Squash Tourney To Begin Today

The place to be this weekend isn't Yale if you like squash.

The Massachusetts Squash Racquets Club Association this weekend is sponsoring the Eighth Annual Boston Open Squash Tournament at Hemenway gym, featuring 28 top professionals and amateur competitors, including "five former Harvard greats," Leonard Bernheimer, president of the association, said yesterday.

Bernheimer said the Harvard entrants include Mike Desaulniers, who currently plays in the number one spot for the Harvard varsity, Dave Fish, the varsity coach, and former Harvard racquetmen Vie Niederhoffer, Peter Briggs, and Jay Nelson.

International star Sharif Khan from a family of great Pakistani squashmen, won the tournament last year and is the number one seed this year.

The tournament begins today, as the 16 lowest-ranked competiters vie for four spots. The four surviving players compete with 12 top-ranked racquet-wielders Friday in the quarterfinals. The semifinals will be held Saturday, and the action on Sunday will decide the tournament victor.

The first place finisher will receive $2500, while second place pulls down $1200.