World squash legend to attend national championships hosted in Windsor

 
  Top prize money awaits winners at the 2018 Cienna Canadian Team Championships hosted by the Windsor Squash and Fitness Club.
Canadian Squash Championship participants Danielle Letourneau, front, and Sam Cornett hit the court on Feb. 12, 2018, ahead of this weekend's tournament being hosted by Windsor Squash and Fitness. Nick Brancaccio / Windsor Star

 Samantha Cornett travels the globe as a professional athlete in a sport that doesn’t often catch the attention of the general population.
Cornett is Canada’s No. 1-ranked female squash player and she’s in Windsor this week for the 2018 Cienna Canadian Team Championships at the Windsor Squash and Fitness Club.
“We’ve got all the superstars here,” said Windsor head pro Graeme Williams who also instructs Cornett in his role as Canada’s national women’s team coach.
Williams, Cornett and fellow national teammate Nikole Todd have recently been named to Canada’s team for the Commonwealth Games in Australia in April.
Cornett and Todd had a breakthrough result in 2017 when they finished fifth at the World Squash Federation’s Doubles Championships in England.
Heading into her third Commonwealth Games, Cornett says she and Todd have a shot at the podium.
What brings some of the sports’ brightest Canadian stars to the five courts at Windsor Squash and Fitness this Friday through Sunday is the biggest pot of prize money ever offered for a team tournament.
“It’s the best prize money for teams,” Cornett said of the $2,000 payday that awaits all six gold medal winners.
The losing finalists will receive $1,000 with bronze medallists taking home $500.
Cornett frugally follows her dream on the Professional Squash Association Tour with the help of sponsors, funding from Squash Canada and prize earnings. She generally hopes just to cover her costs with whatever prize money she earns.
The 27-year-old turned professional in 2009.
“I love it,” said the native of Deep River, near Ottawa. “I had a 10-year plan when I turned pro but I’m giving myself another 10.”
This is Windsor’s first time hosting a national squash championship and, thanks to local sponsorships, the tournament will dole out a record $21,000 in prize money.
”We thought, it’s Windsor, we want to put on a good show and it worked,” Williams said of the lure of cash. “All the top players are coming.”
Each province and territory can field a team of three men and three women. As the host province, Ontario gets to enter two teams. The Canadian Armed Forces also enters a men’s and women’s team.
The competition kicks off at 10 a.m. Friday and admission is free.
Through the efforts of a club member, Pakistani legend Jahangir Khan will do a question-and-answer session with players and dignitaries attending Saturday’s championship dinner.
Khan is easily the equivalent of the NFL’s Tom Brady or the NHL’s Wayne Gretzky and globally recognized as the sport’s G.O.A.T. (greatest of all time). The 54-year-old won six World Open titles and went 555 consecutive matches without a loss between 1981 and 1986. That streak earned him recognition in the Guinness Book of World Records for the longest winning streak by a professional athlete.
There are $200 VIP tickets available that will give the holder access to the players’ lounge during the tournament and the dinner featuring Khan.
For further information contact the club at 519-966-2141.

Canadian Squash Championship participants Sam Cornett, right, and Danielle Letourneau compete Monday at Windsor Squash and Fitness ahead of this weekend’s tournament. Letourneau is from Calgary, Cornett lives in Ottawa. Nick Brancaccio / Windsor Star

Sam Cornett climbs the wall Monday during a pre-championship match at Windsor Squash and Fitness. Nick Brancaccio / Windsor Star