One of the central goals of the U.S. Open is to expose the game to new people. The first fan to walk into the Daskalakis Athletic Center at Drexel for the very first match on the ASB GlassCourt was a good example.
It was John Manobianco. A native of Springfield, PA, Manobianco was a longtime racquetball player, first picking up the outdoor three-wall game in Florida and then later as a leading amateur in indoor four-wall. Three years ago while living in Albany, he switched from racquetball to squash. Now based in State College, PA, Manobianco is a meteorologist. Today was just the second time he’s attended a squash tournament.
“It is amazing to come to the U.S. Open and see all these world-class players close up,” Manobianco said. “At other sporting events, the action is so far from the stands. Here you are right up on the court. It’s fantastic.”
