28 Jun 03
Semi-Finals:
K.Darwish bt P.Nicol 15-13, 8-15, 9-15,
15-14, 15-13
A.Shabana bt O.Beng Hee 15-13, 15-12, 5-15, 15-12
TOURNAMENT FAVOURITE NICOL OUT
Peter
Nicol said yesterday after his easy quarterfinal win that tomorrow’s
match would be much harder. How true that was. In the end, he left the
glasscourt in Seville’s Town centre, losing to Karim Darwish in the
semi-final, having had match ball in the 4th game.
Nicol commanded the first period of the opening game,
before his opponent responded with a series of 5 points. At game-ball,
Nicol hit the tin. A self-assured Darwish came out strongly in the
second, taking the first few points, but this merely served to awaken
the fighting spirit of the world number one. Driving forcefully to good
length, Nicol took the next two games.
The 4th game was the high point in this encounter. Nicol was on his way
to a place in the final, leading 13-9, when the Egyptian mustered an
astounding comeback. With two drop shots at 12-13, he went ahead 14-13.
At this point he was denied a certain stroke, which left Players
watching outside, as well as the one inside the court, stunned in
amazement. Two rallies later, when Darwish elected set one, Nicol had
match ball, but hit the tin. The deciding 5th game was also close , but
a now aggressive Egyptian took the match, after 1 hour and 33 minutes.
The delighted Darwish said ” I knew I had to get in
front of Peter, to dictate the rallies. But I am happy now. This was my
1st win over Peter. I am looking forward to tomorrow's game. I have a
good chance.”
A rueful Nicol said:” I should have won in the 4th game. I had my
chance, but he played very well and I made too many mistakes.”
In the other semi-final qualifier Amr Shabana was too good for Ong Beng
Hee. Seldom leaving the front court position and moving very fast,
Shabana put the Malaysian under constant pressure. Only in the 3rd game
did Beng Hee find some consistency in his game, sparking off
anticipations of another 5 game match, following his previously two,
this week.
But Shabana killed off such thoughts early in the
fourth game, and completed his four game victory.
”My game plan was attack, attack," said a beaming
Shabana. "I could not let Bengy play his game. In the 3rd I got very
tired, but I recovered. I should improve my ranking after this
tournament. It should be a good final.”
27-Jun-03
SEEDS WIN THROUGH
TO SEVILLE SEMIS
Fritz Borchert reports from Seville
Quarter-Finals:
K.Darwish bt J.Willstrop 12-15, 15-9, 15-7, 15-7
P.Nicol bt J.Kneipp 15-9, 15-9, 15-4
O.Beng Hee bt M.Abbas 8-15, 15-11, 15-17, 15-13, 15-10
A.Shabana bt M.A.Iskandar 15-13, 15-11, 15-9
A stern challenge from Junior World Champion Jamie
Willstrop in the opening game of the first Quarterfinal match on the
glasscourt in Seville’s market square, was not enough to unsettle
Egyptian Karim Darwish.
From halfway in the 2nd game, Willstrop began to slow
down dramatically. This was the signal for his opponent to attack, and
that he did. Relentless he took charge, and stroked the ball deep into
the corners of the court for the English man to chase - with little
success. From there on the 3-1 win was never in doubt.
Darwish said after the match :” The match score
between us was one each, but now I am in the lead. My match plan was to
move him around the court and it worked well. He is a big lad and I
don’t think he is really fit.”
In
the following match Peter Nicol dispatched Joe Kneipp in just 44
minutes . As early as the beginning of the 2nd game the Australian
became dispirited and offered limited resistance to the ruthlessly
performing World No. one.
Slightly puzzled by the performance of his opponent
Nicol said:” I was surprised that Joe was dispirited so early in the
game. We all go through bad patches during the match, but you have to
work your way through it."
Nicol knows that Darwish will present him with a real
challenge though: "Tomorrow's match will be much harder. Darwish is up
for it and wants it desperately ... and so will I.”
Ong Beng Hee followed his tradition here in Seville with another
5 game match, which he narrowly won against Mohamed Abbas. Only when the
much taller Egyptian slowed down, could Ong secure his victory.
The relieved Malaysian said ”I have always hard
matches with Abbas, we battled as juniors. He is a good player. I am so
glad I won.”
In the last match of the evening, around midnight, Amr Shabana
scored a straight 3-0 win over Moh’d Azlan Iskandar, to secure his place
into tomorrow's semi-final.
