QATAR
5:
Pick
A Winner
After The Quarters
I’m through to
the quarters and had a good day. The pace was very fast against Jonathon
Power in yesterday’s match (Tuesday) and although I played well from the
beginning he started very confidently as if he expected to win. The
rallies were tough and when I gave him an opening he took it. David
Pearson, the English National Coach, mentioned between games that my
length wasn’t quite there so I worked on it and by the middle of the
second I was much more in control. I was forcing him to take the ball
off the back and you could feel his spirit start to dampen. It was tough
and close taking about 25 or 30 minutes to finish off but I did not let
him back in.
I feel great
about how I played, it was wonderful to play well and win. I now know I
can do it against the best players. I moved well and although I expended
a lot of energy – it took about an hour overall– I expect to be in good
shape physically today. The games with the new scoring system are at a
quicker pace but don’t go as long.
Today I have
Graham Ryding. He was strong and looked good in this 3/0 win over
Goughie. He is in form and is not a player to be taken lightly. Last
time we played he was 2/0 up on me. It was the official welcoming
reception last night and I didn’t have a beer. I can’t afford to. I will
have to play will from the start against him.
Amr Shabana
looked comfortable against Abbas. Reputedly Amr did not feel well on the
first day and I though Abbas tried to extend the rallies to take
advantage but it is not his natural game and it did not work for him.
Lee Beachill told
me he had a tough first game 14-12 against Kneipp but was then
comfortable. He will play James Willstrop … again. They should have
stayed at home.
Adrian Grant said
he struggled to get up the court against David Palmer and although he
got into the games at 6-all and 5-all Palmer put the pressure on and got
away. He looks good. He has the British Open title under his belt, had a
rest for Toronto and looks as if he fancies a world title. I’ll have to
watch him.
Palmer against
Shabana today (Wednesday) will be one to get a ticket for. They will all
be tough matches and it will be important to come through them in good
shape. This is the stage of the tournament you start to see who can win
it. Two tough matches and it will be hard to be in good shape for the
final.
QATAR
4: Crunch with Power
It's Jonathon
Power today! I enjoyed my game with Mohamed Essam yesterday and felt I
played well. I was moving well and was very happy with how I played for
a first round. It was nice and quick but it wasn’t so long that I would
start the tournament with tired legs.
My movement was
working well and I got my length and width working, especially my
straight length. Mohamed hits it low and flat so I had to move well but
most of the time I was in control of the situation. I need to get this
length and width working today or I will be under a lot of pressure. I
need to make it hard so that Jonathon can’t take the ball in when he
wants. That is what the match will revolve around. I need to attack when
I get the chance.
I didn’t see
Jonathon play as he was on court 2 but I heard he played very well. Nick
Matthew was on court two games before mine and I saw him play. He will
be very disappointed to lose. He was in control for long period and was
2/1 up in the fourth but faded. He had problems in Toronto with his back
and may not be quite as fit as he would like. There were a couple of
short shots he didn’t get up to in the end.
I feel for John
White he will be very upset and disappointed with the manner of his
loose to Olli. Thierry looked immaculate - in his physical appearance,
his movement and his game plan.
There is almost a problem in squash that
you almost have to be there for years and years before anyone recognises
that you are a really good player – we don’t seem to praise the quality
of our players. Thierry’s up there and he is not a bad player! He is in
the other quarter to me and if he gets past Gregory could face Ricketts
in the quarters. Jonathon or I will face Ryding or Gough.
QATAR 3: D Day
I’m in action
today. Last night I was able to watch Lee, David and Amr blow the
cobwebs out. David and Amr both had to work for their wins – which is
how it should be in a first round – but they looked good and they were
working their way into the tournament professionally.
Shabana
struggled to get it together and he looked like he blew out in the
second and third game. I don’t know how fit he is but he is defending
the title here and he may be back putting pressure on himself. I
wouldn’t right any of these three off though.
Simon Parke
played will but lost 3/1 to Darwish in a very good game.
