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10-Mar-04: A WHOLE NEW MALL GAME AS NICOL KICKS OFF CANARY WHARF CLASSIC Alan Thatcher reports from Canary Wharf  Premiership football joined forces with world-class squash
today as Peter Nicol kicked off the 14-day countdown to the
Canary Wharf Squash Classic, which takes place from March 23-26 at the
East Wintergarden in London's prestige Docklands business district.World No.3 Nicol played Fulham footballer Ian Pearce, a former Surrey squash junior, on an inflatable court in Canary Wharf's Jubilee Place shopping mall as hundreds of office workers and passers-by stopped to admire the action. Nicol said: "Ian has clearly lost none of his touch. It was great fun and we had a terrific response from everyone we met. I wish all courts were this size. It would save a lot of running."  A co-promoter of the event, Nicol was delighted to report: "We have almost
sold out of tickets for the finals night on March 26 and the other days
are heading that way as well. It would be marvellous to have a full house
on all four nights of our inaugural event."Pearce, who recently transferred across London from West Ham, was cup-tied last week as Fulham went out of the FA Cup to Manchester United, but hopes to be back in the side this weekend as Fulham face crisis club Leeds United at Loftus Road, the ground they share with Queens Park Rangers. Nicol, a former Fulham season-ticket holder, added: "It was great to see Ian travel across London after a hard morning's football training outside in the cold. It's always nice to see athletes from other sports having a great respect for squash. We spoke to hundreds of workers, shoppers and passers-by, and quite a few came on court to join in the fun."  Dozens of Canary Wharf-based squash enthusiasts queued up to take on the
former world champion, who recently retained the
Tournament of Champions
title in New York after being taken ill during the
National Championships
in Manchester.After attending the England Squash 75th anniversary dinner, Nicol was due to fly off to compete in another new tournament in Bermuda before returning to London. He added: "I hope the weather is a bit warmer when I get back." |
Ticket Hotline:
Pool Matches (Tue-Thu) FINALS (Fri) £20/£25
Photos by David Boulger |
