and Desaulniers' non-participation throughout most of this winter.

Now that he is playing at the pro level, Desaulniers said he expects to reach his former quality of play, both mentally and physically; in two weeks he will compete in the North American Professional Open held in Salt Lake City, and he said he believes his chances are great--with a little more practice.

Desaulniers grew up in Montreal Canada, where his dad--the Canadian Veterans Champion-taught him the basics of squash. Desaulniers went on to win the Canadian Junior and U.S. Junior Championships, and then matriculated at Harvard because of its academics.

Unbeaten in four years of intercollegiate competition while playing at the number one slot, Desaulniers captained Harvard this year to its first national championship in four years.