Yesterday was
just a relaxing day for me. I checked my e-mails and read my book. At
the moment I’m reading ‘Memories, Dreams and Reflexions’ by Carl Gustav
Jung which gives me something to think about in all the dead time we
have waiting to play. I watched the guys and the opening ceremony which
included a juggling act and a Diablo and then turned my mind to today’s
match.
Today I have the
Egyptian Mohamed Essam A Hafiz who put out Peter Barker in a tough match
on Saturday. I’m last on the centre court. I’ll let you know how I get
on this evening.
QATAR 2: Out of the Sun
The opening
ceremony is today. I have my first round match on Monday but I have
already played Amr Shabana and Lee Beachill here in Qatar … but that was
just practice. With Amr I played three-quarter court, along with Adrian
Grant and Davide Bianchetti, like we used to play as juniors. Lee
seemed fine in our hit so he could be over his injury problem and as top
seed he is the main contender.
Qatar is nice and
easy for the players. It’s familiar and comfortable, like going down to
the club. There are well prepared for events like this. The transport
and practice courts work well.
The players like
the sun and the pool but I will be staying indoors. They show all the
Premier League matches on TV so I have been able to watch that.
Yesterday I watched the 1 o’clock match, the 3 o’clock match and the 5
o’clock match. I want to focus on what I am here to do. There is a lot
of waiting around in the hotel room but when it comes to matches I want
to be ready and in shape – so no sun or pool for me.
Today I’ll have a
hit today, support Lee and the other English guys and watch David Palmer
and Shabana tonight.
The matches on
this Qatar court should be short and shape. The court and the new
scoring format will dictate that. There are different physical attribute
required now and you have to be sharp.
PREVIEW:
My World Open
It hasn’t been
easy recently and I was gutted that an ankle injured put me out before
the British Open but I am looking forward to the World Open in Qatar. I
feel good. If I play well I can win it. It’s that simple. It’s getting
tougher to get consistent results but if I play well I can win and that
is what I am going out there to do.
The ankle is
fine now. I'm reinvigorated and ready to go again - it’s been a
difficult process. One of the problems is that I have lacked match
practice since the injury.
I knew I wasn't
ready for the Canadian Classic in Toronto but I needed matches. Before
the injury at the Gerard event I felt I was getting back into the form I
wanted to be in after the US Open where Lee played so well in the final.
In Toronto I
playing Jonathon in my second match and it was a sudden shock. I had
practised well enough but in a match he doesn't give you much time on
the ball.
My fitness is
getting there. I’ve been working on short, sharp court sessions,
something between 40 min and an hour, every day at Lambs. I'm moving
well now and hitting the ball well, I just need matches.
Over the summer
I didn't do enough work but I needed time off, especially with what
happened in the British last year and the last part of the year where I
was just hanging on. It is only now that I feel I can put in a good
period of work. I did a few weeks ago but then I got injured.
I'm looking
forward to playing. I'd like to have more matches under my belt.
The last world
title I won was in 1999. I held the title for three years because there
was not another World Open held until 2002.
I’d like another title here but the opposition will be tough.
The top
contenders are David Palmer, Lee Beachill and Thierry Lincou. David is
always going to be tough to beat as long as he is not injured. He is so
strong physically and mentally. Lee, if he is right physically, likes
the court in Qatar. Thierry, who just won in
Toronto it must be remembered, was a finalist
last year.
Also in
contention is Shabana who could just term it
on again as he did at the British Open. I talked to him there and he
seems very relaxed and he has taken the pressure off himself. He is a
natural squash player, a fantastic shot player and for five matches he
could do it.
You can't exclude
Jonathon, he won the World Open title here in 1998 and he loves the
court although he hasn't won a major event in a while.
Ricketts is
coming back into form and with White you never know.
I’ve got a
qualifier first up, which can be tough, and if I get past him I could
have Jonathon in the second round – strange after all the finals we have
played.
This will be a
crucial match for both of us. I will need to get going but if I get past
that one I can see myself getting better with each round. Come on the
matches!
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