White again denied
on the brink
as rain stops play in Kuwait

World junior champion James Willstrop enjoyed the best win of his short career when he overcame the second-seeded John White in a match of ferocious hitting to reach the semi-finals of the Sheikha Al Saad Open in Kuwait.

The 20-year-old Englishman won 8-15, 15-7, 17-15, 15-11 against the Australian-raised Scottish international, who was at first over-tense, then angry, and finally full of self-recrimination, as for the second time in a month he missed the chance of closing in on the world number one spot.

When Peter Nicol's early defeat at the World Open in Lahore left the top spot exposed, White was beaten by Joe Kneipp; now, after the first round defeat of current leader Thierry Lincou, he was beaten by a 20-year-old qualifier with a maturely self-possessed capacity for grasping what was required.

It was enough to make White go and jump off the nearby harbour wall in frustration. But he restricted himself to one heavily bounced racket, which broke, a few angry shouts, and one hissing criticism of a refereeing decision: "You saw sshhhi.."

"Don't say it, please," interrupted Ian Allanach, bellowing his wisdom. Had White managed to say it, he would almost certainly have lost a penalty stroke under the specially strict, Islam-sensitive interpretations of the rules which are being imposed this week.

For the first part of the match and for the first half of all four games White played with immense force and, despite the breathtaking pace, with no little skill. But once the score grew close, you could see the question marks uncurling in his mind; and once he made once mistake, others tended to come in a cluster.

Willstrop knew that could happen. "After the early pace had subsided, it was important to keep it tight," he said. "I played my own stuff, but keeping it tight was the most important thing."

That not only cranked the pressure up but gave White's self-doubt extra time in which to find expression. He led 10-5, 12-9, and 13-11 in the third game, but lost it on a penalty point conceded when he mishit a Willstrop clinger into the middle.

White led 8-7 in the fourth, but conceded two more penalty strokes in the next four rallies as Willstrop made the ball hug the walls and level-headedly waited for his chances.

"I knew I could do it, but it was such a big win," he told the local female TV presenter. "To reach the semi-final is unbelievable."

There he will play Jonathon Power, who won his first protracted match for two months after his hand injury, beating Mansoor Zaman 15-11,8-15,15-3,15-9. "I was feeling it and just hanging on at the end," the former world champion from Canada admitted. "But it feels great to be back again."

The other semi-final is between the top-seeded Briton Peter Nicol and the fit-again Frenchman Gregory Gaultier, who followed his conquest of former world champion David Palmer with a four-game victory over another Australian, Joe Kneipp, the World Open semi-finalist.

Nicol's form was a revelation. His win by 15-9,15-8, 15-6 over his friend, compatriot and occasional doubles partner, Lee Beachill, was full of fine movement and sharp interceptions.

"I'm always nervy when I've been ill or injured or had a break, in case my time is due," grinned the 30-year-old Nicol. "But then I get into it again. It was the best I have played for some time."

Beachill, who had beaten the world champion Amr Shabana the previous day, looked peeved. "When he plays like that he's the best player in the world and I don't think anyone can beat him," he said.

The favourite for the women's title, Cassie Jackman, was also in good form, winning in straight games against Tania Bailey, although her fellow England international is still some way short of full fitness after an eight month absence with a mystery virus.

Jackman's semi-final is against Natalie Grinham, while the older of the two Australian sisters, Rachael, faces Natalie Grainger, last year's World Open runner-up from the United States.

Rachael Grinham beat Shelley Kitchen three straight (or Kitchen sunk as some correspondents will have it). Another straight games victory was against Isabelle Stoehr, the French number one who was a surprise survivor.

No quarter-final surprises among the women though, except that everyone was obliged to play on the Salmiya Club conventional plaster courts instead of the open air transparent show court by the harbour shoreline.

Rain stopped play - said to be only the second time it has ever happened on the tour. Tomorrow (Tuesday) they may have to play out there come hell, high water, or helter-skelter rain. Well, TV decrees it.
 

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No way past Willstrop for White

Nicol in fine form
 

Power ends Mansoor's run
 

Gaultier beats Kneipp

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Quarter-Final Results:

Men's Quarter-Finals:  Men's Draw
[1] Peter Nicol (Eng) bt [8] Lee Beachill (Eng)  15/9, 15/8, 15/6  (47m)
[8] Gregory Gaultier (Fra) bt Joe Kneipp (Aus)  15/7, 15/8, 9/15, 15/7  (60m)
[4] Jonathon Power (Can) bt Mansoor Zaman (Pak)  15/11, 8/15, 15/3, 15/9  (55m)
[Q] James Willstrop bt (Eng) [2] John White (Sco)  8/15, 15/7, 17/15, 15/11  (63m)

Women's Quarter-Finals:   Women's Draw
[1] Cassie Jackman (Eng) bt Tania Bailey (Eng)  9/2, 9/5, 9/3  (30m)
[3] Natalie Grinham (Aus) bt Fiona Geaves (Eng)  9/0, 9/4, 10/8  (36m)
[4] Natalie Grainger (Usa) bt [Q] Isabelle Stoehr (Fra)  9/7, 9/2, 9/5  (32m)
[2] Rachael Grinham (Aus) bt [Q] Shelley Kitchen (Nzl)  9/4, 9/1, 9/5  (28m)

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Jackman, Grainger and the Grinhams into the semis