26-Jun-03
Qualifiers progress in Seville
Fritz Borchert reports from Seville
The opening of the evening session on the glasscourt in the town centre
of Seville started the 1st. round matches with a sensational outcome.
Elevated to number two seed after the withdraw of
Super Series Finals winner Jonathon Power, Anthony Ricketts was
scheduled to meet Peter Nicol in Final, but found himself dumped out of
the tournament by Amr Shabana.
The in recent weeks much improved Australian was
caught on a bad day. Difficult playing conditions, an opponent playing
well above his ranking position and doing his best to destroy all
concentration what there still was within Ricketts.
So much so that, when he came of the court having
lost the 3rd game, he asked the referee to take control of the match.
Then followed wilt:” I'm trying to play a game of squash here, but he
(Shabana) never stops talking.”
Too many errors, particular in front of the court, were Ricketts'
downfall, while his Egyptian opponent did some spectacular retrieving,
as well as strong volleying.
A delighted Shabana after the match :” It the first time I have played
him. I was very nervous, that is why I complained to the referee so
often. I haven’t played many matches recently. I have been training in
Egypt with the National Coach. This result will bring up my ranking
position.”
The following matches stood in the shadow of the opening encounter and
went all to plan as per seeding with Peter Nicol, Joseph
Kneipp and Karim Darwish all claiming quarter-final places
with 3/0 wins.
The afternoon session though, also started with an
unpredicted result. The first match in the first round provided the
first casualty of the tournament. Mark Chaloner struggled through two
games with a groin injury before retiring, with his opponent Egyptian
Mohamad Abbas leading 2-0.
But thereafter a small but knowledgeable crowd around the show court of
one of Spanish finest squash club, the Antares, were handsomely
compensated for the short opener, with two five game matches and a
battle royal between two Englishmen.
Malaysian Ong Beng Hee needed 1hour 51minutes
to win in 5 games, 15-12 in the fifth against Canadian Shahier Razik.
Not to be outdone by his fellow countryman, Mohamed Azlan Iskandar
following with a surprise 5 game win over Simon Parke. The afternoon's
proceeding were closed with the match between James Willstrop and
Nick Taylor, which Willstrop a 3-1 win.
So, three seeds falling in the first round and two
qualifiers in the quarters, which present us with the mouthwatering
matchup between James Willstrop and his predecessor as world junior
champion Karim Darwish.
26-Jun-03
QUALIFYING
Two England players survived the qualifying
finals - and were immediately paired up with English opponents in the
first round. Yorkshire's World Junior Champion James Willstrop swept to
a 15-13 15-8 15-9 win over Italian No1 Davide Bianchetti to earn a first
round clash with his Manchester English National League team-mate Nick
Taylor, the eighth seed. Ben Garner will face top seed Peter Nicol, the
world No1 from London, after his 7-15 15-13 15-13 15-12 victory over
Welshman Gavin Jones.
Qualifying finals:
Shahier Razik (CAN) bt Lee Drew (ENG) 13-15, 15-4, 15-8, 15-3
Ben Garner (ENG) bt Gavin Jones (WAL) 7-15, 15-13, 15-13, 15-12
Moh'd Azlan Iskandar (MAS) bt Lars Harms (SUI) 17-14, 15-7, 15-11
James Willstrop (ENG) bt Davide Bianchetti (ITA) 15-13, 15-8, 15-9
1st qualifying round:
Shahier Razik (CAN) bye
Lee Drew (ENG) bt Victor Montserrat (ESP) 11-15, 9-15, 15-8, 15-4, 15-10
Gavin Jones (WAL) bt Oriol Salvia (ESP) 15-7, 16-17, 17-15, 15-3
Ben Garner (ENG) bt Tommy Berden (NED) 15-13, 17-15, 14-17, 13-15, 15-10
Moh'd Azlan Iskandar (MAS) bt Iago Cornes (ESP) 15-3, 15-8, 15-6
Lars Harms (SUI) bt Jago Nardelli (ENG) 15-9, 15-6, 15-8
Davide Bianchetti (ITA) bt Andrew Whipp (ENG) 15-10, 15-5, 10-15, 15-9
James Willstrop (ENG) bt Constantino Casas (ESP) 15-8, 15-11, 15-8
26-Jun-03
FIT
RICKETTS CHARGED
UP
FOR SPANISH OPEN
Australia's World No7 Anthony Ricketts is delighted to be upgraded to
second seed for this week's Seville Spanish Open Squash Championship -
but disappointed that stories emanating from his homeland suggest that
he is less than fit.
