XVIII
Commonwealth GamesMelbourne, Australia, 16-26 March
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John Murray Reports from Melbourne
The story of the Commonwealth Games squash championships was one of crushing wins and shock upsets. It was a story about marathon games, played in front of packed crowds. It was a story about classic clashes between old foes England and Australia. And, above all, it was a story – no, let’s make that a fairytale – about Peter Nicol.
The veteran Englishman crowned a memorable five days of competition when he beat top seed David Palmer 9-5, 10-8, 4-9, 9-2 to win his second Commonwealth Games singles gold.
Upon winning the point that sealed gold, Nicol sunk to his knees on the Show Court at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre, then thumped his fists against the glass in utter jubilation. Finally, he clutched his head for several moments scarcely able to believe what he had achieved.
The final had been billed as the wily old-timer Nicol against man of the moment Palmer.
But this being the Commonwealth Games, it wasn’t simply a case of one opponent against another. This was the might of the old empire against the best the home nation had to offer.
This was the white shirt of Nicol against the green shorts and gold top of Palmer. England v Australia yet again in the squash – and for the umpteenth time in the Games as a whole.
From the first point, Nicol tore around the court, just like the player who powered to gold eight years ago, often staying in rallies he had no right to win. And his efforts were rewarded on the scoreboard when he took the first two games.
Palmer responded by winning the third, but Nicol would not be denied. With each point won, Nicol bellowed “C’mon”, clenching his fists as he goaded himself to victory.
3-1 became 4-1; 5-2 became 6-2. And, soon after, it was 9-2. Game over. Gold medal won.
“It
meant everything to me,” Nicol revealed immediately after the match.
“It was
one of the last tournaments I’m ever going to play in, and certainly the
biggest one I’m going to play in at the end of my career.
“I was
very, very tired going into that fourth game, but I think I played the best
game of my career.”
Things
had started smoothly for the eight-strong English singles contingent when
competition got under way on the first day of the Games. All eight English
players progressed to the last 16. And even better, none of them
relinquished a game. Nicol eased through against South African Rodney
Durbach, while Lee Beachill was arguably the pick of the bunch in crushing
another South African, Craig Van Der Wath.
Jenny
Duncalf was the first English casualty in the next round. She suffered a
surprising loss to Shelley Kitchen – more on her later.
The remaining seven English stars
safely advanced to the quarter-finals. Nicol was rarely troubled in a 9-2,
9-2, 9-0 demolition job of Canadian Matthew Giuffre. Elsewhere Tania Bailey
eased past Australian Amelia Pittock. England 1 Australia 0, if you like.
The
competition really fired up in the quarter-finals. Never more so than in the
clash between doubles partners James Willstrop and Nick Matthew.
Trailing 8-2 in a must-win fourth game, British National champion Matthew
somehow staved off six match balls, then fought back to take the match into
a deciding game before eventually prevailing 9-3, 3-9, 8-10, 10-8, 9-5.
By
contrast, Matthew’s semi-final opponent Nicol enjoyed a far easier path into
the last four, eliminating Canadian Graham Ryding in three games. And Lee
Beachill ensured England fielded three of the four semi-finalists after a
convincing defeat of Australia’s Stewart Boswell.
Unfortunately, it was a different story in the women’s quarter-finals, where
England’s three surviving representatives all crashed out at the
quarter-final stage. New Zealander Kitchen claimed another major scalp when
she eliminated an out-of-sorts Vicky Botwright, while Bailey and Linda
Elriani bowed out to top-seeded duo Nicol David and Rachael Grinham.
In the
end, Grinham had to settle for silver after losing to her sister Natalie,
while Kitchen pulled off her third shock in five days to snatch bronze at
David’s expense.
With
four men left standing, Matthew looked poised to spring another surprise
when he took the first game off Nicol, but the veteran was not to be denied
a final tilt at gold.
In the
other semi-final, David Palmer scuppered Beachill’s bid to make it an
all-England final. To his credit, Beachill returned the following day to win
gold against Matthew.
But
that was merely a supporting act to Nicol’s memorable swansong to a glorious
career.
Shock Win for Nick Matthew
Nick Matthew of England has created an upset,
defeating compatriot and No.2 seed James Willstrop in a 5 game thriller.
Matthew began the match strongly, breaking away to win the first game 9-3.
Willstrop hit back in the second to level the game score, also winning the
game 9-3. With both players at level pegging, the English pair started the
third game at a furious pace.
Willstrop managed to get
out to an 8-6 lead, but Matthew dug in to level the score at 8-8. Using
great control, Willstrop claimed the game with a drop-volley winner to take
a 2-1 lead. Using the momentum he gained by winning the third game,
Willstrop quickly moved to an 8-3 lead, giving him his first match-ball.
Matthew never lost heart
and played on, seemingly finding a new reserve of energy. Willstrop had a
total of 6 match-balls, but was unable to find the winning shot he needed to
close out the match. He showed excellent sportsmanship in calling his own
shot out at a crucial stage. Matthew pressed on, converting his first
game-ball to level the match to a deciding fifth game.
