{{Short description|English squash player}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2025}} {{Use British English|date=July 2025}} {{Infobox squash player | name = Tony Hands | image = | image_size = | caption = | country = {{ENG}} | birth_date = c.1970 | birth_place = | death_date = | death_place = | height = | weight = | coach = | racquet = | event = Men's singles | highest_ranking = No. 9 | date_of_highest_ranking = 31 December 1993 | titles = | medaltemplates = {{MedalSport|Men's squash}} {{MedalCountry|{{ENG}}}} {{MedalCompetition | European Team Championships}} {{MedalGold | 1993 Aix-en-Provence | Team}} {{MedalGold | 1994 Zoetermeer | Team}} }} '''Tony Hands''' (born c.1970) is an English former professional squash player. He reached a career-high world ranking of 9 on 31 December 1993.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.squashinfo.com/player/82-tony-hands |title=Tony Hands (England) |website=Squash Info |access-date=5 July 2025}}</ref>
== Biography == Hands finished runner-up to Del Harris in the Suffolk Junior Open (U14) in March 1983<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0004046/19830303/324/0036 |title=Results |work=Suffolk and Essex Free Press |date=3 March 1983 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=5 July 2025}}</ref> and had progressed to Essex and East of England U19 champion by 1987.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001800/19870113/032/0032 |title=Squash Open's Massive entry |work=Chatham Standard |date=13 January 1987|via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=5 July 2025}}</ref>
He played for Ardleigh Hall and represented Essex at county level.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0003747/19870123/054/0054 |title=Booster for squash kids |work=Brentwood Gazette |date=13 January 1987|via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=5 July 2025}}</ref> He was called up for the England U19 team in 1989 and played for Chelmsford, while steadily moving up the British rankings.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0004857/19891215/038/0038 |title=World of Squash |work=Billericay Gazette |date=15 December 1989 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=5 July 2025}}</ref>
Hands later played for Lambwath Hall Sports and then North Walsham<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0003600/19910129/030/0030 |title=Tony shows his class |work=Hull Daily Mail |date=29 January 1991 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=5 July 2025}}</ref> and reached the 1991 semi-finals of the British National Squash Championships.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0005232/19910412/316/0030 |title=Nicolle bids for semi-finals |work=Halifax Evening Courier |date=12 April 1991 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=5 July 2025}}</ref> He had reached the world's top 30 and Britain's top 10 by the beginning of 1992 and was world number 18 by the end of the year.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001329/19911217/028/0028 |title=Broken nose victim back in hospital |work=Torbay Express and South Devon Echo |date=17 December 1991 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=5 July 2025}}</ref>
Hands won two gold medals for the England men's national squash team at the European Squash Team Championships at the 1993 European Squash Team Championships<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001816/19930502/090/0090 |title=England squash rivals! |work=irmingham Weekly Mercury |date=2 May 1993 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=5 July 2025}}</ref> and the 1994 European Squash Team Championships.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://intersportstats.com/competition_types/292 |title=European Team Squash Championships |website=InterSportStats |access-date=22 June 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.squashinfo.com/history/100/mens/european-team-championship |title=Men's European Team Championship: Event History (53 events) |website=Squash Info |access-date=22 June 2025}}</ref>
He was ranked 4 in Britain in August 1993 and joined Cardiff-based Leekes Wizards along with fellow England internartional Chris Walker.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0004733/19930803/026/0026 |title=Wizard Pair |work=South Wales Echo |date=3 August 1993 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=5 July 2025}}</ref> Hands reached world number 9 at the end of 1993.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000564/19931231/223/0016 |title=Scots squash star leaps into the world's top 20|work=Dundee Courier |date=31 December 1993 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=5 July 2025}}</ref>
== References == {{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hands, Tony}} Category:1970 births Category:Living people Category:English male squash players