"Since playing my last PSA World Tour event in Qatar in May, I have been
training hard at my new UK base near Reading and am now in great
condition and eager to get back to action on the international circuit
here in Seville," said the 24-year-old from Brisbane on his personal
website www.AnthonyRicketts.com
"Contrary to reports I've heard from Australia, I am fully fit and keen
to build on the great run I have had on the PSA Tour over the past year
and improve further on my world ranking," Ricketts added.
"I am now seeded to meet world No1 Peter Nicol in the final. Of the
past five PSA ranking events I have played, I have won one and lost in
the other four to Peter, so I have got to know his game pretty well by
now and am ready to get my first win over him!"
Ricketts begins his quest for glory in Seville with a first round match
against Amr Shabana, the world No20 from Egypt.
23-Jun-03
POWER PULLS OUT
OF SEVILLE
Canada's world No4 Jonathon Power has
withdrawn from this week's Seville Spanish Open Squash Championship
following a back injury sustained during training.
"Jonathon is devastated by this setback and wishes your tournament all
the best," said the Canadian's manager Jason Matthison in a message
today to Spanish Open promoter Jonas Gornerup.
Power was seeded to meet English favourite Peter Nicol, the world No1,
in the final of the $45,000 event which takes place in Seville from
26-29 June - marking the return after ten years of one the PSA Tour's
leading events.
In a redraw, Australia's world No7 Anthony Ricketts is elevated to No2
seed and now faces Egypt's Amr Shabana in the opening round. England's
Simon Parke, the world No12 from Nottingham who upset Nicol in last
week's BSPA Grand Prix Finals in England - a non-ranking event - is
separated from the top seed in the revised draw. Originally expected to
meet his compatriot in the quarter-finals, Parke now becomes the sixth
seed and faces a qualifier in the first round in the lower half of the
draw.
The 2003 Spanish Open, a four star event, will be staged on an all-glass
court in the main town square in Seville during the week before the town
hosts its traditional annual fiesta.
09-Jun-03
Nicol & Power Set
For Seville Clash
England's Peter Nicol and Canada's Jonathon
Power are set to add another chapter to their long-standing duel,
according to the draw for the Seville Spanish Open Squash Championship
which was announced today.
World No1 Nicol and Montreal-based Power, who has slipped to a six-year
low of No4 in the world, are the top two seeds in the $45,000 event
which takes place in Seville from 26-29 June - marking the return after
ten years of one the PSA Tour's leading events.
The pair last met in May's final of the Brit Insurance Super Series
Finals in London - where the Canadian won in five to take a 17-16 lead
in their career head-to-head tally.
The 2003 Spanish Open, a four star event, will be staged on an all-glass
court in the main town square in Seville during the week before the town
hosts its traditional annual fiesta.
25-Apr-03
Spanish Open Returns - In Seville
The Spanish Open, one of the biggest events on the men's
international squash circuit a decade ago, boasting both Jahangir Khan
and Jansher Khan as former champions, makes its welcome return to the
PSA Tour in June 2003.
The Spanish Seville Open will be a four star event, staged on an
all-glass court in the main town square in Seville from 26-29 June, the
week before the town hosts its traditional annual fiesta.
Jonas Gornerup, Technical Director of the Spanish Squash Federation, is
the driving force behind this new initiative: "Since losing out to
Madrid as the Spanish bid city for a future Olympic Games, the city of
Seville has refocused its attention on a bid for the World Games and has
also made a five-year commitment to squash which will include the men's
Spanish Open and probably also a women's tournament and subsidiary
events such as coaching conferences in the future," said the former
Swedish world top 30 player.
"This is a real breakthrough for the sport in Spain, which at last gives
us the opportunity to do something really big," enthused Gornerup. "The
Spanish Seville Open promises to be a fantastic championship, bringing
together our expertise in squash with Seville's tradition of staging
spectacular events - and we hope to confirm a significant TV commitment
soon."
PSA Executive Director Gawain Briars, himself a former international
player in the Gornerup era, added: "Since my own days of playing, the
Spanish Open was always one of the 'majors' on the international
circuit, so I'm really pleased to see it return to the PSA Tour as a top
flight event. I know Jonas, his team and the Spanish Federation have
worked really hard to place this tournament again and I wish them the
very best of success for this year and, hopefully, as an annual event."