With a semi final place to
play for, neither player gave an inch, working each other mercilessly around
all four corners of the court. Trading point for point early in the game,
Matthew broke away to claim the final game, the match and a place in the
Semi Finals 9-5.
Matthew meets English team
mate, Peter Nicol in another all English clash in the Semi Final. Nicol
defeated Canada’s Graham Ryding in the Men's Squash Singles Quarter Final
9-5 9-1 9-3.
Seven of England’s singles players
through to the quarter finals
Team England just missed out on a clean sweep on the squash courts
today as all four men and three of England’s women went through to the
quarter-finals in the singles event.
In the men’s singles, England’s Peter Nicol (London), who won gold in Kuala
Lumpur and silver in Manchester, beat Canada’s Matthew Giuffre 9-2, 9-2,
9-0. Nick Matthew (Sheffield) beat Ong Beng Hee of Malaysia 9-4, 9-2, 9-7.
Also in the men’s singles, James Willstrop (Pontefract) beat Gavin Jones of
Wales 9-4, 9-2, 9-7, and Lee Beachill (Pontefract) beat Alex Gough of Wales
9-1, 9-0, 9-1.
Commenting on his win, Lee Beachill said: “This is the only competition
where they use the old scoring system, so some of the score lines here are a
bit misleading
“I felt on top throughout the match and didn’t give him a chance to play his game. I was injured at the end of last year and lost to him just before Christmas. However, I have done a lot of work since then, and I feel that I am getting back to normal.
“I am playing and moving well, and when I do those things right I am pretty tough to beat”, he added.
This is the first time that all four English men have made it through to the quarter-finals of a Commonwealth Games. If the run of wins continues Pete Nicol and James Willstrop could meet in the semi-finals.
In the women’s singles Tania Bailey (Stamford) beat Australia’s Amelia Pittock 9-2, 9-2. 9-1, Vicky Botwright (Swinton) beat Tenille Swartz of South Africa 9-4, 9-7, 9-7, and Linda Elriani (Eastbourne) beat Tegwen Malik of Wales 9-6, 10-8, 9-3.
Jenny Duncalf (Harrogate) was England’s only loss on the squash courts losing to Shelley Kitchen of New Zealand, 6-9, 9-4, 6-9, 1-9.
England Players Storm Into Last Sixteen In Melbourne
All eight of the England players competing in the squash singles in the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne comfortably secured places in the last sixteen in today's (Thursday) first day of action at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre.
Fourth-seeded Londoner Peter Nicol, the 1998 singles champion who is in his third successive appearance in the Games, confidently brushed aside South African Rodney Durbach 9-5, 9-1, 9-1 in 29 minutes to set up a surprise third round match with Matthew Giuffre, an unseeded Canadian who knocked out Pakistan's 11th seed Shahid Zaman.
British National champion Nick Matthew, the No7 seed from Sheffield, defeated Zambian Chiluba Chilufya 9-2, 9-1, 9-2 in 29 minutes and will now take on Malaysia's ninth seed Ong Beng Hee.
Fellow Yorkshireman Lee Beachill, the fifth seed from Pontefract, despatched South African veteran Craig van der Wath 9-1, 9-2, 9-1 in 28 minutes. The former world No1 will now meet Welshman Alex Gough, the 13th seed who earned his place in the last sixteen when his Bermudan opponent James Stout retired injured midway through their third game.
But the Englishman who had the easiest ride on day one was No2 seed James Willstrop. The 22-year-old from Pontefract, who is making his debut in the Games, didn't even need to get his racket out of the bag as Scottish opponent Harry Leitch conceded a walkover after sustaining an injury in his earlier first round match.
In the women's event, Lincolnshire's Tania Bailey, from Stamford, convincingly beat Diana Argyle of South Africa 9–3, 9–1, 9-0.
Commenting on her victory, eighth seed Bailey said: “I don’t think I have ever played this early in the tournament before but it was nice to get the first match out of the way. My preparation has gone really well.
“I had not played the South African before so she was a bit of an unknown to me,” she added. “It took me a few points to get used to her style of play as she played better than I expected.”
Team England’s players dominated all their matches. Jenny Duncalf, the fifth seed from Harrogate in Yorkshire, beat Scotland’s Louise Philip 9–2, 9-3, 9-0.
Manchester's Vicky Botwright, the No4 seed, beat Sharon Chimfwembe of Zambia 9–0, 9–0, 9–3, while sixth seed Linda Elriani, from Eastbourne, beat Jamaica’s Karen Anderson 9–4, 9–1, 9–2.
Nicol Ready For 'Most Important Event In Calendar'
Beachill & Nicol In Unique Games Title Defence Bid
Hat-Trick For Hosts Predicted By Commonwealth Games Squash Doubles Seedings
Australia & Malaysia Seeded To Win Squash Singles Gold In Melbourne
Team England’s squash men get first round byes
