The lightning-fast Mike Desaulniers was the Sandy Koufax of squash: for a short period he was utterly untouchable. A Vancouver native, he won two U.S. junior titles and then while at Harvard swept all that came before him: despite not playing his junior year due to injury, he captured three U.S. intercollegiate titles while becoming the only player in collegiate history to lose just one single game in his career. He also led Harvard to the 1980 team title. He won the National Singles in 1978 and 1980. After graduating, Desaulniers ripped through the pro hardball tour. With a frenetic, overwhelming style, he won seven events his first year, including two majors (the Boston Open and what is now the Tournament of Champions) and the next season he captured eight titles. He dethroned Sharif Khan, beating him in the finals of the North American Open (Khan’s first loss there in seven years) and took away Khan’s No. 1 ranking. Desaulniers also was a brilliant left-wall doublers player, capturing two World Doubles, two Johnson and one North American Open.
