All midtown resident Stephanie Hewitt was looking for was a solid squash partner to train with after moving from Ottawa to Toronto a decade ago, but she got a bit more than she bargained for.
"I showed up for the date thinking that we'd play a little squash and go out for lunch or something... when she was just there to train and practice her hit," joked husband, James, 41, about the first date, getting "hooked up through friends" and eventually getting married.Team Hewitt has now, at least figuratively, renewed those wedding vows of eight years after retaining their national doubles crown on March 7 at Mayfair Parkway Racquet and Fitness Club, beating out fellow Toronto Cricket, Curling and Skating Club members Jody Warden and Chris Deratnay (15-5, 15-3 and 15-4) at the 2010 Stabren Canadian Mixed Doubles. Both finalists went virtually uncontested throughout the round robin event leading up to the final match. "We've known them (Jody and Chris) for quite a while," said James, who didn't hit a ball for weeks prior to the Mayfair Parkway Racquet and Fitness Club round robin because of a broken thumb. "I thought we did a good job on every point, staying focused, intense... but that may be more of a credit to Jody and Chris because we've had close matches with them before and we didn't want to let them into the match."James, the founder of a budding International Squash Doubles Association Tour, which features the top ranked players in the world, admitted a partnership in marriage and in squash can sometimes make for some awkward dinner table dialogue. But, he added, offsetting personality types complements the union, on and off the court."We sometimes joke about what the dinner conversation is going to be like if we don't win, but we make it work," he said. "I think to make it work one has to be relaxed and I'm the relaxed one. She's definitely more intense.""I've often said that when we win it's because of her and when we lose it's because of me."Stephanie, his wife and the world's best women's singles champion right now, agrees with her spouse on this one, but said it can be a double-edged sword of sorts. "I think so. I think squash is something we both love and in terms of our personalities, it might be more difficult if he wasn't as laid back, because I'm a bit more intense on the court," said the mother of three - two boys, aged six and four, and a daughter, 20 months. "You enjoy the wins that much more but it's that much worse when you bring home a loss."