Frosh Squash Champ Can't Play

Harvard freshman Anil Nayar is the national squash champion of India and the junior champion of the British Commonwealth, but he will not swing his racquet for the Crimson this year.

Nayar is ineligible for freshman squash because he attended Bombay University last year. Ivy League rules prohibit students with a year of post-secondary school education from playing on freshman teams.

Although Nayar will not play for Harvard this year he will not be out of competition altogether. He has been invited to play in several of the most prestigious amatour tournaments in the world.

Consolation Winner

This fall he participated in the Gold Racquets Tournament in New York. In the first round he lost a close match to the United States national champion, Steve Vehslage. He won the consolation by beating Penn's number one player, Edward Coonley. Coonley is the third ranking amateur in the nation and is expected to be 1966 Ivy League singles champion.

Nayar has also beaten Vic Sexias, a former tennis champion and present senior squash champion of America. He had little trouble as he shut out the veteran three games to none.

Indian Champ

One of the most significant honors he has received since arriving in America was being invited to participate in next month's North American Open, thought by many to be the most important squash tournament in the world. Thirty-two of the world's foremost squash players are selected to enter the competition.

Next year Nayar will play on the varsity and, in the words of freshman coach Corey Wynn, "will certainly be in contention for one of the top three positions."

Born in Punjab India, Nayar began playing squash seven years ago at the Cricket Club of India. In 1964 he entered the national and junior championships and won both of them. During the summer of 1965 he toured England with his coach, Yusuf Khan. He became junior champion of the British Commonwealth when he won the Drysdale cup, the most coveted squash award for 19-year-olds in the world.

Adapted to America

Throughout Europe and Asia squash is played with a slower ball and a lighter racquet than in America. As a result more speed and endurance are required than in the American game.

At first Nayar felt awkward at the American game, but recently he remarked, "Since [varsity coach] Jack Barnaby has been showing me some shots, I've been doing lots better."

Although he has played with many of the world's greatest squash players, Nayar feels that the level of squash at Harvard is high.

While in India Nayar trained by running six miles every morning and playing an hour of squash in the afternoon. Since he has been at Harvard he has not found time for the running but spends up to two hours on the courts.