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Friday 13th, Quarter-Finals:
[Q] Simon Parke
(Eng) bt [4] Nick Matthew (Eng)
15/11, 15/6, 15/10 (59m)
[1] Peter Nicol (Eng) bt [5] Anthony Ricketts (Aus)
15/4, 13/15, 15/12, 15/10 (75m)
[6] James Willstrop (Eng) bt
[3] John White (Sco)
7/15, 14/15, 15/10, 15/12, 15/7 (90m)
[2] Lee Beachill (Eng) bt [7] Adrian Grant (Eng)
15/5, 15/8, 15/9 (42m)
EMOTION,
EMOTIONS ...
Framboise reports on a day full of them
No, no report about the matches tonight. Not
a traditional one anyway.
If you have read my “portrait” of Peter Nicol, you may remember that his
“new life” could be summarised in 3 words: Brutal, Emotional, Honest.
And today was the perfect example of a brutal, honest, and emotional day.
Full report
ALL-YORKSHIRE
SEMIS IN SHEFFIELD
Steve Cubbins sreport
The semi-finals of the Mamut English Open will be all-Yorkshire affairs,
with Peter Nicol (registered to Yorkshire) taking on a rejuvenated
Simon Parke, and Pontefract clubmates Lee Beachill and
James Willstrop meeting in a rare competitive encounter. Here's how
they got there ...
Ricketts is back, alright ...
When Peter Nicol raced away with the first game a repeat of last
year's magnificent match between these two looked unlikely. But
determination was always one of Anthony Ricketts' strong points,
and in six months out he proved that he hasn't lost that quality.
The strong Australian powered back into the match, forcing Nicol into
retrieving mode for long spells as he levelled, and came mighty close to
taking the lead at the end of a tense third game. From 12-all it was Nicol
that held his nerve to regain the lead.
 The
fourth was another almighty tussle, but from 6-all Nicol took a run of
points, and from 11-6 there was no way back for Ricketts, however hard he
tried - and he tried hard.
Nicol was breathless during the post-match interview. "No matter how hard
you train, however much time you put into practice, it's never as tiring
as hard matches like that. And that was hard, believe me," said a relieved
world number one.
Willstrop dethrones White
A magnificent match that ended in a prolonged standing ovation from the
Crucible crowd, and with the defending champion literally on his knees.
 John
White started like a train, finding the winners that were eluding him
last night, as he took the first game 15/7.
James Willstrop was in no mood to give White an easy ride though,
as he upped his own pace in the second. White was still on top though, as
he reached 14-10. Willstrop recovered to 14-all, but White called one and
took a 2-0 lead on a stroke. Willstrop was distraught.
In the third White again started well, leading 6-2 before Willstrop found
his range to take it 15/10.
From then on the two traded blows like the heavyweights they are, with
rally after rally featuring miraculous shots, miraculous retrieving and
miraculous effort, especially from White, who towards the end was ending
most rallies, during many of which he was hurling himself full-length to
reach the ball, doubled up or on his knees.
How he kept going was a wonder, but he did, expending every last drop of
energy he had. But it was not enough, and even though White knew it was
over half-way through the fifth he kept going until James had won it.
The crowd rose as one at the end, as Willstrop completed a recovery that
dethroned the champion.
"John's such a good player when he gets ahead," said Willstrop after the
match. "He just gets more and more confident, so I knew I had to get on
top early. I got a good start in the first two games, but going 2-0 down,
that's hard work."
The world junior champion was already looking forward to the semi-finals.
"I normally play quite well after I've played John, so I hope I can do
that tomorrow!"
Parke pulls it off again
Simon Parke looked much more impressive than Nick Matthew in their
respective first round matches, but surely even a rejuvenated world no 35
would not beat a fast-improving world number eight.
But the pattern continued. Parke won a closely contested first game, and
from then on never looked back. It wasn't that Matthew played poorly - he
did little wrong, but Parke was full of running, full of retrieving, and
kept Matthew under pressure the whole time.
Simon has been training harder this summer than for many years, and it
looks like it's paying dividends.
"I went back to 'old school' training this summer, to see if my body could
take it," Parke, who say he is inspired by the late-career form of Andre
Agassi, explained afterwards.
"But I've exceeded my expectations, and I've been delighted with my play.
I've proven to myself that if I'm as fit as these guys my experience can
see me through."
Beachill completes the set
Lee Beachill cruised into the semi-finals in
the last match of the evening, dominating Adrian Grant to set up a
semi-final with his Pontefract clubmate James Willstrop.
The match was always going to struggle to live up with the previous
beauty, and Grant never threatened to live with Beachill.
So Beachill will meet his training partner James Willstrop. When the met
in the Nationals in February Beachill won comfortably, and although Lee
will be pleased that he has enjoyed the easier run to the semi-finals, he
knows that James will be on a high, and looking for an other scalp ...
EMOTION
EMOTIONS ...
Framboise reports on a day full of them
|
The crowd, with White fans
Also:
Malcolm Willstrop
analyses the action
Also:
Malcolm Willstrop
analyses the action |
